Torrid Zone

1940 Directed by William Keighley

TROPICAL ROMANCE!

A Central American plantation manager and his boss battle over a traveling showgirl.

James Cagney Ann Sheridan Pat O’Brien Andy Devine Helen Vinson Jerome Cowan George Tobias George Reeves Victor Kilian Frank Puglia John Ridgely Grady Sutton Paul Porcasi Frank Yaconelli Dick Botiller Frank Mayo Jack Mower Paul Hurst George Regas Elvira Sánchez Trevor Bardette Max Blum Joe Dominguez George Humbert Manuel López Joe Molinas Don Orlando Tony Paton Ralph Peters Show All…

Alternative Title

Тропическая зона

romance comedy action adventure

88 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Cam ★★★★ 2

Cinematic Time Capsule
1940 Marathon - Film #98
”Nice little park you got here… if ya like bananas”
James Cagney and Ann Sheridan find themselves stuck on a banana-republic plantation surrounded by a goofy cast and an even goofier script.
The pacing’s faster than a runaway fruit-train, with some great character actors aboard, including Pat O’Brien, George Tobias, and an obnoxious Andy Devine.
I’d summarize the plot, but it doesn’t matter because it’s simply an excuse to get all these actors bouncing off of each other as they toss verbal barbs back-n-forth faster than a tropical storm. And even though it takes Cagney over 20 minutes to make his entrance, once he does, he swings into action wonderfully loose, witty, and mustached…
”Mister, the stork that brought you must of been a vulture”

Cinematic Time Capsule - 1940 Ranked
Review by AntoniusBlock7 ★★★

A minor film but certainly watchable for the two leads, James Cagney and Ann Sheridan. Her ability to take care of herself and easygoing grace, his toughness and that mustache … hey, they’re just a joy, especially with a script full of banter and sharp lines. They’re on a banana plantation in a tropical place, and both antagonized by its owner (Pat O’Brien). Despite a good start, the plot gets a little muddled and too crowded with other characters as it plays out, and I began losing interest in the second half.
Early on the film has elements that criticism colonialism and the absolute power the owner of a banana plantation wields over the natives, such as having people he…
Review by irajoel ★★★½

A fast and furious 88 minute Warner Bros. action comedy that features a great cast of WB contract actors. Set in a small Central America country with most of the action taking place on a troubled banana plantation the plot involves a not so nice Pat O'Brien who is the manager of the company and his efforts to get back his top banana foreman played by James Cagney who sports a sexy pencil thin mustache and wants no part of returning to the plantation to run things. Instead Jimmy is on his way to Chicago until O’Brien makes him an offer he can’t refuse and he gets a look at Ann Sheridan. Sheridan is her usual gorgeous self smooth and…
Review by PUNQ ★★½

James Cagney and a few of his Warner Bros friends having fun out in the tropics! Perhaps too much fun and crazy antics, for this lacked substance. Feels like something they splashed together at the spur of the moment. Not necessary a bad thing when with Cagney & pals....
Review by Dale Nauertz ★★★½

I don't know what movie that poster is trying to sell. But James Cagney never plays the guitar in this movie, and he definitely doesn't do so while Ann Sheridan and Pat O'Brien look on, adoringly. I'm not opposed to SEEing that movie, but that isn't what "Torrid Zone" is.
"Torrid Zone" is about a fruit plantation in a South American country (to be honest, I don't know if they even specify what country it's set in). The fruit plantation is owned by an American company, but it is run by Pat O'Brien. O'Brien is a shithead. A real dick, of the highest caliber I've seen in quite some time. He bosses everyone in the area around, not just his…
Review by pmbryant ★½

I did not care about any of these characters, unfortunately, thus leaving a rather empty feeling after watching this—quite unusual for a Cagney film for me. The constant barrage of wisecrack insults between the two women became tiresome in a hurry.
Review by Kari ★★½

Nice cast. I wish Pat O'Brien and James Cagney had been in more scenes together. O'Brien spent way too much time yelling in this movie. It is funny to me that the villain, George Tobias, ended up being Mr. Kravitz on Bewitched.
Review by Muddguts ★★★

Briskly paced and full of zippy dialog. Hustlers, swindlers, outlaws and lots of bananas, this one is entertaining enough but never reaches "really good".
Review by idgey ★★★ 2

Am I the only one who couldn't stop staring at James Cagney's moustache?
Review by Josh ★★★★★

Even Cagney’s bad mustache can’t ruin this. A new favorite.
Review by friedgreengibbs ★★★½

"Necking like a couple of high school kids!"
"You just interrupted a post-graduate course.”
Plotwise it’s really nothing, like you never really get invested in the stakes, but I had a ball with all the dialogue - there are some great zingers here that feel more like they belong in a noir than in ... whatever this is (“the stork that dropped you off must’ve been a vulture”). Ann Sheridan gives me like a less-steely Bacall vibe here; she’s so tough but has a great sense of humor. She, Cagney, and O’Brien work so well together. I also really dug the (I’m sure unintended) homoeroticism - so many pet names!!
Review by Garland ★★★

i, too, want to throw myself on top of Ann Sheridan and make her start moaning.

