Main Cast: Constance Bennett, Roland Young, Billie Burke, Alan Mowbray, Veree Teasdale
Release Year: 1938
Country: US
Run Time: 85 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Plot
Except for a few clips from 1937's Topper, Cary Grant is absent from the proceedings of the 1939 sequel Topper Takes a Trip, though his Topper co-stars Constance Bennett, Roland Young, Billie Burke and Alan Mobray are back in harness and in fine fettle. Picking up where the first film left off, we find mild-mannered banker Cosmo Topper (Young) being sued for divorce by his wife Clara (Burke). It's all because of Topper's questionable behavior while at the mercy of mischievous ghosts George and Marion Kerby (Grant and Bennett). All the ghosts had wanted to do was "liberate" Topper from his stuffy existence, thereby performing a good deed that would allow them entree into Heaven. George Kirby was permitted to ascend to the Choir Invisible, but for obscure reasons the spirit of Marion was left behind. She decides that the only way she'll be allowed past the Pearly Gates is to reunite Mr. and Mrs. Topper, and to that end follows Clara to Paris and Monte Carlo. This time, Marion is joined in her mission by Skippy, a ghostly pooch who, like his mistress, can appear and disappear at will. As in the earlier Topper film, Roy Seawright's special effects vie for top comedy honors with the superb performance by Roland Young as the ever-flustered Cosmo Topper. Equally amusing are supporting players Veree Teasdale, Franklin Pangborn and Alex D'Arcy. The second of producer Hal Roach's Topper films (based on the novels by Thorne Smith), Topper Takes a Trip would be followed in 1941 by Topper Returns...and, of course, by the eternally-rerun TV series of the 1950s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
If Topper Takes a Trip is not up to the level of the original Topper, one of the major reasons why can be summed up in three words: no Cary Grant. The debonair, suave superstar added considerably to the original's success, and his absence here (save for some flashback footage from the original) is keenly felt. That said, Trip is still a nice bit of sprightly fun, thanks to the fact that Constance Bennett, Roland Young and Billie Burke have all returned to reprise their parts. Bennett looks simply stunning, but she's more than just a pretty face in glamorous clothes. She performs her part with fine comedic skill and is a delight throughout. Even more valuable is Young as the title character, who manages to take situations demanding an exasperating degree of bedfuddleness and make them hilarious. His physical comedy is also priceless. Things are not hurt by the presence of chemistry between him and Burke, who for her part continues to bring new meaning to the word "dithering," yet still manages to be charming and endearing rather than annoying. There must also be special praise for Roy Seawright's excellent special effects, very state of the art for the time and still captivating today. The screenplay is not up to the level of the players or the effects, but it's serviceable and does provide opportunity for several very funny sequences. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Charles Hall - Art Director, Norman Z. McLeod - Director, William Terhune - Editor, Norbert F. Brodin - Cinematographer, Milton H. Bren - Producer, Hal Roach - Producer, Roy Seawright - Special Effects, Eddie Moran - Screenwriter, Jack Jevne - Screenwriter, Corey Ford - Screenwriter, Thorne Smith - Book Author
^ Some sources, such as Turner Classic Movies, say 1939. According to Internet Movie Database, the film was released in New York City on 29 December 1938 and in the USA in January 1939. The exact year is contingent on the source's precise definition of a release date.
