Panic on the Air

Sometimes referred to as a "baseball picture," Columbia's Panic in the Air is only peripherally involved in the sport. Lew Ayres stars as fast-talking sports radio announcer Jerry, while Florence Rice co-stars as a gorgeous socialite named Mary. Rather full of himself, Jerry delights in one-upping the police while tracking down a gang of crooks who've been fixing sports events. Our hero ultimately outsmarts himself when he offers to act as go-between to ransom Mary's kidnapped father, which serves only to get Mary arrested on a murder charge. The film's tight 54 minutes manages to accommodate a murder during a World Series game and similar skullduggery during a climactic steeplechase. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide