not as good as all the hype

An action-packed slog

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Roger Pryor (Mike Lawrence), Virginia Vale (Jan Martin), Lionel Royce (Burns), Lucien Prival (Raynor), Duncan Renaldo (police chief), Lester Dorr (Joe), Sam "Deacon" McDaniel (Rod), Hugh Beaumont (Paul Martin), Jack Ingram (Wilton), Warren Jackson (Lake), Edward Keane (colonel).Director: JEAN YARBROUGH. Screenplay: Ben Roberts, Sidney Sheldon. Film editor: Guy V. Thayer, junior. Photography: Mack Stengler. At director: Paul Sylos. Music director: Alberto Colombo. Song by Sam Brown and Herb Pine. Assistant director: William Strohbach. Sound recording: Ferroll Redd. Associate producer: Melville Shyer. Producer: Ted Richmond. Executive producer: George R. Batcheller.Copyright 24 April 1941 by Producers Releasing Corporation. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: 2 May 1941. Never released in Australia. 68 minutes. Re-issued in the USA in 1946 by Madison Pictures under the title: PANAMA MENACE.SYNOPSIS: Accidentally a Johnny-on-the-spot, an American reporter in Panama (played with an appropriate lack of luster by Roger Pryor) meets a mysterious lady (a very appealing Virginia Vale) who is actually a Spanish nightclub singer in disguise. Or is it the other way around?COMMENT: Dated, routinely directed hokum about spies on the loose in the Panama Canal Zone, can muster only three things to recommend it to a 2018 audience. No, make that two things, since the climactic night-time car chase doesn't come out well on television. One is the lovely Virginia Vale (borrowed from RKO for this outing) who is a talented gal in the histrionic department as well as easy on the eye. Two is the wonderful Deacon McDaniel who makes the most of a couple of very funny lines and a really hilarious (if rather macabre) situation.

Panama Menace is a by the numbers comedy spy musical romance about a group of crooks who want a new formula being brought to panama. They conspire to follow the inventor's sister to find out who the inventor is but she realizes she's being followed and enlists the aide of a man to help her throw the bad guy off the track. It works but she runs off. He tries to follow. There's more complications as the bad guys follow the wrong man, the woman masquerades as a Panamanian singer and romance blooms. It's a messy film, but it some how works despite of itself thanks to a less than serious attitude.Sue me I liked it.

Chemist Paul Martin (Hugh Beaumont) has invented a special kind of paint, intended to use on airplanes, to make them less vulnerable to anti aircraft guns. As this invention could boost the security of the Panama Canal, the scientist is bringing a visit to a military base in that area, to demonstrate what his invention is all about. (Using "with kind permission" of the RAF a model of a Hudson. Some authentic newsreels showing clusters of bombers have been added to the movie) The leader of a (German ?) spy ring, who uses the role of hotel manager as a cover, has intercepted a telegram from the scientist to his sister, who's staying in that hotel. In it, the brother asks her not to come to the airport to pick him up. The hotel manager however sends her another telegram, asking her to come to the airport. This way his agents will recognize who they will have to kidnap. The sister however realizes that something isn't OK. In stead of rushing to her brother, she runs to a man standing behind her brother, and starts to embrace him. Mike Lawrence (played by Roger Pryor) later turns out to be a reporter, is of course somewhat surprised, but isn't minding too much being kissed by the blonde. (Pryor already played a reporter before, in "Missing Girls' from 1936). The enemy agents mistake him for the scientist. The attempt to kidnap him fails however. Several other attempts to lay hands on the formula of the special paint will be made, but of course the enemy agents –hey, this is a 1941 movie after all- will be outsmarted by the hero.In fact it's a rather silly story, since it's quite strange that such an important scientist with an invention vital for US security is staying in a (not so) ordinary hotel. The logical thing to do with such a VIP would have been to keep him locked in a military camp, guarded by a bunch of mean looking MP's. But well, you'll have to accept this illogic part of the script, for otherwise there wouldn't be a story of course. Like often in the 1930's-1940's, the movie isn't politically correct towards Afro-Americans either. The filmmakers apparently just couldn't resist to add a scene, in which the friendly black hotel servant unnecessarily has to roll with cliché bulging eyes, after a corpse hidden in a cupboard fell down on his back. At that time, it were only whites who were supposed to be heroic and quick with their fists, saving beautiful ladies in distress or the country against vicious saboteurs and spies. The role of Afro-Americans then often was reduced to such grotesque stereotyping scenes. Finally, as so often in spy movies, the female lead character is playing a night club singer. Yet another aspect of a not so resourceful script.I quite enjoyed Virginia Vale though. She clearly had a lot of fun playing night club singer Dolores Esteban. (A kind of fun that reminded me a bit of that of French actress Mireille Darc in the spy spoof "Les Barbouzes") This part of her double role allowed her to talk with a zany Spanish accent, and teasing reporter Mike Lawrence about a certain blond lady (the scientist's sister). In fact -unknown to Lawrence at the beginning- Dolores happens to be that same blonde, covered with a black wig, to give her a "latino" appearance. It's only at the end of the movie that he adds 2 and 2.I'd give this B-movie a 6/10. Although better than ridiculous films such as "Adventure in Iraq" (1943), "Panama Menace" aka "South of Panama" is by far not as good as "Across the Pacific" (1942) with Bogart & Sydney Greenstreet. Rather a movie of interest for the "completist" collecting spy movies/political thrillers than for the average viewer hoping to spend a pleasant evening. The movie seems to be relatively obscure by the way:I didn't come across whatever lobby cards or posters of it in any of the main selling places (Moviegoods, Heritage Auctions etc.) To find a copy of the movie itself, check out eBay USA or Ioffer.com, you'll certainly find it there somewhere. Ben Vanhees Belgium