Movie Review: The Adventurous Blonde (1937)
Synopsis: Frustrated with the way Torchy Blane always beats them to the scoop, a group of reporters conspires to embarrass her on the eve of her wedding to Det. Steve McBride by hiring actor Harvey Hammond to pretend to be murdered. Their plot goes awry when Hammond really is killed, and Blane and MacBride investigate.
Who's in it? The movie stars Glenda Farrell, Barton MacLane, Anne Nagel, William Hopper and Charley Foy.
Review: I was in the mood for a classic murder mystery this morning and picked The Adventurous Blonde because it looked like it might be a halfway decent comedy as well. Even though I wasn't familiar with the Torchy Blane films that preceded it, leaving me a step behind when it came to some of the characters, it ended up being a good choice.
I think the thing I liked most about this film was the paring of Blane (Farrell) and McBride (MacLane). There were times when they seemed like an unlikely couple but when it came to the murder, it was clear they made an excellent team. This made them both believable as a crime fighting duo and as soon-to-be newlyweds. At the same time, I had some serious doubts they would actually get married since their individual careers were equally as important.
Blane herself was a fun character to watch. I liked how she had a good mix of smarts and feminine charm, making sure to use both of them when needed. Her pushiness was also the kind of thing that could get her in trouble at any moment, possibly putting her life at risk in the process.
The mystery itself was intriguing. Since Hammond (Leyland Hodgson) was supposed to be pretending and a real coroner declaration of his death didn't happen immediately, it was unclear when he was murdered and, as a result of that, it was also unclear who was in the house at the time he was killed. As Blane investigated, it was clear there were plenty of possible suspects, ranging from his wife (Virginia Brissac) to a jilted lover. Outside interference from a competitor paper paying for confessions only complicated it, especially since she had agreed to marry McBride once the case was solved.
I also liked how this movie wasn't as predictable as so many other classic murder mysteries turn out to be. Blane's motive for pitting two of the suspects against each other, even though she didn't seem to think either was guilty, was just confusing enough to keep me guessing at who the real killer was and why she needed to go through so much effort. I was genuinely surprised at her reveal because of that.
Final Opinion: This was a funny comedy and mystery that made me enough of a fan of Torchy Blane to want to watch some of the other movies featuring the character. Even without seeing the other films, it is worth taking the time to watch.
My Grade: A
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Here are some reviews of other murder mysteries:
Movie Review: Nikki and Nora: Sister Sleuths (2022)
Movie Review: The Mandarin Mystery (1936)
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