Dynamite comes in small packages. Which describes both short "B" second feature Smart Blonde and its cute, perky star Glenda Farrel as Torchy Blane. Initial entry in the highly successful Torchy Blane series, Smart Blonde runs on open throttle for its entire 59 minutes. It is smart, tough, breezy, lightning paced, with funny, snappy dialog delivered incredibly fast. This picture is nothing if not fast-talking. Glenda Farrell reportedly could speak 390 words per minute, and she demonstrates it throughout. But co-star Barton MacLane, who plays her tough cop boy friend Steve McBride, may actually have surpassed her in the motor mouth department in a couple of scenes. Most of the other Runyonesque characters in this entertaining mystery do likewise. If all the dialog in this movie had been delivered at a normal cadence, the running time would have been at least twenty minutes longer. This picture along with other Warner Brothers gangster movies of the 1930's makes you wonder if the studio had a course in fast talking for its stock players.Stock players were exactly what Farrell and MacLane were. Usually in supporting parts, she the hard-boiled broad, he the burly, loud-mouthed gangster or cop. But the Torchy series gave both a chance to use their special talents in leading roles, and both made the best of it. The pair had crackling chemistry together, with cozy affectionate interludes only occasionally breaking their constant rat-a-tat wise-cracking. Torchy is a smart girl reporter who solves the cases Steve isn't sharp enough to dope out on his own. At least that's the way she sees it.Farrell and MacLane get solid support from a crew of other Warner Brothers stock players, especially Addison Richards as a shady, but on-the-level night club/race track operator around whom the murder mystery swirls, Wini Shaw as the beautiful singer who loves him, and Charlotte Wynters as the high class dame he loves. This role as a tough, but likable borderline hoodlum was a real change of pace for Richards. In 400 movie and television appearances from the 1930' to the 1960's the tall, lanky actor rarely played other than judges, district attorneys, doctors, high ranking army officers, and other dignified types. MacLane may have showed good chemistry with the pretty, vivacious Farrell, but it was Charlotte Wynters who became Mrs. Barton MacLane about a year after Smart Blonde's release.Smart Blonde is a delightful, stimulating little mystery potboiler, full of plot twists, intrigues, and explosive bursts of action. Characterization is colorful and well developed. As a big studio "B" picture, the sets and cinematography are nearly as good as in one of Warner Brothers' top productions. Director Frank McDonald, a life-long "B" picture specialist, keeps all on target throughout. To compress all that happens in the story into less than an hour running time, even considering the machine gun dialog delivery, should rate as a masterpiece of film editing for Frank MaGee. Acting was first rate all around but especially from the two likable leads.An enduring example of how the big studios of Old Hollywood could turn out good looking, entertaining pictures when only half-way trying.

A taxi races along beside a moving train. The passenger leans forward: "Driver, let me off at the next crossing, will you?" She hops out, takes a few running steps, then leaps aboard the very last car as the train rolls by. –That's our first glimpse of Torchy Blane, ace reporter. This snappy opening is a good introduction to our heroine: fast talking, quick witted, and pretty much fearless. Boarding a moving train is typical of Torchy's style—she simply wants to snag an interview with an incoming businessman before his arrival in town, so she hops the train he's on. Sure enough, she gets the interview…and gets herself a mystery along with her scoop when the man is murdered a few hours later. Glenda Farrell is just about perfect as Torchy—sweet smile, rapid fire delivery, irrepressible charm. Also on the case is Barton McLane as Torchy's boyfriend, Lieutenant Steve McBride. Torchy appreciates his manliness ("All he needs is a leopard skin"), but she is consistently a step or two ahead of him in the investigation—which fact he grudgingly admires but finds annoying as well. Tom Kennedy is wonderfully goofy as an assisting cop named Gahagan who loves life and composes poetry ("I love the night!" he exclaims, more or less at random). And a young Jane Wyman is hilarious in a small role as a hat check girl who, among other adventures, comes home from a party with a St. Bernard: "I wish I knew where I got that dog," she muses.A nice plot keeps us guessing and ties up neatly; likable characters and lively dialog add up to a very entertaining quickie. My favorite exchange comes when Torchy is trying to talk her way into a murder scene. (She's there well ahead of Steve, naturally.) "I'm from the Herald," she argues to the cop guarding the door, "I'm Torchy Blane." His deadpan response: "I don't care if you're Flaming Youth, you can't go in there."

Different people rate how good a movie is based on different criteria. I myself rate various different movies as being good or bad for various different reasons. I quite simply do not believe that one type of film should be judged by the standards of another. And although I like a meaningful film with a message as much as the next guy, I do not consider "pure entertainment" movies inferior. And if one succeeds very well at its intended task, in this case, entertaining, as well as being well-made in the various departments, such as acting, cinematography, etc, I will consider it as good or even great. And this movie is both very enjoyable and well-made. (And thus, in my eyes, great in its genre and intention). Glenda Farrell is perfect as Torchy Blane, a smart, sassy, wisecrackin' reporter always on the lookout for another scoop. Her sweetheart is Steve McBride(Barton Maclane), a tough flatfoot who is seldom right and a bit cranky, but all considered, he's a good egg.This is also a must-see for Superman fans, as Lois Lane was based on Torchy. Although the name Lois Lane was taken from Lola Lane, one of the two actresses who took over the part of Torchy, Jerry Siegel confirmed that the character was based on Torchy as played by Glenda Farrell. Smart Blonde is a mystery, but it's not the most challenging case you're likely to see, although is does keep you guessing. The real reason to watch this is Torchy herself. She is beautiful, smart, hilarious, and has a certain energy that you have to see to understand. She is one of a kind. Glenda Farrell was a great actress. She wasn't the Oscar-winning type, but she knew how to light up the screen with her presence like few others. She is one of the greatest scene-stealers of all time. Jane Wyman (who played Torchy in one of the later films, with mediocre results) is cute and funny in a small role as hat-check girl. This is also the first in a series of nine Torchy Blane movies made by Warner Brothers in the 1930s. Although seven (including this one) star Glenda Farrell and Barton Maclane as Torchy and Steve, in two she was replaced by other actresses, one being Jane Wyman, the other Lola Lane. These two both did disappointing jobs. Wyman tried her best, but it felt forced and didn't work well. Lola Lane was downright horrible in the role. Glenda Farrell was born for the part, and no one else could play it well. Overall, this is a hilarious, very entertaining comedy with a fairly interesting mystery. If you ever get the chance to see this or any of the other Glenda Farrell Torchy Blane movies, I highly recommend that you do. They are very good lighthearted, hilarious, feel-good movies that are ten times better than most comedies being made today.

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.