Torchy Blane.. Playing with Dynamite (1939)

Torchy Blane and Steve McBride try to nab a gangster by tracking his moll.

Director:

Noel M. Smith

Writers:

Earle Snell (screen play), Charles Belden (screen play),

Stars:

Jane Wyman, Allen Jenkins, Tom Kennedy

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jane Wyman	...	Torchy Blane
Allen Jenkins	...	Lt. Steve McBride
Tom Kennedy	...	Gahagan
Sheila Bromley	...	'Jackie' McGuire
Joe Cunningham	...	Maxie
Eddie Marr	...	Denver Eddie
Edgar Dearing	...	Jim Simmons (as Edgar Deering)
Frank Shannon	...	Inspector McTavish
Bruce MacFarlane	...	Bugsie
George Lloyd	...	Harp
Aldrich Bowker	...	Judge Hershey
John Ridgely	...	Reporter at the Wrestling Match
Larry Williams	...	Reporter with Pipe
John Harron	...	Motorcycle Policeman
Cliff Clark	...	Mike Kelly

Storyline

While in traffic court, Torchy bumps into Jackie Maguire, girlfriend of the notorious hoodlum Denver Eddie, who is sentenced to jail for shoplifting. Torchy gets herself thrown into jail by turning in false alarms and ultimately befriends Maguire. With police collusion, she escapes to San Francisco taking Maguire with in in hopes of capturing Denver Eddie. Steve and Gahagan follow undercover in hopes of collecting the $5000 reward as a down payment for house for him and Torchy, but not before Steve is spotted and Gahagan ends up in the wrestling ring and gets a chance to settle a score with an old opponent.

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Plot Keywords:

jail | torchy blane | police | gangster | wrestling | 

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Taglines:

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! (original ad- all caps)

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Mystery

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 August 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Torchy Plays with Dynamite

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

59 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Torchy's real first name is mentioned. It's Helen.

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Goofs

During the fight in the jail, one inmate throws a stool at another inmate and misses her. The stool hits the supposedly brick wall, leaving a big dent.

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Quotes

Lt. Steve McBride: Don't you feel all right?
Gahagan: Certainly, only I don't like ridin' on the airplane. they make me ears feel funny.
Lt. Steve McBride: They're on your head, ain't they?
Gahagan: [after ressuring himself that they are] Yeah... why?

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Connections

Follows Torchy Blane in Panama (1938)

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Soundtracks

"The Man I Love"
(1924) (uncredited)
Music by George Gershwin
Heard often as background music

User Reviews

Alternate leads look good as spunky reporter and police detective fiancé

In court for a traffic ticket, reporter Torchy Blane encounters a shoplifter sentenced to nine months in jail—and later spots said shoplifter in a photo with much sought bank robber Denver Eddie. Torchy loses no time in having herself thrown into jail, befriending the moll, and planning an escape that—she hopes—will lead her to Denver Eddie himself and a great big scoop.

Jane Wyman is a brisk and chipper Torchy Blane, bubbling with self-confidence and bright ideas in this fun final picture in the Torchy Blane series. Wyman also talks fast—though not as fast as Glenda Farrell, who played Torchy in most of the series' previous entries. Wyman's Torchy is perhaps a bit sweeter than Glenda's and not quite as hard-nosed.

Wyman is aided greatly by Allen Jenkins as Lieutenant Steve McBride—annoyed, as always, by his fiancée's superior detecting skills as well as her willingness to poke criticism at his department's failures. Jenkins brings a touch of good humor to the role, at least in comparison with Barton McLane, who was the series' regular Lt. McBride…. It's a sour but not really bitter Stevie who complains that Torchy's latest column makes "a hero out of this Denver Eddie punk after we do everything but go through the public schools looking for him."

Tom Kennedy is as much fun as ever as Gahagan, police chauffeur and assistant. This time around we learn that Gahagan was once wrestling champ of the Navy—and has the belt buckle to prove it. He is, of course, pressed into service in the wrestling ring, billed (reluctantly) as "Harry the Horse" and allowed to show off his moves.

Other highlights include Torchy's crime spree—setting off fire alarms all over town in order to get herself locked up. There's also a wonderful "gritty prison picture" sequence that lasts all of about two minutes, in which Torchy and the shoplifter cross paths, form a bond, and plan their breakout; it's brief, but it sure has all the earmarks of a Warner Brothers crime drama for that one (fun but rather incongruous) scene.

The stars work well together; a decent plot, some fair dialog and a little action all add up to a very enjoyable little comedy-mystery.