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After the Thin Man
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by MGM (Warner)
Sales Rank: 2536
Price: $19.98
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I bought the entire set (The Complete Thin Man Collection) to get this, my perennial favorite, before it was released individually. What W.S. Van Dyke did so well in The Thin Man, he topped and delivered even more of in this superb sequel. Even more affectionate banter between Nick and Nora, even more harebrained, screwy upper crusters, and the usual mob of colorful bottom dwellers from Nick's former life as a "flat foot." Everything about this film is better, including the photography, the sets, dialogue, plot complications, location shooting (including a surprise that always gets San Francisco natives chuckling; watch for the semi-completed Golden Gate Bridge in the background of a location shot). And Jimmy Stewart. Yep, Jimmy Stewart. Has no one mentioned a very, very young James Stewart in a supporting role? His charisma and talent are apparent even in this thankless part. You might also recognize Dorothy McNulty's voice as the nightclub singer later (as Penny Singleton) she was the voice of Jane Jetson. <br /> <br />The product number of this individual release is different from the version in the collection, so I can only assume that the extras are lacking here: a Robert Benchley short ("How To Be a Detective"), cartoon, radio show with Powell and Loy, theatrical trailer. If you'd like those extras, go ahead, get the entire set. THE THIN MAN, ANOTHER THIN, and SHADOW OF THE THIN MAN are all entertaining in the same vein, though AFTER THE THIN MAN truly stands out.
Viewer Reviews
There's more fun to be had in this 1936 sequel to The Thin Man.
Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) are returning home to San Francisco just in time for New Years. Instead of the early evening they had planned, they are summoned to a family dinner at Nora's Aunt Katherine's (Jessie Ralph). Only after dinner do they learn that Cousin Selma (Elissa Landi) is missing her husband. And they can't go to the police and get their names in the paper. So a reluctant Nick agrees to find Robert (Alan Marshal).
The case seems to be over pretty quickly when Nick and Nora find Robert at a night club. But then the dead bodies start piling up. Can Nick sort this all out?
Once again, we have a fun mix of the comedic and the mysterious. While the climax is once again the "gather everyone in one room cliche," Nick does solve things this time. And there are several fun comedic moments along the way, not to mention the great chemistry between William Powell and Myrna Loy. That makes their barbs all the funnier as they tease each other back and forth. There are truly some funny lines here.
Frankly, I haven't heard of most of the cast. The exception is Jimmy Stewart is an early role.
While I enjoyed it, I found I had to work hard to keep all the men straight. Most of them looked to similar to me to remember who was who. And there are a couple fun but pointless scenes. Heck, I'm still not sure I get the sub-plot involving Asta the dog.
But if you enjoy old movies and are looking for a funny mystery, you can't go wrong with this film.
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After the Thin Man
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