Torchy Runs for Mayor

Torchy Runs for Mayor is a 1939 American drama-comedy film directed by Ray McCarey. It is the eighth film in the Torchy Blane film series by Warner Bros.,[1][2][3] and the last film starring Glenda Farrell and Barton MacLane as Torchy Blane and Steve McBride. It was released on May 13, 1939. The film is followed by Torchy Blane... Playing with Dynamite (1939).

Torchy Runs for Mayor
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRay McCarey
Produced byBryan Foy
Screenplay byEarle Snell
StarringGlenda Farrell
Barton MacLane
Music byHoward Jackson
CinematographyWarren Lynch
Edited byEverett Dodd
Production
company
Release date
  • May 13, 1939 (1939-05-13)
Running time
60 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Torchy Blane (Glenda Farrell) writes a series of articles criticizing the mayor John Saunders, accusing him of colluding with local crime boss Dr. Jerry Dolan (John Miljan) and Dolan's illegal activities. Torchy is getting all her information straight from the mayor's office, using a listening device. Torchy's boyfriend, detective Steve McBride (Barton MacLane) is concerned about the articles, believing that they are placing her in danger. Dolan asks his allies to withdraw advertising from Torchy's newspaper and pressure her editor into canceling her articles. Torchy is determined to prove that her articles are correct. She overhears Dolan telling the mayor about his "little red book" with all of his transactions and illegal payoffs and finds the book after breaking into Dolan's house. Dolan reports the burglary to police and demands the return of his book.

Torchy writes more articles exposing Dolan, but her story is rejected by her newspaper editor, fearing more syndicates will pull advertising from the paper. She goes to all other newspapers, who all refused to print the story, then she encounters Hubert Ward (Irving Bacon) the publisher of a small and relatively unknown newspaper. Ward decides to print the story and Blane distributes the publication around the city with the help of Gahagan (Tom Kennedy). After Torchy revealed the mayor's corruption, the resultant publicity forces a recall election with the citizens choosing Hubert Ward as the new candidate running against the corrupt mayor.

However, during the election, Ward is murdered by Dolan with a fatal injection. Steve, who is annoyed at Torchy's interference, writes her name as the new candidate as a joke. To his dismay, Torchy decides to run for mayor seriously and is winning voters. Dolan's man kidnaps Torchy and drugs her. Steve threatens Dolan to no avail but found an address where he believes Dolan is keeping Torchy. Steve and Gahagan track down the house and fight Dolan and his men and save Torchy. A half dozen policeman arrived at the house arresting them. Dolan manages to escape in Gahagan's police car but is killed when the car explodes. Torchy wins the election but decides, when presented with a baby to hold for a photograph, that she doesn't want to be the mayor and wants to marry McBride instead.

Cast
Glenda Farrell and Barton MacLane in Torchy Runs for Mayor (1939)

Home media

Warner Archive released a boxed set DVD collection featuring all nine Torchy Blane films on March 29, 2011.[4]

References
  1. "Torchy Runs for Mayor (1939)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  2. "Torchy Runs for Mayor (1939)". All Movie. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  3. "Torchy Runs for Mayor". American film Institute: catalog of feature films. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  4. KEHR, DAVE (May 7, 2010). "The Torchy Blane Collection". The New York Times. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
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