Topper (1937)

      "The giddy rigmarole is for those who can take their death ribald and their fantasy straight."

With Roland Young and Constance Bennett.

Topper - Review is taken from 'The Films of Cary Grant' by Donald Deschner (1973):

"Thorne Smith fans will be delighted to learn that Culver City studio has again gone stark looney .  This one is about the gay couple who wander about upsetting mortals after they've been killed in a motor accident.  Though it will hardly influence cinema history, Topper comes off a lot better than Night Life of the Gods, MGM's other attempt to plant the novelist's insanity on a screen.  

Ghosts are far more amenable to camera tricks, of course, than walking statues.  The now-you-see-me-now-you-don't theme is paradise to a photographer.  It is thoroughly disconcerting to Mr. Topper, the timid banker whom the Kerbys propose to liberate from a nagging wife and a humdrum career.  

The giddy rigmarole is for those who can take their death ribald and their fantasy straight.  Constance Bennett and Cary Grant are suitable as Kerbys.  But it is Roland Young's show.  Between the capricious antics of his abstract companions and the carping of Billie Burke as his wife, his talent for being harassed finds exquisite expression.  

- Literary Digest

New Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36 -
Number 27 - Topper (Lobby Card Style)

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This Is The Night (1932)

  "...and I thought he made a splendid figure"

With Charles Ruggles.

This Is The Night - Review is taken from 'The Films of Cary Grant' by Donald Deschner (1973):

"It was my introduction to Lily Damita, and I found her altogether charming.  Cary Grant was also new to me, and I thought he made a splendid figure.  Of course you all know Charlie Ruggles and Roland Young.  It was as though they had walked right over from the One Hour With You sets and continued their ridiculous and amusing relationship in this picture. 

The sets of This Is The Night are right up to the high standard of Paramount's good taste, and the photography of Victor Milner is exceptionally beautiful."

- Bob Wagner, Script 

New Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36 -
Number 1 - This Is The Night (Lobby Card Style)

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On This Date  April 8, 2020

On This Day  April 7, 2021

Quote From Today  April 8, 2022

Quote From Today... Topper (1937)

"Funny; I don't feel any different."

With Constance Bennett.

Topper was Cary Grant's 27th full length feature film.

Marion Kerby: Oh, George, I can see right through you.

George Kerby: Say, that's funny. I can see through you, too.

Marion Kerby: [seeing her body lying next to George's beside the car, which has just crashed] George, look. You know something George? I think we're dead.

George Kerby: I think you're right. Funny; I don't feel any different.

On This Day...Topper(1937)

Topper was Cary Grant's 27th full length feature film, released in 1937.

Cary Grant plays George Kirby, who with his wife Marion (Constance Bennett) are two sophisticates who live from drink to drink.

This leads to their early deaths in a car crash. But they return in spirit form and flesh to assist Cosmo Topper (Roland Young).

"The possibilities for farcical episodes are of course endless and the trick-work is brilliant throughout...The fun is by no means mechanical; Constance Bennett and Cary Grant make an attractive pair of phantoms. But above them all is Roland Young. His performance really makes the film." - The Spectator

 

With Roland Young and Constance Bennett.

With Constance Bennett.

An interesting French poster that gives a lot away...the plot!

A press release picture that shows some of the special effects.

Cast:

Marion Kerby                    Constance Bennett

George Kerby                    Cary Grant

Cosmo Topper                   Roland Young

Mrs. Topper                      Billie Burke

Wilkins                              Alan Mowbray

Casey                                Eugene Pallette

Elevator Boy                      Arthur Lake

Mrs. Stuyvesant                 Hedda Hopper

Miss Johnson                     Virginia Sale

Hotel Manager                  Theodore Von Eltz

Policeman                         J. Farrell McDonald

Secretary                           Elaine Shepard

"Three Hits and a Miss"      Themselves

Lobby Cards:

Directed by Norman Z. McLeod

Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Produced by Hal Roach

Running time: 98 minutes

On this date...1932. This Is The Night.

On 8th April 1932, Cary Grant made his film debut in the Paramount Picture...

...This Is The Night.

The film was directed by Frank Tuttle and starred Lili Damita, Charlie Ruggles and Roland Young.

The Times (London) discribed it as "...a perfectly ordinary and unformalised farce. The plot hardly worth repeating, for it is occupied only with the ritual humours of infidelity and intoxocation." Remember this was 1932!

Although the review did find the setting of Venice to be "...rather more interesting than usual" and the main players "skillful".

The film runs for 80 mins.