Topper (1937)

Overview

Released during the golden era of screwball comedy, Topper (1937) stands apart thanks to its inventive blending of fantasy and farce. Based on the 1937 novel by Thorne Smith, Topper is a whimsical tale of ghosts, liberation, and high-society satire that paved the way for later supernatural comedies like Blithe Spirit and Ghost and Mrs. Muir. With its light tone and innovative special effects, the film was both a commercial success and a career milestone — especially for Cary Grant, whose turn as a rakish playboy ghost showed a new, comedic side of the actor.

But beyond the novelty of its concept, Topper resonates as a story of personal transformation. At its core is a critique of social rigidity, with the titular character — a repressed banker — learning to embrace life thanks to the mischief of two mischievous spirits. The film’s legacy is significant: it launched a series of sequels, inspired a TV show, and helped cement the appeal of screwball comedy with a magical twist.

Plot Summary

Cosmo Topper (Roland Young) is a meek, dull bank president whose life is dictated by routine, decorum, and his domineering wife, Clara (Billie Burke). His world is upended after the accidental death of George and Marion Kerby (Cary Grant and Constance Bennett), a glamorous, fun-loving couple who die in a car crash — and return as ghosts with unfinished business: to perform a good deed so they can move on to the afterlife.

Their “good deed” becomes Topper.

Determined to shake him out of his buttoned-up lifestyle, the Kerbys begin haunting and hounding Topper, dragging him into nightclubs, getting him drunk, and causing endless social scandal. As Topper begins to embrace spontaneity, he faces both public ridicule and private liberation. Along the way, the ghosts’ antics expose the hypocrisy of high society and encourage Topper to live — even if it means raising eyebrows and breaking rules.

Themes and Subtext

Conformity vs. Freedom

At its heart, Topper is a film about liberation from social constraints. Topper’s character arc — from an obedient, lifeless man to someone who embraces joy, unpredictability, and rebellion — reflects a broader screwball-era critique of upper-class rigidity. The Kerbys, as spectral hedonists, become avatars of fun, challenging the idea that adulthood means the end of adventure.

In this sense, the film is less about ghosts than about the living dead — those who have given up on passion, humour, and risk. Topper’s transformation becomes a metaphor for reclaiming one's soul from societal expectations.

The Supernatural as Comic Catalyst

Unlike the ghosts of horror cinema, George and Marion are mischievous but benevolent — their presence isn't frightening but liberating. The use of the supernatural in Topper functions not to evoke fear, but to allow a character to break taboos and indulge in escapist fantasy. The ghosts are a way of creating consequence-free chaos.

This formula would become a Hollywood staple, influencing everything from Beetlejuice to Heaven Can Wait.

Marriage and Gender Roles

The contrast between the carefree Marion and the stiff Clara Topper provides a gendered subplot that hints at changing roles in the 1930s. While Clara is portrayed as humourless and moralizing, Marion is free, flirtatious, and fun-loving — a quintessential “modern woman.” This reflects a wider trend in 1930s cinema of portraying marriage as stifling, and excitement as being found outside traditional roles.

However, Topper doesn’t fully reject marriage. Rather, it suggests that marriage needs fun and rebellion to stay alive — as seen when Topper’s rejuvenation rekindles his relationship with Clara by the end.

Performances

Cary Grant as George Kerby

Grant’s role here is pivotal in his career trajectory. After playing dramatic leads and romantic heroes, Topper let him flex his comic muscles, revealing his timing, physicality, and wry charm. As George Kerby, he’s roguish but lovable — a playboy with a heart. Though he receives less screen time than Bennett or Young, his presence crackles.

This film helped establish the Cary Grant persona: witty, mischievous, slightly exasperated, and irresistibly charismatic.

Constance Bennett as Marion Kerby

Bennett gives a standout performance — warm, playful, and slyly seductive. Her Marion is the real engine of the plot, pushing both Topper and her husband to action. She straddles the line between maternal guidance and flirtatious mischief, and her chemistry with both Grant and Young is engaging. It’s a rare film of the era that gives a female ghost this much agency.

Roland Young as Cosmo Topper

Young's performance is the film’s quiet triumph. His transformation from uptight banker to bemused bon vivant is subtly played, and his dry reactions to ghostly chaos generate many of the film’s best laughs. His ability to balance frustration, charm, and a growing sense of joy earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor — and deservedly so.

Billie Burke as Clara Topper

Famous for playing Glinda in The Wizard of Oz, Burke excels in her signature role as a fluttery, proper wife bewildered by her husband's sudden rebellion. She walks the line between comic annoyance and genuine affection, and her exasperated reactions to the new Topper are a delight.

Direction and Visual Style

Director Norman Z. McLeod, a veteran of early talkie comedies (Monkey Business, Horse Feathers), brings a deft touch to Topper, balancing surreal effects with grounded character work. The pacing is brisk, the tone light, and the physical comedy never overdone.

The film’s visual effects — for its time — were innovative. Marion and George’s ghostly presence is conveyed through double exposure, invisible-object tricks, and floating props, which, though dated by today’s standards, were quite sophisticated for 1937 and remain charming.

The art deco sets and sleek costuming emphasize the high-society milieu, while the sudden bursts of chaos — flying hats, levitating cocktails — upend that elegance with delightful glee.

Cultural Impact and Legacy

Topper was a huge commercial success, leading to two sequels (Topper Takes a Trip, Topper Returns) and a popular TV series in the 1950s. It was one of the earliest Hollywood films to treat ghosts as sympathetic and comic, setting a precedent for generations of fantasy-comedies.

Moreover, Topper helped redefine Cary Grant’s screen persona, opening the door to later roles in Bringing Up Baby (1938), His Girl Friday (1940), and The Philadelphia Story (1940), where his blend of sophistication and slapstick became iconic.

Critically, the film remains beloved as an early supernatural romantic comedy that managed to balance heart and farce without becoming maudlin. It was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Topper is a joyous, original, and clever film — a mix of ethereal whimsy and screwball spirit. With Constance Bennett’s luminous presence, Cary Grant’s emerging comic prowess, and Roland Young’s deadpan evolution, it delivers not only laughs but a surprisingly moving message about seizing life before it passes you by.

Though some of its pacing and effects are inevitably dated, the film's emotional core and satirical bite remain timeless. A must-watch for fans of classic Hollywood, screwball comedy, and ghostly romps.