From 1937 to 1939, Warner Brothers made three Torchy Blane pictures every year. Each featured a smart lady detective, her smart but obviously less competent cop boyfriend and a crime. Sadly, however, the studio never stuck with any one actress--using three different ones. The last Torchy was played by Jane Wyman...and only a few months later the studio made "Private Detective"...which is identical to a Torchy Blane film except the names had been inexplicably changed. Perhaps this is because the studio thought that folks only wanted a Torchy film with Glenda Farrell (after all, she was the first and most prolific of the actresses playing the part) and so they decided to drop the names and begin somewhat anew.
When the story begins, a divorcing husband and wife are fighting in court for custody of their young son. It seems that the father wants the kid only because he's an heir to a fortune! Torchy, I mean Myrna (Wyman), realizes this is the case and she refuses to testify in the case against the mother. However, it's all moot as soon the father is killed....and a custody hearing isn't important any more. But the mother is assumed to be the perpetrator....and the sleazy attorney for the husband has just had himself appointed the kid's guardian! Can Torchy, I mean Myrna, sort all this out and prove to everyone who the killer is and can the boy be returned to his loving mother?
As I said, this one is pretty much a Torchy Blane film...though I must admit that Wyman was far less enjoyable and spunky than Farrell would have been in the role. That old Torchy Blane sarcasm seems missing here...though the story itself isn't too bad...even if it seems very obvious who the real crook is! And, for a quick B-movie it's actually very good.