Recent reviews

Review by Ella 🍸 ★★★

there isn't a whole lot to say about the movie itself so just go on YouTube and look up "Torrid Zone bloopers Ann Sheridan" so you can hear her contagious laugh
Review by AntoniusBlock7 ★★★

A minor film but certainly watchable for the two leads, James Cagney and Ann Sheridan. Her ability to take care of herself and easygoing grace, his toughness and that mustache … hey, they’re just a joy, especially with a script full of banter and sharp lines. They’re on a banana plantation in a tropical place, and both antagonized by its owner (Pat O’Brien). Despite a good start, the plot gets a little muddled and too crowded with other characters as it plays out, and I began losing interest in the second half.
Early on the film has elements that criticism colonialism and the absolute power the owner of a banana plantation wields over the natives, such as having people he…
Review by Jonathan Wander ★★★½

"You and your 14-karat oomph" was James Cagney's last line in the movie, said to Ann Sheridan, Warner Bros. "Oomph girl." It was perfect inside joke to wrap up what was a thoroughly enjoyable movie. I love anything Cagney is in and always enjoy seeing him with Ann Sheridan. Lots of terrific banter to toss around between them. WARNING: Cagney has a pencil mustache in this and it can be disturbing.
Review by JulioSacchi ★★★★

Für all jene, die felsenfest behaupten, "alte" Filme seine "langsam" und hätten ein "anderes Erzähltempo" als heute: TORRID ZONE rast wie ein Express Train durchs Geschehen und setzt dem Schlagabtausch zwischen Hansdampf Cagney und Plantagendiktator O'Brien immer neue Kronen auf. Mittendrin Ann Sheridan in ihrer Durchbruchrolle, immer einen Satz smarter als die Boys. Erfrischend unmoralisch wird hier um das große Geld scharmützelt, Erschießungen, Ausbeuterei und Ehebruch sind völlig ok, so lange der Zweck die Mittel heiligt (oder auch nicht). Dazu hagelt's geistreiche Zingers noch und nöcher. Ein Riesenspaß!
Review by Cam ★★★★ 2

Cinematic Time Capsule
1940 Marathon - Film #98
”Nice little park you got here… if ya like bananas”
James Cagney and Ann Sheridan find themselves stuck on a banana-republic plantation surrounded by a goofy cast and an even goofier script.
The pacing’s faster than a runaway fruit-train, with some great character actors aboard, including Pat O’Brien, George Tobias, and an obnoxious Andy Devine.
I’d summarize the plot, but it doesn’t matter because it’s simply an excuse to get all these actors bouncing off of each other as they toss verbal barbs back-n-forth faster than a tropical storm. And even though it takes Cagney over 20 minutes to make his entrance, once he does, he swings into action wonderfully loose, witty, and mustached…
”Mister, the stork that brought you must of been a vulture”

Cinematic Time Capsule - 1940 Ranked
Review by idgey ★★★ 2

Am I the only one who couldn't stop staring at James Cagney's moustache?
Review by nitingulati ★★★

67/100
Review by DSCohen ★★½

All the ingredients for a light-Hollywood romp...Action, Adventure, Romance, Comedy...and an insane amount of racism. Yikes!
Review by Beautifulkiller ★★★½

Even in comparison to today, when films shoot on location, Warner Brothers' tropical set looks like the tropics. It's not distracting; I'm thinking of the obvious painted backdrop in the last scene of "Treasure Island."
In 1940's "Torrid Zone," Pat O'Brien is Steve Case, who manages the Banana Company in the Caribbean. His life has been no game since his co-worker, Nick Butler (Cagney) left to take a job in Chicago and continually sends him mocking telegrams - collect.
He needs Nick to take over one of the plantations, so he makes a deal with him - just work for two weeks. Nick agrees; the money will be useful.
There are also troubles with the rebel Rosario (George Tobias), who…
Review by Kyle Huffman ★★★

A lesser product in the 30s-40s adventure flick, Torrid Zone still features James Cagney sporting a combative attitude with a a nifty little mustache to boot. For a movie set on a Central American banana plantation, it actually acquits itself quite well, all things considered.
Review by Levi Huffman ★★★

I was surprised at how well Torrid Zone acquitted itself. Sure, it's pretty much a watered-down version of Howard Hawks's masterpiece Only Angels Have Wings, in the sense of exotic locales and strong-willed, hard-working men encumbered by love and laughs. But it strikes out on its own way in some respects and results in a light, action comedy that's certainly entertaining enough to warrant 88 minutes. Aside from the olden impulse to cast white actors in minority roles, it's also relatively devoid of the racial complications usually inherent to this type of yarn, so I'd say mission accomplished overall!
Review by pmbryant ★½

I did not care about any of these characters, unfortunately, thus leaving a rather empty feeling after watching this—quite unusual for a Cagney film for me. The constant barrage of wisecrack insults between the two women became tiresome in a hurry.