blanche-2

Friends in England told me this: You need your gall bladder removed. You're put on a list to have it done in 8 months. You can pay for it privately, or wait until the pain is so bad that you go to the emergency room and have it done there.

24 Hours in A&E doesn't seem to stress that so much. On the show we see lots of people who fall off ladders, crash their motorcycles, or are elderly with emergency medical problems.

I find the interviews with both doctors and patients very good, and one really connects with the patients and their histories. I like that we're told what happens to them ultimately.

One thing I find very different is the treatment of pain. Patients are treated for pain much more quickly in the UK than here.

I find the doctors and aides very caring and personable. People have complained about chapter 9 and beyond. I don't think I've gotten there yet.

Wow - what a difference in Hildegardes!

I recently saw Zasu Pitts as Hildegarde Withers rather than Edna May Oliver, who stars in 1934's Murder on the Blackboard. Pitts was dizzy and affable but didn't miss a thing. Oliver is sarcastic and sharp. She and Inspector Piper (James Gleason) have great snappy dialogue.

Hildegarde finds the body of a fellow teacher, Louise (Barbara Fritchie) in her school. She was the music teacher and a young, attractive woman. Hildegarde calls in Inspector Piper to investigate. The body has disappeared but later discovered in the furnace room.

There are only a couple of suspects but Withers and Piper chasing down clues makes for fun watching. It really isn't about the plot, but Edna May! She's all of 51 here and died at 59. Think of 51-year-old women today. Shocking.

What Torchy (Glenda Farrell) wants, Torchy gets. Except for Steve (Barton MacLane) showing up to get the marriage license.

Torchy pushes her way in as usual and becomes involved in a murder and stolen jewels case. Believing the killer is part of a round the work contest several newspapers are sponsoring, she convinces her editor to sponsor her because the killer "Sonny Croy" (Gordon Oliver) is part of the race.

Interestingly, this film was released six weeks after the Hindenburg debacle and actually uses Hindenburg footage. After the Hindenburg, there were no more dirigible flights.

Farrell is funny and vivacious. I loved her editor freaking out about the marriage license, how he hired her when she was ignorant, made her a star, and now she was throwing it all away. And police officer Gahagan (Tom Kennedy is always a riot.