Torchy Blane in Panama (1938) User Reviews

"When A Leopard says Meow"

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 26 January 2013]

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.

The stork brought me

[boscofl · 7/10 · 13 June 2020]

Following the poorly written & repetitive The Adventurous Blonde Warner Brothers redeemed themselves with the lively Torchy Blane in Panama (1938). This entry forgoes the mystery angle and focuses on adventure as the intrepid heroine investigates a crime and follows her instincts to Central America. Glenda Farrell and Barton MacLane had temporarily left Warner Brothers which necessitated recasting the lead roles: enter contract players Lola Lane and Paul Kelly. While this is a stumbling block for many devotees of the series if one accepts the film on its own merits and goes along for the ride without comparisons there is much to enjoy.

During a Leopard Lodge parade a bank is robbed and the teller killed. Steve McBride and his new press buddy Bill Canby arrive at the bank before Torchy Blane. While Canby gets the initial leg up on her by breaking the robbery story Torchy finds a clue in the bank: a Leopard Lodge pin. In keeping with the established formula Steve won't listen to Torchy and is blindsided when he reads about her discovery in the newspaper. He's initially dismissive of her theory, too: the culprit will use the Leopards as cover and launder the money in Panama during their cruise back to Los Angeles. Unbeknownst to Torchy Steve has a change of heart and books a trip for himself, Gahagan, and Canby aboard the ship. The intrepid Ms. Blane is not so easily outmaneuvered, however, and she devises a daring method of intercepting them on the high seas. The rest of the narrative involves tracking down the culprit and following him to his fence in Panama.

Many fans will regard the casting of Lola Lane as the equivalent of replacing Sean Connery with George Lazenby in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service. However, as with that film, if one avoids making comparisons it is easy to accept the performer in the role. Miss Lane could fast patter with the best of them and certainly pull off the tough dame act. As Torchy she is believably resourceful and energetic while generating solid chemistry with her Stevie Weevie. Miss Lane also has a great character-defining scene as she makes an impassioned plea to Maxie to allow her to pursue her story citing the "ink in my blood." There's no way on earth she will allow herself to be scooped by a rival and conceives a clever and daring way to catch up with her competition: parachuting out of a plane , landing in the ocean, and forcing the ship to pick her up.

Paul Kelly likewise does an acceptable job as Steve McBride. While not being as comically exasperated as Barton MacLane when dealing with the shenanigans of Torchy and Gahagan he adopts a more deadpan approach which works just as well. However, the character is still the same as he frequently dismisses Torchy's ideas and is several steps behind her in the investigative department.

Tom Kennedy is afforded his most screen time to date as Gahagan and is given ample opportunities to steal the show. While being as dimwitted as ever he does contribute some value to the proceedings and actually proves to be useful. Other members of the regular supporting cast are on hand to ensure the viewer this is still a Torchy Blane film. Frank Shannon, George Guhl, and Joe Cunningham are present as Captain McTavish, Desk Sergeant Graves, and Maxie Monkhouse, respectively.

Of course it wouldn't be a Torchy Blane film without some recognizable faces in bit roles, either. John Ridgely has a small scene as Sparks, the ships radio officer, while Carole Landis is glimpsed as Miss Leopard 1938. Meanwhile John Harron ascends to the credited cast list as the pilot who wings Torchy to her parachute drop point. James Conlon, previously seen as the comical coroner in two earlier entries, is on hand as a Botkin, one of the Leopards.

Briskly directed by William Clemens, Torchy Blane in Panama provides an entertaining narrative that unfortunately resolves itself with the intrepid heroine getting herself in jam and needing to be rescued by Steve and the boys. This is an unfortunate contrivance begun by the previous picture and perpetuated throughout the remainder of the series. The relationship between Torchy and Steve likewise gets stuck in neutral with proclamations of love and promises of marriage that are never fulfilled. However, while this film proved to be a one-and-done for Lola Lane as the heroine her casting cemented the creation of another famous female reporter. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster took the spirit of Torchy Blane plus the name of her onetime enactor and amalgamated them into Lois Lane of the Daily Planet.

Torchy in name only

[mmtoucan · 5/10 · 1 July 2004]

Wide-eyed, beautiful brunette Lola Lane assumes the role of Torchy Blaine, a role Warner Bros. created for the blonde and brassy Glenda Farrell. She starred in the previous seven. No longer the smartest person in the room, this Torchy is probably the most athletic: parachuting, jitterbugging, jumping ship and climbing walls. The character is now more adventuress than working girl. Comedy now dominates the series, with Tom Kennedy's part expanded. A parade of his goofy Lodge of the Leopard opens the film. Briefly seen is a float of black-faced white guys in leopard skins. Lola was one of the Lane Sisters that Warner Bros. put under contract. Among her husbands were Lew Ayres and Roland West.

