Torchy Blane in Panama

After having made several Torchy Blane B-movies starring Glenda Farrell and Barton MacLane, suddenly in the middle of the series two entirely new actors are playing lead--Lola Lane and Paul Kelly. IMDb and other web sites I searched didn't indicate why Warner Brothers would make this cast change AND why in the next film the original actors were back once again! This sort of crazy inconsistency isn't unusual for series films of this era, however. For example, the Philo Vance series had about eight different actors play the lead and the Bulldog Drummond films had similar problems keeping leads.

The film begins with a bank robbery occurring during a parade in which Gahagan (Tom Kennedy) is marching with his lodge brothers. In leopard skins, they rush to the bank, but it's too late--the robber escaped. Oddly, the trail for the robbery leads to Panama, so McBride and Gahagan are bound for Central America. Naturally, Torchy finds out and gives chase in a biplane. Please pay attention to the silly scene where Torchy catches up to McBride's ship--it's really dumb and the special effects are on the lame side. She parachute jumps to the cruise ship! Much of the rest of the film takes place on the ship, with the meddling Torchy investigating to see if any of the passengers (one in particular--I guess she read the script) are involved with the robbery. And, when the guy slips overboard, Torchy follows (something no sane reporter would do but which is commonly done if you are Torchy Blane...or Lois Lane--and no, I did not mean Lola Lane).

The film seems to end a bit abruptly, though it is surprising to see that Gahagan is the hero. While Gahagan is more comic relief than usual, he also is surprisingly bright and capable in this film! Three cheers for Gahagan! By the way, why would Torchy just toss the stuffed leopard over the side of the ship? Other than being an obvious plot device, I really can't see any logic to this. And, come to think of it, why would the bad guy stuff money into it?!

Torchy Blane in Panama (1938)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

The fifth entry in the series finds Lola Lane taking over the role of Torchy Blane and Paul Kelly taking on the Detective McBride spot. This time out the two find themselves (and Detective Gahagan) on a ship heading towards Panama after they believe a bank robber has boarded it. Soon they arrive in Panama but Torchy finds herself in over her head. TORCHY BLANE IN PANAMA was a disappointment when originally released so Warner brought back the original stars for the next installment. With that said, for the most part this is an okay film that clocks in at just a hour so it flies by pretty good. Of course, the one thing missing are the original stars. Both Lane and Kelly are good in regards to the performances but they just don't have that chemistry like Glena Farrell and Barton MacLane had. Both Lane and Kelly are good on their own but they just don't add enough sparks together to help give the film that added charm. The great Tom Kennedy is back and manages to get some nice laughs including a bit where he's on the ocean looking for tornadoes. The mystery itself isn't all that spectacular but it's decent enough for a "B" movie. Fans of the series will certainly still want to check this entry out but there's no question it lacks the charm of the previous four.

Sole appearance pairing Lola Lane and Paul Kelly in the hard-boiled Torchy Blane comedy newspaper crime series. Why Warner Brothers changed lead actors in this series and then resumed with the normal Glenda Farrell/Barton MacLane combination is probably a very interesting story.

Tom Kennedy as Detective Gahagan leads off this entry with the parade of Leopard lodge brothers that march through the robbery of the Hayward National Bank. Gahagan is the Royal Tomcat of New Rochelle Lair 666. Membership in this ancient and loyal order helps Gahagan identify the false member of Lair 394 from Los Angeles and thus solve the mystery. Gahagan is also the goat when he is tricked and told to impress the ladies of South America by telling them: `Usted tiene la cara de chiva' (You have the face of a nanny goat).

Torchy gets scooped at the bank robbery, left behind to boyfriend Detective Lieutenant Steve McBride, but she shows him up by parachuting next to a southbound steamer and follows the stolen money to Cuba and then Panama. Torchy is made Honorary Royal Tabby cat and gets custody of mascot Tommy Hollywood. A pair of colorful pajama-type ladies pants figures heavily in the final rescue.

As in the rest of the series, the police cannot solve the crime without Torchy's intervention but they are needed to save Torchy when she gets into trouble at the end.

The fifth in the Torchy Blane series and the first without stars Glenda Farrell and Barton MacLane. They're replaced for this entry by Lola Lane and Paul Kelly. Poor substitutes honestly. Tom Kennedy is a highlight as Gahagan. The plot involves a bank robber escaping by ocean liner headed to Panama. Torchy, Steve, and Gahagan follow.

It's not a bad flick of its kind but it's missing the chemistry and personalities of the previous stars. Star Lola Lane would be the inspiration for the name given to the most famous of fictional female reporters, Lois Lane. The character of Torchy, as played up to this point by Glenda Farrell, is another inspiration for that character. Like I said, this isn't bad for what it is but it's not as good as the Farrell movies. The parachuting scene is fun, though.

Tom Kennedy as leadfooted and deadheaded Sergeant Geoghan gets a bit more screen time in this Torchy Blane film as his lodge The Leopards is used as a cover for a bank robbery. Think how Amos and Andy would feel if the Mystic Knights of the Sea was so dishonored or Ralph Kramden if someone did that to the Loyal Order of the Racoons. Good thing Kennedy got so much screen time as movie audiences apparently missed Glenda Farrell and Barton MacLane. I sure missed them myself.

Lola Lane and Paul Kelly are the stars of Torchy Blane In Panama and they didn't click with me either. Pity because this was one of the better Blane stories. A bank robber robs a bank during the middle of the Leopard Convention Parade in Manhattan and kills a teller. The perpetrator makes off with $90,000.00 in consecutive bills and our ace reporter Torchy finds a Leopard Lodge pin at the scene.

A little detective work and Lane, Kelly, and Kennedy are off on a cruise ship to Panama figuring that it's a good place to fence hot money. Kelly to put Torchy in her place brings along rival reporter Larry Williams whose an obnoxious sort. But Lane's way ahead of all of them, though it nearly gets her killed.

What Farrell and MacLane could have done with this.