Noch ein dünner Mann

This is my favorite of the Thin Man series, although Shadow of the Thin Man and the original Thin Man are also very good. This is the only one of the sequels that uses a story from Dashiell Hammett. The story isn't quite as complicated as the original, which is why I liked it more than the original. This movie is what movies should be. It is built around characters and a story, something that is lacking in many of today's films. William Powell and Myrna Loy have a magical chemistry that could not have been manufactured by some studio executive. Although Nick is the detective, Nora and Asta provide invaluable assistance along with plenty of laughs. No matter how many times I see these movies, I still think they are funny. Don't wait for these movies to show up on television, because they rarely do. Don't waste your money renting them, because you will want to see them again and again. I bought the whole set, and while I can't really recommend the Song of the Thin Man or the Thin Man Goes Home, the others are all really good and Another Thin Man would be the one I would choose as my very favorite!

I've enjoyed all the Thin Man movies over and over, although the first is my favorite. But my favorite part of this movie is the gorgeous Latin dance show a the India Club. I am mesmerized by the elegant and smooth dance performance which I understand from an earlier comment was done by Carmen D'Antonio and Miguel Fernandez Mila. It is a marvel to watch and I always look forward to this part of the movie. What a shame that, in those days, such gorgeous artistry could be "uncredited."

I also enjoy the Nora's dance with the gigolo. The whole India Club business is quite funny and entirely in the spirit of the Thin Man series.

I've heard others state that "Another Thin Man" is good but not *as* good as the first two Thin Man films. Some of this may be because this film is in many ways different from the first two and as a result may fail to meet the expectations of some who view the films in order.

Some individual elements of "The Thin Man" may be stronger. However, as a stand-alone entity "Another Thin Man" it is the most entertaining film in the series and arguably has the most depth. This film succeeds with its dialog and its visuals, with its humor and its intrigue, and Powell and Loy are at their bantering best.

Watching the previous films is in no way a prerequisite for understanding and enjoying "Another Thin Man." If you've never seen a Thin Man feature, watch this one first.

... that I had to abandon any hope of understanding it and just enjoy the performances, which is what most people do with "The Big Sleep".

Nick and Nora return to New York City, and are immediately contacted by Colonel MacFay (C. Aubrey Smith) who runs some of Nora's business interests. He tells Nick he must come out to the Colonel's Long Island estate to go over the financial statements of Nora's business holdings. So out the Charles' go with their baby and the baby's governess in tow. Nick thinks he sees a dead body on the road to the estate, but when he stops to investigate, it is gone. At the gate of the estate the Charles' are met by tons of people with shot guns and rifles demanding proof that they have an invitation to be there. Once inside, MacFay tells Nick about a disgruntled former employee, Mr. Church, who went to prison for ten years for doing dishonest things at MacFay's behest. Now out of jail, Church is demanding money. In spite of all of the armed guards, things keep happening inside the estate that looks like Church or whoever is working for him can come and go at will. Then, that night, a shot rings out and MacFay is found dead in his bed, his face badly battered. So this starts Nick down the path of solving the murder.

Past this point things get very convoluted very quickly. There are just too many characters, most of whom have involved stories. Nick and Nora are apart for much of the film, with Nick usually working and sleuthing alone. The high points are the times when some of that great Nick and Nora banter is going on. I wouldn't rate this film above a 5 if not for the great chemistry of Powell and Loy. For that alone it is worth a watch.

Another Thin Man is at times quite funny but is less a comedy than a screwball mystery, which is to say it is a nice little atmospheric whodunit with laughs, populated by an assortment of urban types and set largely on a Long Island estate.

The film is well-paced and has just a hint of the supernatural, which gives it at times an eerie flavor. Photographically it is darker in tone than its jollier predecessors despite the oftentimes comical goings-on.

The occasionally somber mood of the picture perhaps anticipates the coming of the world war, as there is an undercurrent of urgency and dread in the way its story is told that seems to come from outside the movie itself.

William Powell and Myrna Loy prove themselves once again to be the Fred and Ginger of detective movies.