Cosmo TOPPER RETURNS and this time he's involved with murder!
Hal Roach Studios presents one more look at the continued supernatural adventures of Cosmo Topper. The Old Dark House routine is trotted out as our hero finds himself in a spooky cliff-top mansion replete with strange disappearances, hidden passageways and a fiendish knife-wielding killer.
Roland Young & Billie Burke are back one final time as the Toppers and they remain a delight--Mr. Young owl-like & serious in the scariest of situations and Miss Burke forever sweetly vague and befuddled. They are joined by vivacious Joan Blondell (who actually snags top billing) as a ghostess intent on forcing poor Topper into discovering who's just murdered her.
More new costars are on hand to help liven things up: lovely Carole Landis as a rich girl in much need of protection; Dennis O'Keefe as a taxi driver willing to provide that protection; gaunt H.B. Warner as Miss Landis' invalid father; menacing George Zucco as his sinister doctor; Rafaela Ottiano as a frightened housekeeper; Donald MacBride as a moronic cop; and the delightful Patsy Kelly, underused as the Toppers' tough maid. Best of all is Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson,' more or less playing himself (he even makes a gag about returning to 'Mr. Benny') who rivals Miss Burke in getting the best lines in the picture.
Contemporary references to Orson Welles' radio plays and the Alfred Hitchcock movie REBECCA (1940) should amuse cognoscenti. The serious viewer must not expect to have all the mysteries solved by film's end; indeed, most of the loose ends remain resolutely untied. Just sit back and enjoy the comedic chills served-up by this group of very fine performers.
This was the third of a 3-film series, coming after TOPPER (1937) and TOPPER TAKES A TRIP (1939).
Hal Roach Studios presents one more look at the continued supernatural adventures of Cosmo Topper. The Old Dark House routine is trotted out as our hero finds himself in a spooky cliff-top mansion replete with strange disappearances, hidden passageways and a fiendish knife-wielding killer.
Roland Young & Billie Burke are back one final time as the Toppers and they remain a delight--Mr. Young owl-like & serious in the scariest of situations and Miss Burke forever sweetly vague and befuddled. They are joined by vivacious Joan Blondell (who actually snags top billing) as a ghostess intent on forcing poor Topper into discovering who's just murdered her.
More new costars are on hand to help liven things up: lovely Carole Landis as a rich girl in much need of protection; Dennis O'Keefe as a taxi driver willing to provide that protection; gaunt H.B. Warner as Miss Landis' invalid father; menacing George Zucco as his sinister doctor; Rafaela Ottiano as a frightened housekeeper; Donald MacBride as a moronic cop; and the delightful Patsy Kelly, underused as the Toppers' tough maid. Best of all is Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson,' more or less playing himself (he even makes a gag about returning to 'Mr. Benny') who rivals Miss Burke in getting the best lines in the picture.
Contemporary references to Orson Welles' radio plays and the Alfred Hitchcock movie REBECCA (1940) should amuse cognoscenti. The serious viewer must not expect to have all the mysteries solved by film's end; indeed, most of the loose ends remain resolutely untied. Just sit back and enjoy the comedic chills served-up by this group of very fine performers.
This was the third of a 3-film series, coming after TOPPER (1937) and TOPPER TAKES A TRIP (1939).