Topper Returns (1941): Ghosts, giggles, and Gloria

Alright so… Topper Returns. It’s the third one in the series, and yeah, I know what you’re thinkin’: a third film in a comedy franchise from the 40s? Sounds like it’s gonna creak louder than a gammel dörr in a Småland torp. But, you know what? It actually holds up better than I expected – kinda like my grandma’s äppelkaka recipe… weirdly timeless.

Directed by Roy Del Ruth, who really knew how to bang out these studio comedies with snappy pacing, and starring Joan Blondell – bless her timing, she’s got that wisecracking thing down pat. She’s playing a ghost. Yeah, again with the ghost stuff. And Roland Young is back as the ever-confused Cosmo Topper, still looking like he’d rather just be left alone with a whisky and a crossword.

The whole film is basically a murder mystery in a haunted house, but with that screwball-vibe. I kept thinking it’s like daft Cluedo with extra sass. There’s a talking skeleton too. Or maybe I dreamt that bit? Neeej… pretty sure it happened.

One strange summer night

Saw this för första gången when I was maybe 17? It was late, I was staying over at a mate’s place in Östersund, and it came on SVT, like 2 in the morning. We were eating lukewarm korv med bröd and half-metall-smakande folköl, laughing our asses off at the ghost slapping people around. We were supposed to be asleep, had mopeder parked outside and everything. Still remember that feeling – like we were watching something a bit forgotten, and kind of gold.

Now, is it perfekt? Nah. Some jokes fall flat, and George Zucco as the butler is so evil-looking it’s not even funny – a bit too on-the-nose maybe. But there’s a charm here, you know? That kind of PG-spookiness we don’t really get anymore. If you like screwball comedies and old Hollywood being weird, toss it on.

Ghosts should be this fun more often.

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