Topper (1937) MOVIE PICK OF THE DAY CARY GRANT WEEK Topper (1937) Our spotlight on Cary Grant continues today with one of my favorite comedies, Topper. I love the entire series, but I think I love the first one the most—perhaps because it’s the only one that has Cary Grant. I am also a big fan of Constance Bennett, so that makes it doubly great. Cary and Constance play a slightly reckless, fun-loving couple named George and Marion Kerby. They have stayed up all night partying as usual and they drive up to the bank where George will have a meeting because he is a stockholder. It is dawn and so they decide to catch a few Zs before he has to go inside. When morning comes, the people passing in the street are startled and amused by the snoozing couple parked in front of the bank. The bank’s chairman is named Cosmo Topper (the film’s namesake), played by the hilarious, bumbling Roland Young. He does everything in his life by a strict routine and never has any fun. His life is almost completely controlled by his wife, Clara (Billie Burke), who makes sure he sticks to his schedules and routines. George attends the meeting where Topper is chairman. Later, George’s wife Marion is bored and goes to talk to Topper in his office. He is quite amused by the way she talks to him, but doesn’t let her know it. Later that day, George and Marion drive recklessly home and unfortunately crash. When they come away from the rubble of the crash, they find they are dead and are now ghosts. Topper is deeply saddened by their deaths and one day goes for a spin in the Kerbys’ car. He suddenly hears George and Marion’s voices and they tell him they can appear for short intervals of time and they start to make it their mission for Topper to finally get some fun and spontaneity out of life. Without his wife hovering over him, Topper finally lets loose and drinks himself into a stupor, finally passing out. With his newfound spontaneity and carefree sense of fun, his friends are delighted by his presence, but his wife is horrified by his new way of thinking. George and Marion continually keep Topper in high spirits, particularly Marion, who seems to always be around him now. He takes her to a dress shop, but being an invisible spirit, she creates havoc. Meanwhile, the Toppers’ marriage is in trouble when Clara finds one of the lacey garments that Topper bought for Marion. Even George has become fed up with the goings-on between Marion and Topper. It is a fun scene when on the dance floor, Topper wants to dance with Marion, and it all gets a little crazy when George and Marion suddenly vanish out of thin air, bewildering everyone. George and Marion are now ready to enter the gates of heaven, hoping they did the good deed by letting Topper have more fun in his life. The Toppers are now reunited and she promises to be a less controlling wife… but will she? I guess we will find out in the sequel Trivia Producer Hal Roach wanted W.C. Fields and Jean Harlow to costar as George and Marian Kerby, but neither was available at the time. This was the first black & white film to be colorized in 1985. One of the first film appearances of Lana Turner. It was her first in an uncredited and non-speaking role. Quotes George Kerby: My pet, restings the sort of thing youve got to work up to gradually... very dangerous to rest all of a sudden. Cosmo Topper: Good morning, Clara. Mrs. Topper: Good morning, dear. Youre late. Cosmo Topper: Oh... better late than never. Only 44 seconds, anyhow. Marion Kerby: Why dont you stop being a mummy for a few minutes and come to life? Of course, theres nothing wrong with being a mummy if you had any fun getting that way. Cosmo Topper: But I... I didnt, you see. Marion Kerby: No, I can tell that by the way youre staring at my knees. Hotel Manager: Perhaps you can explain the red on this cigarette. Cosmo Topper: Yes, I... cut my tongue when I was shaving this morning. Marion Kerby: Lets go have some dinner. Cosmo Topper: Oh no, we cannot eat on an empty stomach! Marion Kerby: Then we better have a few drinks first! Cosmo Topper: My wife objects to drinking. George Kerby: Then she shouldnt drink. Cosmo Topper: She doesnt. George Kerby: Whats her objection? George Kerby: Quiet, Im practicing to be an angel. Marion Kerby: Some angel youd make. Marion Kerby: Ill be out before you can say Jack Robinson - only dont say it for a few minutes.
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 04:02:12 +0000
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