Story: Jim Flynn (Robert Kent) is a natural behind the wheel and he has found some success on the racetrack, though also some setbacks. Not only is he is a skilled driver with a keen mind for how the race world works, but he is also an inventor and comes up with his own designs, to give him an edge in a very competitive field. The competition is about to heat up even more, as a new driver has arrived and this racer has earned all kinds of trophies on the European circuit. Beverly Blake (Virginia Vale) is hot off a blazing run overseas and now she wants to prove herself in the United States, though of course, some scoff at a woman behind the wheel. As Flynn and Blake begin a rivalry on the track, who will end up claiming the checkered flag?

Entertainment Value: I thought Blonde Comet was a fun movie, though the ending is one of the biggest cop outs I’ve seen. The narrative is a simple one, but has the fresh twist of a woman being a sporting rival, which makes this one stand out a little. While there is that spark of feminism here, it isn’t explored deeply and as I said, the movie makes some lamentable choices, especially when it comes to how Blonde Comet wraps up. Even so, it is a welcome approach, even if it isn’t always implemented well, though I think a different ending could have done a lot here. The film runs just over an hour and is quite brisk, as you might expect. The pace is steady and there’s plenty of race footage to jazz up the time between more dialogue driven moments. I found the production values to be fine and William Beaudine’s direction is quite good, one of Blonde Comet’s strongest ingredients, in fact. I had some fun here and I would give Blonde Comet a recommendation.

Of course, the Blonde Comet herself Virginia Vale has the lead and she is a capable one, easily turning in the best and most memorable performance. Vale has such great charm and screen presence, she has that special intangible aura that really comes alive on screen. That really enhances the movies she stars in and Blonde Comet is no exception, as I think with a not so competent lead on hand, this one might have been long forgotten. Vale is a good actress however, not just a charmer and while this material hardly taxes her skills, she does all she can with the role. She has good chemistry with her costars and she is a potent romantic interest of course, so she is up to all the tasks required by Blonde Comet and more. The cast also includes Robert Kent, Vince Barnett, and Barney Oldfield.

Use this Amazon link to check out Blonde Comet and help support my site!