Torrid Zone (1940)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

William Keighley

Writers:

Richard Macaulay (screenplay) and
Jerry Wald (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 May 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy

Plot:

Plagued by revolutionaries that harass his plantation in a banana republic, fruit company exec Steve Case rehires former nemesis Nick Butler to restore order and profits.

Plot Keywords:

Plantation | Banana | Singer | Banana Republic | Fruit Company

Cast

James Cagney	...	Nick 'Nicky' Butler
Ann Sheridan	...	Lee Donley
Pat O'Brien	...	Mr. Steve Case
Andy Devine	...	Wally Davis
Helen Vinson	...	Mrs. Gloria Anderson
Jerome Cowan	...	Bob 'Bill' Anderson
George Tobias	...	Rosario 'Rosie' La Mata
George Reeves	...	Sancho, Rosario's Henchman
Victor Kilian	...	Carlos (Rosario's henchman)
Frank Puglia	...	Police Chief Juan Rodriguez
John Ridgely	...	Gardner
Grady Sutton	...	Sam, Steve's Secretary
Paul Porcasi	...	Garcia, Hotel Bar Proprietor
Frank Yaconelli	...	Lopez, Plantation Driver (as Frank Yaconnelli)
Dick Botiller	...	Hernandez, Plantation Worker (as Dick Boteler)
Frank Mayo	...	Shaffer
Jack Mower	...	McNamara
Paul Hurst	...	Daniels, Ship Captain
George Regas	...	Sergeant of Police
Elvira Sánchez	...	Rita, Gloria's Servant (as Elvira Sanchez)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Trevor Bardette	...	Policeman Escorting Lee on Ship (uncredited)
Max Blum	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Joe Dominguez	...	Manuel, Rosario's Henchman (uncredited)
George Humbert	...	Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Manuel López	...	Chico, Rasario's Henchman (uncredited)
Joe Molinas	...	Native (uncredited)
Don Orlando	...	Hotel Employee Hanging Mosquito Netting (uncredited)
Tony Paton	...	Charley (plantation worker) (uncredited)
Ralph Peters	...	First Train Engineer (uncredited)
Ernesto Piedra	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Paul Renay	...	Jose, Rosario's Henchman (uncredited)
Victor Sabuni	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Betty Sanko	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Rafael Storm	...	Man (uncredited)
Leo White	...	Smiling Man to Whom Lee Sings (uncredited)
Tom Wilson	...	Passerby as Train Moves (uncredited)

Directed by
William Keighley

Writing credits
Richard Macaulay		(screenplay) and
Jerry Wald		(screenplay)

Produced by
Mark Hellinger	....	associate producer
Hal B. Wallis	....	executive producer
William Cagney	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Adolph Deutsch

Cinematography by
James Wong Howe

Film Editing by
Jack Killifer

Art Direction by
Ted Smith

Set Decoration by
Edward Thorne		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Howard Shoup		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jack L. Warner	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Heath	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Oliver S. Garretson	....	sound

Special Effects by
Byron Haskin	....	special effects
Hans F. Koenekamp	....	special effects (as H.F. Koenekamp)

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director

Other crew
John Mari	....	technical advisor

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (as Warner Bros.-First National Pictures Inc.)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1940) (USA) (theatrical)
• Dominant Pictures Corporation (1957) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Teakwood Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Teakwood Video (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #6091)

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

When Frank Puglia says, "I don't believe in a third term," he was referring to the then speculative run of Franklin Delano Roosevelt for an unprecedented third term as U. S. President in 1940.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the gunfight scene between Butler's group and Rosario's group, Rosario shoots Butler and Butler appears to be grabbing his right arm as he goes down. In the next shot, he is now tending to his wound on his left arm. Later in the scene, after they catch Rosario, Rosario bumps Butler's hat as he walks by.

Quotes:

Lee Donley: [cutting off Nick's shirt so she can dress his wound] Oh, did I hurt you?
Nick Butler: [sarcastically] Oh, no. How could you hurt me by sticking a scissors in my arm?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Breakdowns of 1941 (1941)

Soundtrack:

I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles

Fast-paced dialogue, action, romance -- the trinity of film!

This film is basically "The Front Page" set on a banana plantation, with the "Oomph Girl" thrown in for a love interest, but somehow it manages to transcend that sort of genre-typing.

Everyone from Jimmy Cagney and Pat O'Brien (in one of the best of their 10 films together) to George Tobias shines in this snappy action-romance, sprinkled with the kind of dialogue that made the movies of the '30s and early-'40s the most fun ever. My favorite exchange in the history of film is in this movie...

Helen Vinson (Gloria) is kissing Jimmy Cagney (Nick), and her cigarette has slipped from her fingers to the floor. The camera follows the cigarette down, and then a hand reaches in from out-of-frame to pick it up...the camera pulls back to reveal Ann Sheridan (Lee):

Lee: This is how the Chicago Fire got started.

Gloria: The Chicago Fire was started by a *cow*.

Lee: History repeats itself.

Now, how can you not love a film like that? Ann Sheridan singing! Pat O'Brien conniving! George Tobias as a Latin American bandit! Jimmy Cagney with a mustache!

Sadly, Torrid Zone is not yet available on video, but it shows up on TV from time to time. Don't miss it!