Decent Entry with New Stars

[Michael_Elliott · 26 January 2013]

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.

Follow that leopard!

[gridoon2024 · 6/10 · 11 November 2011]

One of the fastest and most entertaining entries in the "Torchy Blane" series. It may take you a while to adjust to the fact that Torchy and Steve are played by different actors than the regulars, but Lola Lane does bring the essential characteristics of Torchy's personality across; she is also a bit more physical than Glenda Farrell's Torchy, and she looks very beautiful near the end when her hair gets wet. As for Paul Kelly....well, Steve is not exactly the most challenging role anyway. Besides, Tom Kennedy is still around as Gahagan, and he has a larger role here; apart from being the butt of gags, as usual, he also proves himself useful in locating and capturing the bad guys. The film is more of an adventure than a mystery; in fact, it goes out of its way to reveal the killer halfway through. But the ship, and later Panama, settings are a welcome change of scenery, and Torchy's parachute jump is probably the most memorable stunt of the series so far. **1/2 out of 4.

Somehow, Lola Lane Is Torchy Blane

[boblipton · 6/10 · 14 November 2021]

Lola Lane stars as Torchy, Paul Kelly as Steve, but don't worry, because Tom Kennedy is still Gahagan, and too dumb to notice the substitution.

There's a bank robbery during the Loyal Leopards parade, and our intrepid threesome wind up pursuing the thieves on a cruise ship bound for Los Angeles via the Panama Canal -- hence the name. Miss Lane proves herself as intrepid as she parachutes into the water, and does a fine imitation of Glenda Farrell's gum-chewing intonation, but cannot, of course, match her high speed in spewing the lingo.

Happily, Miss Farrell and Barton MacLane return for the next entry.

Watch Leopard Lodge Brothers March!

[Jim Tritten · 5/10 · 1 July 2004]

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 Lack of a Real Story Drives Down The 5th Entry

[NDbportmanfan · 6/10 · 12 September 2016]

In the fifth installment of the series, Torchy Blane is tasked with solving an armed robbery and must travel to Panama in order to catch the criminal.

This is my first Torchy Blane movie that I have seen as I caught the show on TCM. As far as the story goes it feels pretty basic. There is very little amount of mystery or detective work going on in the movie. The majority of the plot seemed to be centered on side gags with the minor characters and getting a full taste of Lola Lane's character. I believe the studio tried to really sell the audience on her but turned out to be a failure as the studio brought back Glenda Farrell in the next movie.

One of the main gripe I have with this movie that really doesn't go with the story, but with the characters. If you recast both lead actors for a movie and still try to push their romantic chemistry as if nothing has changed, it is going to fail. The audience will not feel for the characters at all.

I however liked Torchy in this movie. It was the rest of the characters that brought this movie down. Given that I haven't seen the other entries in the series; I don't know if this is just how the character Steve McBride is. He felt like a push over way to many times and almost was no existent in the movie. If he wasn't the love interest, I might have forgotten he was even in the movie. Gahagan had his moments of funny comedy but he got annoying after awhile.

This was a okay movie and I feel more inclined to check out the prior movies because of this. This movie will fall in the below 6 range maybe a 5.7 out of 10.

Replacement leads sunk by lack of script

[csteidler · 5/10 · 6 December 2012]

Everybody wants Torchy off of the case: Her fiancé Lieutenant Steve McBride, police captain McTavish, rival reporter Bill Canby—all strongly discourage and ridicule Torchy's detecting abilities. –Which is kind of depressing because she's way smarter than any of these guys.

Lola Lane as reporter Torchy Blane is a bright spot in this otherwise pretty unimaginative series entry. Lane's Torchy is energetic, snappy, practically impossible to intimidate. She responds to Steve's efforts to push her away from playing detective by pinching his cheek: "Whatsa matter, Stevie, need help?"

Paul Kelly does not fare so well as Steve McBride….Unfortunately, the character this time around is neither sympathetic nor smart. Kelly does his best to inject some spirit into the character's sour disposition, but just isn't given much to work with.

Both Lane and Kelly made only this one appearance in the Torchy Blane series, and they really don't develop much chemistry in one short picture. (Original series stars Glenda Farrell and Barton McLane returned to the roles by the next entry.)

