5.8 /10 1 Votes
Produced by Bryan Foy Music by Howard Jackson Initial release 5 February 1938 (USA) Film series Torchy Blane Story by Albert DeMond | 6.8/10 IMDb Directed by Frank McDonald Screenplay by Albert DeMond Cinematography Warren Lynch Director Frank McDonald Music director Howard Jackson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Starring Glenda Farrell
Barton MacLane Cast Glenda Farrell, Barton MacLane, Carole Landis, Tom Kennedy, Rosella Towne Similar Barton MacLane movies, Journalism movies, Police movies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Blondes at Work is a 1938 American crime mystery film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Albert DeMond. The film stars Glenda Farrell and Barton MacLane. This is the fourth film in a series of "Torchy Blane" movies by Warner Bros. It was released on February 6, 1938. The film is followed by Torchy Blane in Panama.
Contents
Plot
Lieutenant Steve McBride (Barton MacLane) is in trouble with his boss, who suspects him of leaking police information to his girlfriend reporter Torchy Blane (Glenda Farrell). Torchy and Steve have an argument because Torchy keep getting story after story for her newspaper. They agreed that they will not exchange information about any police cases in the future. And Torchy is told by her boyfriend to lay off the latest murder case that his handling; the killing of Marvin Spencer and the heir to the Bon Ton department store. Marvin was seen being escorted into a cab by his friend Maitland Greer (Donald Briggs) just moments before he was found dead in his room at the Park Plaza Hotel.
With Torchy's latest story of Marvin's murder hitting the front page of the newspaper, McBride's boss Capt. McTavish (Frank Shannon) orders him to keep information away from Torchy. Capt. McTavish isn't really concerned about Torchy getting her hands on top secret police information, he is secretly working for Torchy's rival newspaper, The Daily Express, who wants Torchy's access to top secret police investigation cut off. Maitland is arrested for Marvin's murder. Torchy finds a clue which led her to Louisa Revelle (Rosella Towne) the woman who was with Marvin the night he was stabbed. She admits to Torchy that Maitland was present that night and is upset with his arrest for murder, but will not reveal any more information. Torchy decides to eavesdrop on the trial's jury from a nearby supply closet. She overhears the jury's decision to declare Maitland guilty, and out-maneuvers both Capt. McTavish and the Daily Express into thinking that the jury verdict is going to be innocent. To their surprise, Maitland is found guilty, which has the newspaper's editor red-faced.
At the same time, Torchy breaks the story in an extra edition in her own newspaper, before the verdict is announced in court. However, the judge sentences her to jail for contempt. Steve visits Torchy a few days later and has her released from jail. He informs her that after the verdict was announced, Louisa confessed to the crime; she stabbed Marvin when he threatened to shoot Maitland, who has become her new lover. Steve says that it looks like self-defense and speculates that both Louisa and Maitland will be cleared. Torchy is disappointed because she didn't have time to write the story and have it make the front page. Steve tells her that he filed the story for her, before the other newspapers and once again Torchy scoops them all.
Cast
Home media
Warner Archive released a boxed set DVD collection featuring all nine Torchy Blane films on March 29, 2011.