Topper 2 - The Haunted Castle
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Topper 2 - The Haunted Castle |
| Original title | Topper Returns |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1941 |
| length | 90 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 0 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Roy Del Ruth |
| script |
Jonathan Latimer Gordon Douglas |
| production | Hal Roach |
| music | Werner R. Heymann |
| camera | Norbert Brodine |
| cut | James E. Newcom |
| occupation | |
| |
Topper 2 - The Haunted Castle is an American crime comedy directed by Roy Del Ruth from 1941. Alternative titles for the film are I'm Looking for My Killer and The Strange Adventures of Mr. Topper .
action
Ann Carrington, 25, and her friend Gail Richards are invited to the Carrington estate. Ann grew up in China according to the last wishes of her mother, who died in a mine collapse. She will now see her father Henry for the first time, who owns the property. Her taxi is shot at by a stranger on the way and the car rolls over, but taxi driver Bob attributes the accident to a burst tire. Both women finally force Cosmo Topper, who is on his way home with chauffeur Edward, to take them to the property. Clara Topper, Cosmo's wife, sees Gail sitting on her husband's lap and is outraged.
Ann and Gail are greeted coolly by the Carrington estate staff. In addition, the lobby chandelier comes loose and almost kills Ann. Both women are brought to their rooms, and since Gail does not want to spend the night in the Chinese Room, both women swap rooms. That night Gail is stabbed to death in her room by a black-clad, hooded stranger. Her ghost rushes to Cosmo and tells him what happened. Cosmo lets Edward drive her to the Carringtons' estate at night and sneaks into their room with Gail's help. He sees Gail's body and wants to call the police, but he is caught by the house staff. Gail's room is empty. There is only one message to Ann that she has left and will be back soon.
In the meantime, Cosmo's wife Clara has also appeared, who suspects that her husband is cheating. It is she who calls the police when she is told of a possible murder. The arrival of the police makes everything even more chaotic. Edward discovers an underground passage through a trap door that leads to the sea. He sees Gail's corpse being brought to a ship anchored at sea and can alert Cosmo, who, together with Gail's ghost, brings the corpse back to the property. When he arrives at the pier, he is arrested. Gail helps him: she was able to save the message she supposedly wrote to Ann when the housekeeper Lillian tried to burn it. It turns out that Lillian wrote the message. She admits, but also says that she is not the killer. Ann was also attacked by the ominous, black-clad and hooded man, who was driven away by the taxi driver Bob, who also arrived at the house. Bob just wanted his money for the taxi ride and stayed to help Ann. When Ann suddenly disappears, Bob finds the secret passage and fights with the unknown, but is dejected. In the end it is Gail who can defeat the stranger and Bob returns to the house with Ann.
Cosmo discovers a secret trap door under a chair, through which the stranger must have fled, and also the triggering mechanism. Whoever knows of the existence of the door and the mechanism must be the murderer. At a gathering of all suspects in the room, Cosmo puts everyone to the test, and in the end, Ann's father, Henry, reveals himself to be the murderer. He threatens those present with a pistol and escapes in a car. Gail races after him in Cosmo's car, with frightened Edward in the back seat. Henry's car eventually crashes down an embankment and Henry dies and becomes a ghost. He confesses to Gail's ghost that he wasn't really Ann's father, who was also killed in the mine explosion. Rather, he was Henry's partner who, as a con man, had appropriated Henry's fortune. He feared Ann might find out what it was like to kill her.
production
Topper 2 - The Haunted Castle was after Topper - The blonde ghost and Topper is traveling the third and final film in the Topper series. The film had its US premiere on March 21, 1941 and was released in German cinemas in June 1946. On January 22nd, 1963 it ran for the first time on ARD television.
criticism
For the film service , Topper 2 - Das Gespensterschloß was a “humorous continuation of the film grotesque Topper and Topper goes on trips with amusing parodic tips and excellently placed comic punch lines. The most amusing film in the series. "
Awards
Topper 2 - Das Gespensterschloß received two Oscar nominations in 1942 : Elmer Raguse was nominated for an Oscar for best sound and, together with Roy Seawright, for an Oscar for best visual effects.
Web links
- Topper 2 - The Haunted Manor in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Topper 2 - The Haunted Castle. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .