<br /><br />This film is a case of the black stereotyped bigotry of the time backfiring on the makers of this movie. Eddie (Rochester) Anderson a black driver set in what should have been a typical step-n-fetch it role quite literally stole this movie from the white cast. Don't get me wrong the rest of the cast do a bang up job making this movie at once old sckool erie, creppy and dark yet a constant humor runs so obviously down the middle of every scene that it refuses to be missed. It is just Rochester does a great perfect job of breathing a real life and fun into his character that has dignity of a sort that the others lack. At times Rochester becomes the straight man playing to the back drop of his cast mates silliness. Others got top billing as was the custom of that bigoted time but in this movie Rochester RULES Baby!<br /><br />The movie starts as Cosmo Topper a New York banker on his way to his vacation home is ambushed by two ladies fresh from a car wreck wanting a ride to their destination a creepy old mansion estate on a huanted hill overlooking a tempest tossed sea. Cosmo Topper kind man that he is at heart takes the 2 ladies and their suitcases in his smallish car. On their way to the old mansion strange woman upon his lap it just happens husband Cosmo passes by his home where a stunned Mrs Topper is there to see a young lady sitting upon her husbands lap another in the back seat. Topper caught with a "Carload of Ladies" does the only thing he can do which is speed on to his destination. Now upset e-gad for her Topper did not even have the decency to return her wave as he rode past with a young lady on his lap Mrs. Topper remarks later in scorn! This Mrs. Topper is not the same actress as stared in the first Topper Movie and is not as good but is adequate. The first Mrs Topper had a killer voice and comedic timing so weird she could not be duplicated.<br /><br />Well as is typical in a Topper movie the friend gets killed and her ghost needs closure with Cosmo Toppers help to move on. Only Cosmo Topper see's and interacts with this ghost. The rich lady who was the real target of a scheming greedy man is still at risk of death by murder. The ghost of this now murdered friend seeks out her one true friend (locally anyway) Cosmo Topper. Hey she did sit in Cosmo's lap after all sounds chummy enough to me. The madcap escapades begin there and never end as the ghost leads poor compliant dullish but dutyful friend Topper on one adventure after another following up leads to her murder till the murderer is exposed. The murderer is exposed no thanks to keystone cop like local police. The real hoot is throughout the movie Rochester see's "things", doors opening and closing by themselves, people talking to nothing and gettin answers, extra set's of footprints in freshly fallen snow he can't account for insights he shares with others even if he is ignored. Rochester reveals he had a brain by in effect becoming this movies voice of reason and sanity as all about him seem just a bit crazy in some weird odd ball way. There are over worked cheap shots where Rochester is played with by a seal but its done in a way that while demeaning are almost funny. All in all a good performance is done by all here. This third and final of the movie series while darker than the other Topper movies was in many ways the best in that it was killer funny while being enough of a mystery to keep you interested and focued on the murder plot.<br /><br />The absolute funnest scene comes at the very end of the movie where the murderer is now a ghost and appolligises for drunking Rochester into the water. "Sorry for drunking you into the water old man" the murderer says... The response again while slightly demeaning is hallarious. This movie is a must for anyone who loves comedy or wants to see how racial stereotyping was used in mass media to promote the brutish ignorant bigotry commonplace in the United States of the 1930's\1940's.<br /><br />