Too many fans seem to be blown away

Disturbing yet enthralling

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

"Torchy Blane In Chinatown" is one of the better entries in the series. The plot, involving extortion, pre-announced murders and suspicious Chinese secret cults, may be semi-predictable, but at least it keeps moving. Glenda Farrell gives one of her most energetic performances as Torchy, and she has some of her wittiest lines as well ("What are you doing wandering around a graveyard?" - "Oh skipper, I've been a lost soul ever since you've been neglecting me"). She also ditches the "work clothes" for a while and wears a dress, for the first time in the series if I'm not mistaken. On the other hand, Steve is rather cold to her in this episode, but he redeems himself at the end. **1/2 out of 4.

This is the seventh film in the Torchy Blane series (though one review erroneously says it's the fifth) and it has an advantage over the previous films. Here there are some excellent supporting actors that previous movies in the series lacked. Henry O'Neill, James Stephenson and Patric Knowles all are on hand in supporting roles.The plot seems very much like one that you might have in a Charlie Chan or Mr. Moto film, though the film actually is a remake of MURDER WILL OUT (1930). It involves some rare jade tablets and threats that are supposedly from Chinese people who are angry that these priceless treasures were taken from the graves they adorned.As usual in the last few films, Torchy and her police lieutenant boyfriend work against each other instead of together like they did in the first few films in order to solve the crimes. This is a shame, as this is pretty much the same pattern MOST B-detective films fell into during this era--with heroes such as the Falcon, Boston Blackie and the Lone Wolf doing their own investigations since the cops are morons.By the way, with the one murder attempt involving cigarettes, this might be one of the silliest and most contrived bits I've seen in a film like this in a long time. The doctor begins choking and feeling ill when he starts smoking. Suddenly another person at the funeral grabs the cigarette from the doctor's mouth and announces "it has the sign of the golden dragon!!". And, it just so happens that the doctor has the antidote to the poison at his home! And, it just so happens that someone substituted the antidote with water! And, it just so happens that none of this makes any sense--especially when a bullet to the brain is a lot easier. It all was just too convenient and contrived to be believable.Despite this being so contrived, the mystery itself turned out to be a pretty dandy one. In fact, the film would have earned a 7 had they not had this silly poisoning segment.

Fifth in the series of reporter-criminologist Torchy Blane who assists Detective Lieutenant Steve McBride in solving crimes. In this entry, Torchy figures out the solution to the deaths of three prominent men but allows Steve to get the credit at the end and make the collar. If this subservience is not enough, we are subjected to rampant racial stereotyping of Chinese and blacks. Detective Sergeant Gahagan provides comic relief that includes in this film his breaking into poetry from time to time. The film does involve Chinese burial tablets and has a few superficial shots that might have been take on the street of a major city "Chinatown" but the plot does not have anyone going there and doing anything. This version mostly takes place in police stations, at The Adventurers Club, homes, and at sea where a contribution is made by the US Navy. The plot is a remake of the 1920 "The Purple Cipher" and the1930 "Murder Will Out." It involves a combination of revenge murder and blackmail. There are notes to victims passed on Chinese laundry tickets and via additional means. Death comes via a multitude of means and bodies have a habit of disappearing. Fair.

This entertaining entry in the Torchy Blane series also happens to be one of the least PC movies of all time, and that's saying quite a bit. Every Asian stereotype you can imagine is dredged up by screenwriter George Bricker and there's even a minstrel show joke for good measure. When Barton Maclane exclaims, "Chinese!", Gloria Farrell responds, "oodles of them!". The story is the usual stuff about stolen jade, ancient curses, family honour, and murder. The twist is telegraphed early on but the film remains briskly entertaining, especially when that brassiest of brassy dames, Ms. Farrell, is on screen--which is most of the film's 58 minutes running time.