Tom Kennedy does appear once again as police driver Gahagan—he's still composing poetry, and he is also a member of a lodge called the Leopards whose parade leads them right past a bank that is being robbed. More than comic relief this time around, Gahagan actually spots at least one key clue….

Besides a bank robbery, the plot involves $90,000 of stolen money hidden inside of a stuffed leopard, a chase to Panama in pursuit of a suspect…and Torchy's striped pajamas.

Lane is definitely fun to watch…but overall, the story really lacks suspense and is only moderately amusing. Interesting for Torchy's fans but no great shakes.

"I just found a man who knows how to talk to a woman".

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 11 September 2016]

This was my first Torchy Blane flick so I'm only becoming aware of the series history by reading other reviewers. It doesn't sound like this was the best jumping on point to get a flavor of the characters, but that's the way it goes sometimes. As for the film, this was a quick, breezy adventure aboard a cruise ship once Torchy (Lola Lane) parachutes in to hook up with boyfriend cop Steve McBride (Paul Kelly), police sergeant Gahagan (Tom Kennedy), and rival reporter Bill Canby (Larry Williams). Somehow the idea that they're all on a cruise ship trying to track down a bank robbing murderer doesn't quite compute, but since they have to get to Panama some way, I guess that makes about as much sense as any.

How this all ties in to the Loyal Order of Leopards is another head scratcher. The T.C. Kimble gambit, a Leopard who died three years earlier, was one that never went anywhere after it was introduced. If it had any connection to the real villain Crafton (Anthony Averill), then that detail blew by me at some point. At least Torchy was made an honorary leopard once she made it aboard ship, though it would have been even better if she appeared decked out in one of those leopard print swimsuits. How come no one thought of that?

In the final analysis, the resolution to the story wound up in a pretty lame confrontation at the finale. Bad guy Crafton grabs Torchy to make her a hostage at gunpoint, but she deftly bolts away and Crafton takes a bullet from cop McBride. I guess the point of the story after all is said and done, is that when you're a female reporter for the New York Star and on the trail of a vicious criminal, you have to wisely pick your spots.

"Aww Torchy this is moider!"

[utgard14 · 5/10 · 25 May 2017]

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 Shines

[hogwrassler · 8/10 · 13 November 2021]

I watched this Torchy Blane entry this Saturday morning on TCM. For some reason, Lola Lane plays Torchy instead of Glenda Farrell. And Paul Kelly takes Barton McLane's role as Steve McBride. The change was only for this movie, though and the regular leads were back in the next Torchy Blane movie. Maybe there were scheduling conflicts?

The plot involves a bank robbery with new bills all carrying consecutive serial numbers, being stolen. Gahagan's Leopard Lodge figures in the robbery. Since it's easier to get rid of hot money in Panama, the robber boards a ship going there. Steve, Gahagan, nosy reporter Steve Crafton, and of course, Torchy, all wind up on the ship, too.

TBIP suffers because there is little chemistry between Lane and Kelly, unlike Farrell and McLane. And Paul Kelly doesn't look comfortable in a comedy role. But Lane does bring some energy to her Torchy character.

The best part of the movie is that Tom Kennedy, as Gahagan, gets more screen time and really spices things up. He provides his usual comic relief, but Gahagan is pretty sharp in this one and even finds the big clue needed to solve the case in Panama. Tom Kennedy played a lot of comedy roles and performed with the likes of Shemp Howard and The Marx Brothers. He really stands out in TBIP and makes it worth watching all by himself.

Shortly after parachuting into the Atlantic . . .

[tadpole-596-918256 · 6/10 · 9 April 2021]

. . . in hopes of being taken aboard an ocean liner, "Torchy" (aka, Lola) alleges that she's a "Size 14" as she begs a crewman for some dry clothes. TORCHY BLANE IN PANAMA viewers will see at a glance that the title character of this brief feature film is at least a Size 28. The PANAMA filmmakers go out of their way to emphasize how this hefty wench is a glutton for gravitational attraction. From the moment that she leaves the plane to the instant that she gets her feet wet, this chunky reporter's descent back to Planet Earth takes only 42 seconds, as the chute does little to slow the female scribe's burgeoning mass from reaching terminal velocity. Later, at the Gomez crime lair, the dense biscuit of a dame quickly loses her battle against gravity as she plunges from her precarious peeping Lola ledge down into a fountain like a weighty boulder. However, hearing film appreciation types saying "It Takes all kinds," Chubby Clubbers are bound to enjoy this flick.

I'd love to know why this film had all-new leads.

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 1 July 2009]

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?!