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Simply A Masterpiece

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

From an era when even the actual name of the detective working on a murder case could make newspaper headlines, comes one of cinema's earliest female amateur sleuths, Torchy Blane. Torchy is not just an independent working woman who is good at her job, she also has a mind (and a hunch) for crime-solving on the side; her persistent snooping annoys, but also aids, her tough cop boyfriend. In "Smart Blonde", they both investigate the shooting of a wealthy investor outside a train station. There is nothing out of (or above) the ordinary in the film's direction or supporting cast (though Tom Kennedy is quite funny as a poetry-loving comic relief cop), but the story is pretty good, and Glenda Farrell is beautiful and energetic as Torchy; you can't take her eyes off her. ** out of 4.

The movie doesn't work that well as a mystery, so I think the viewer should just think of it as a romantic comedy since MacLane and Farrell succeed so brilliantly at elevating the material and they have such good on screen chemistry.Also, considering that while Torchy has real affection for MacBride, she doesn't hesitate to let him know when she thinks he's being ridiculous (Dixie to Torchy "Ain't he masterful?" Torchy "Yeah, all he needs is a leopard skin!")and he's not the center of her life.She was years ahead of her time so I think she was a good role model.Maybe Torchy is what Nancy Drew would be if she ever written as an adult.

Tiny Torgenson had just purchased the Million Club and various gambling/sporting enterprises from Fitz Mularkey (who has decided to quit the racket due to his upcoming marriage to Marcia Friel), but Torgenson is immediately killed arriving in New York. Morning Herald reporter Torchy Blane, who was with Torgenson when he was killed, goes with her boyfriend, Lt. Steve McBride, to the Million Club to tell Mularkey of what happened. Mularkey, being very good friends with Torgenson, decides he'll catch the murderer before the police get him, but McBride advises him to do otherwise. Torchy suspects Chuck Cannon (Mularkey's bodyguard) of the murder since Mularkey won't have much use for him after the racket, but McBride suspects one of the other purchasers of the Mularkey's interests. McBride's leads end up nowhere and he goes after Cannon, as does Mularkey. Cannon is later found murdered, and evidence leads McBride to think Mularkey is the killer. Torchy has other ideas however and tries to convince McBride. Okay entry in the series, yet based on this film you wouldn't think 8 more films would follow. Much of the film does seem like its parodying the blue collar-gangster films typical of Warner Brothers in the 30s. Farrell and MacLane have great chemistry together, which shows throughout. The script did seem like it was repeating itself and aiming at clichés typical of the movie mystery/newspaper reporter/stubborn cop/racketeers. Rating, based on B mysteries, 6.

It was nice seeing Barton MacClane as the good guy. Glenda Farrell and Ginger Rogers are look alikes. At first sight I though it was Ginger. Also got a kick out of seeing a very young Jane Wyman as Dixie. The mystery was a bit contrived but I'd see the movie again.