Torrid Zone (1940)

Plagued by revolutionaries that harass his plantation in a banana republic, fruit company exec Steve Case rehires former nemesis Nick Butler to restore order and profits.

Director:

William Keighley

Writers:

Richard Macaulay (original screenplay), Jerry Wald (original screenplay)

Stars:

James Cagney, Ann Sheridan, Pat O'Brien

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Cagney	...	Nick Butler
Ann Sheridan	...	Lee Donley
Pat O'Brien	...	Steve Case
Andy Devine	...	Wally Davis
Helen Vinson	...	Gloria Anderson
Jerome Cowan	...	Bob Anderson
George Tobias	...	Rosario
George Reeves	...	Sancho
Victor Kilian	...	Carlos
Frank Puglia	...	Rodriguez
John Ridgely	...	Gardner
Grady Sutton	...	Sam
Paul Porcasi	...	Garcia
Frank Yaconelli	...	Lopez (as Frank Yaconnelli)
Dick Botiller	...	Hernandez (as Dick Boteler)

Storyline

Banana Company executive Steve Case on a Caribean plantation group tries to convince his former co-worker Nick Butler to take over the plantation No 7. But he is on his way to Chicago, to take over a job as a manager for another company himself. He has also troubles with US night-club singer Lee Donley, whom he wants aboard a ship back to the US, and rebel Rosario. He is able to get Nick to the plantation, but is he able to keep him there or will he leave it in a few days with Gloria, the wife of the former exectutive of No 7, Mr. Anderson ?

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Plot Keywords:

plantation | banana | banana republic | unfaithful wife | singer | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

25 May 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Zona Tórrida

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on December 8, 1940 with James Cagney and George Tobias reprising their film roles.

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Goofs

In the gunfight scene between Butler's group and Rosario's group, Rosario shoots Butler and Butler appears to be grabbing his right arm as he goes down. In the next shot, he is now tending to his wound on his left arm. Later in the scene, after they catch Rosario, Rosario bumps Butler's hat as he walks by.

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Quotes

Mr. Steve Case: [to the engineer of an overdue train] How'd you come? By way of Jersey City?

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Connections

Referenced in Anything But Love: The Torrid Zone (1991)

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Soundtracks

"I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles"
(1919) (uncredited)
Music by Nat Vincent, James Kendis and James Brockman
Lyrics by John W. Kellette
Played on harmonica by Andy Devine three times

User Reviews

Fast-paced dialogue, action, romance -- the trinity of film!

This film is basically "The Front Page" set on a banana plantation, with the "Oomph Girl" thrown in for a love interest, but somehow it manages to transcend that sort of genre-typing.

Everyone from Jimmy Cagney and Pat O'Brien (in one of the best of their 10 films together) to George Tobias shines in this snappy action-romance, sprinkled with the kind of dialogue that made the movies of the '30s and early-'40s the most fun ever. My favorite exchange in the history of film is in this movie...

Helen Vinson (Gloria) is kissing Jimmy Cagney (Nick), and her cigarette has slipped from her fingers to the floor. The camera follows the cigarette down, and then a hand reaches in from out-of-frame to pick it up...the camera pulls back to reveal Ann Sheridan (Lee):

Lee: This is how the Chicago Fire got started.

Gloria: The Chicago Fire was started by a *cow*.

Lee: History repeats itself.

Now, how can you not love a film like that? Ann Sheridan singing! Pat O'Brien conniving! George Tobias as a Latin American bandit! Jimmy Cagney with a mustache!

Sadly, Torrid Zone is not yet available on video, but it shows up on TV from time to time. Don't miss it!