Directed by Norman McLeod, with a screenplay co-written by Eric Hatch, this essential screwball comedy features Roland Young in the title role; the role which would earn him his only Academy Award nomination (Supporting Actor). The film's Sound Recording was also nominated.The stars of this fantasy are Constance Bennett and Cary Grant; they play an irresponsible, carefree younger couple named Marion and George Kerby that die in a car accident, only to find themselves stuck in limbo. That is because the wealthy Kerbys have never been particularly good or bad.Formerly the largest stockholders in Cosmo Topper's bank, they now appear only as ghosts, literally materializing and disappearing (to rest ... it takes a lot of energy to activate their "ecoto-plasm") at will. The film displays some pretty good special effects (two years before the Academy would recognize the category).The Kerbys decide that their good deed to be done (in order to get into Heaven) will be to help "their" bank president loosen up and enjoy life. As it happens, Topper has wanted to escape his suffocating wife's controlling ways. His wife Clara (Billie Burke), with help from their butler (Alan Mowbray), has her husband's every minute planned until the Kerbys start getting Topper in trouble.Eugene Palette plays a hotel detective; Hedda Hopper, among others (credited and uncredited), also appears. The comedy is #60 on AFI's 100 Funniest Movies list.Followed by two sequels - Topper Takes a Trip (1938) & Topper Returns (1941) - (both without Grant, the second without Bennett as well), a TV series, and a TV remake.

Inane farce with Roland Young, a stuffy banker, with his even more stuffier wife, Billie Burke, victimized by Cary Grant and Constance Bennett, Young's friends, a care-free, highly eccentric wealthy couple dying too soon in a car accident.The so called fun begins when they're dead and they begin to play havoc in the life of Young.This is a film dedicated to the belief that conventional living isn't necessarily the way to go. You can only go so far with such films. As in the case with this picture, at times it turns into silliness beyond belief.Roland Young was nominated that year as best supporting actor for his antics in this highly unconventional film.

Honestly, I never liked Cary Grant, but it's an old comedy with ghosts, has wacky silly potential, I expected slapstick because I don't know what screwball comedy is. If this is top of screwball comedy, than it sucks. Let's be realistic, it's not funny. The couple, they drive cars with feet, they sing when they shouldn't, they sleep in the middle of the road, the are assholes. And they find this poor Topper who's not living his life with anal prolapse, so they make him drink and molest random people. Cary Grant is uglier, less lovable and more irritating than later on when he's older. Topper's wife, one of the main reasons for his boring life, is played by Billie Burke, who played the good witch Glinda destroying singlehandedly the ending of Wizard of Oz, looking so unpleasant. But she's better here. Constance Bennett is cutely quirky. But Roland Young as Topper was great and fitting for the role. Funny intonation, funny stance, everything. I think I don't like the movie, but it might be one of those movies which need a while. And how irritating is that they can touch people and stuff, but people don't bump into them, suddenly no one can touch them even of they go through the space which they occupy. Also, she drinks chocolate soda. What's that?

I thought this film was a riot. Parts of it did drag a touch, but overall, I was amused the majority of the time.I think the special effects were amazing considering it was the 30's. It's incredible what they were able to do - before computers were even imagined yet! Some of the better effects were the shower scene where the water "bends" around invisible Marion. I also thought the smoking was well done, where the invisible Marion makes a puff of smoke seem to appear out of nothing.Cary Grant's role almost seems trivial compared to the others. I guess he hadn't yet risen to SUPERSTAR status. Constance Bennett did a fine job. But I think Roland Young completely stole the show as the stuffy banker Cosmo Topper. To watch his evolution from boring Bank President to fun-loving playboy was a stitch. He was quite capable of physical comedy - which seemed to belie his exterior. He was great as a drunk, being "propped-up" and made to walk by his invisible friends. Also, his dancing was hilarious - especially in the chair!Notable supporting cast included Billie Burke as Mrs. Topper. I find her little girl voice so distracting and annoying. She would become infamous 2 years later as the good witch Glinda in WIZARD OF OZ. She fit that role to a T and her voice was appropriate as an efferial, fairy-like creature. But here it just sounded dumb. Speaking of voices, I loved the hotel detective's voice which had a very gravely, baritone quality to it.It's interesting to note that the Great Depression was partly responsible for the success that screwball comedies had in the 30's. People wanted to laugh to help forget their troubles. I wonder, given the current economic crisis, if we will see a similar rise in popularity of the comedy genre.