Topper Returns (1941)

Joan Blondell ("Gail") is staying with her friend "Ann Carrington" when she is murdered. Her ghost alights on next door neighbour "Cosmo Topper" (Roland Young) to help her get to the bottom of it all. This is actually quite a witty little comedy thriller; Billie Burke is suitably over-the-top as "Mrs. Topper" and Rochester Anderson as the chauffeur brings his usual cheeky charm to the proceedings. The actual whodunnit it almost irrelevant: this is a film about characters and with a bit of menace added by George Zucco ("Dr. Jeris") and Donald MacBride as the pretty hapless, hopeless, "Detective Roberts" we get a decent, quickly paced, drama with all the haunted-house secret passages, moving bookcases and trap doors to keep us guessing and some good writing that swipes at almost everything/everyone.. It's way too long - could easily lose half an hour to tighten it all up but It's still a bit of a laugh to watch.