Norman Z. McLeod – Topper (1937)
Quote:
Thorne Smith is a name one hardly ever hears these days, and that’s a shame. In the 1920s and early ’30s, he was the popular author of a genre-defining series of novels in which mortal men broke out of their humdrum lives to embark on comic-erotic, supernaturally tinged adventures in the company of an exciting woman (or women). The most popular of these, Topper, was filmed in 1937, three years after Smith’s death. (Smith’s novel The Passionate Witch also became the basis for a classic film comedy, I Married a Witch (1942), and later the TV series Bewitched.)
The template Smith created in Topper and other novels dovetailed beautifully with that definitive ’30s film genre, the screwball comedy, since it too frequently featured a madcap heroine who helped her stodgy romantic interest break out of his rut. The combination of Smith’s novels (he also penned a sequel to Topper) and the screwball conventions—together with the comic expertise of producer Hal Roach—was such a success that the 1937 Topper was followed by two film sequels, the later of which, Topper Returns, is included in this two-movie set from Artisan.
Although Topper tones down the raciest features of Smith’s novel, it remains remarkably faithful to it. Smith’s scene in which the invisible Marion creates a sensation by wearing nothing but a pair of lacy step-ins appears in the film, as does the pivotal plot development in which Topper’s transformation takes off when he purchases the late Kerbys’ sexy automobile. (This car, dubbed a “painted Jezebel” by the disapproving Mrs. Topper, is surely one of the most luscious vehicles ever to appear in a film. One can definitely understand how it would change a man’s life.) To its comedic and risqué elements the screen adaptation also adds a more heartwarming tone; we genuinely care about Topper’s silly little wife and don’t want to see her lose her husband, even though he seems to be having a much better time without her. The screen writers (who included Eric Hatch, whose novel My Man Godfrey had also become a classic screwball film) do an excellent job of retaining the most engaging parts of Smith’s novel while giving the film a more tender emotional core.
Among the other elements that make Topper so successful, the cast is one of the greatest. Who but Cary Grant and Constance Bennett could embody the glamorous, high-spirited Kerbys so well? Bennett charmingly brings to life (or afterlife) that quintessential ’30s combination of elegant sophistication and sass, and Grant displays an infectious, boyish energy. As Topper, Roland Young is completely endearing. From the hint of sulkiness with which he confronts his breakfast egg to the nimble little dance steps he executes under the influence of champagne, he shows us the inner rascal trying to break through the pressures of respectability. In one bravura sequence in which the inebriated Topper is being half carried by the invisible ghosts, Young navigates precariously down a flight of stairs and through a hotel lobby in a brilliant piece of physical comedy. As Mrs. Topper, Billie Burke shows off her unmatched talent for quivery vocalizing and tremulous anxiety. We’re also treated to a hefty roster of familiar faces in supporting roles, from Hedda Hopper and Hoagy Carmichael to bullfrog-voiced Eugene Pallette (The Lady Eve) as a confused hotel detective and a pre-Blondie Arthur Lake as a hapless elevator boy.
Norman Z. McLeod - (1937) Topper.mkv General Container: Matroska Runtime: 1 h 37 min Size: 1.66 GiB Video Codec: x264 Resolution: 790x576 Aspect ratio: 1.372 Frame rate: 23.976 fps Bit rate: 2 225 kb/s BPP: 0.204 Audio #1: English 2.0ch AC-3 @ 192 kb/s
https://nitro.download/view/475F7D10A500E9D/Norman_Z._McLeod_-_(1937)_Topper.mkv
Language(s):English
Subtitles:English