Once again we turn in Glenda Farrell and Barton MacLane to show us how unethical journalism can be . . .
Wait. That’s not Glenda Farrell or Barton MacLane? What goes on here?
Torchy Blane in Panama: Actors Lola Lane and Paul Kelly take on the roles of Torchy and Steve respectively for this one movie. I guess they just weren’t feeling like themselves lately (ba-dum-dum-tsk). I confess, that I find this Steve McBride hotter. I have no idea why the switched out the cast for this one film. But Lola Lane is not as cool as Glenda Farrell (sorry). Gahagan, Steve’s driver, is still played by Tom Kennedy. Torchy is annoyed that Steve won’t let her have scoops anymore after another paper gets a bank robbery story before her. Still, she gives him her theories on the case which he uses to chase the criminal to Panama . . . without her. Torchy literally drops in on the ship by jumping out of a plane. After that she flirts with an entire passenger vessel of the order of Leopards and let’s Steve get jealous. Anything for a story, I guess. I won’t give away the mystery, but I will point out a few things. 1) They stop off in Cuba. Movies from before the Cold War constantly have me believing that middle class people just popped down to Havana for a day to dance and drink. 2) Torchy wears pants and Steve is having none of it. She, of course, continues to wear them and they actually become a plot point. 3) This movie sort of forgets her goal to write a story until the last five minutes.
Torchy Gets her Man: Farrell and MacLane return in this mystery about secret service agents and counterfeit money. Despite what’s stated in the previous film, the pair are still not married and Steve’s boss is still telling him to keep Torchy away from his cases. When Steve stands Torchy up for dinner, she declares that if she can’t have steak then she will get a scoop. Through racetracks, spy rings, and bomb threats, Torchy and Gahagan work a case that Steve doesn’t even realize it going on. They borrow a German Shepherd to help them track the bad guys, however he only speaks German. I’m kind of surprised they had Torchy attempting to speak German in 1938. This movie also has the baddies underestimate Steve and even wonder why a smart woman like Torchy is with him. When Steve figures out the plot, Torchy smugly jokes to the villain, “Isn’t he the dumbest thing”. Once again, this does not have Torchy writing and printing as much as in the other movies. There are a lot of conversation with her editor who she has wrapped around her little finger though.
