Torchy Blane in Panama

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.