Nick, gentleman détective

Although this film was released in 1936, it is as entertaining and fresh today as ever, and is certainly much better than any of the over-long and over-produced movies that Hollywood produces today. This is the second in the excellent "Thin Man" series and the viewer can see that the series is really in full stride. The delightful cast of street types who are old friends and cronies of Nick's are a joy to watch. The interplay between William Powell and Myrna Loy has never been matched and is to be treasured. What a great surprise for me to see Penny Singelton, who later played "Blondie" in that long running series. Ms. Singelton sings and dances up a storm as a cabaret performer and she is an integral character in the plot of this engrossing "whodunnit". Another nice surprise for me was seeing Jimmy Stewart in one of his earlier roles. He definitely had leading man type looks. As per usual, Powell, as Nick Charles, unmasks the murderer in the climatic scene where all suspects, the police, and assorted others are present. In most movies, I tend to find pets rather annoying as they distract from the plot of the film. But, for me, Asta is the one exception to this thesis. He is so entertaining and no Thin Man movie would be complete without his antics. In summary, all I can say is that this is a SUPERB film. Catch it on Turner Classic Movies or find a video at your' favorite store or online retailer.

Some weeks ago I expressed my absolute enthusiasm for 'The Thin Man (1934),' a delightfully humorous murder mystery/comedy classic, starring the inimitable comedic marriage of William Powell and Myrna Loy as husband-and-wife detectives Nick and Nora Charles. This original film, after a solid box-office run and four Academy Award nominations, spawned a respectable five sequels, and a radio and television series. 'After the Thin Man' is the first of these sequels, released in 1936.

As the original trailer for the film proudly proclaims, 'After the Thin Man' brought back the three writers of the original hit (Dashiell Hammett, Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett), the same director (W.S. Van Dyke) and, of course, the three huge film stars in Powell, Loy and, of course, Asta the dog (the wire-haired terrier whose birth-name was Skippy). True to its promise, the film is every bit as witty, hilarious and suspenseful as its predecessor, masterfully melding Nick and Nora's playful banter with another twisted mystery of love, betrayal, blackmail and murder. And look out for a memorable supporting performance from a young James Stewart, who was yet to hit it big with the likes of Frank Capra and Alfred Hitchcock.

The sequel takes place just a day or two after where 'The Thin Man' left off, as Nick and Nora prepare to depart from the train that brought them back home to San Francisco. Like the original film, the actually murder mystery is quite a messy one, though the writers have luckily decided to tone down, just slightly, the number of interwoven threads this time around. With nothing in mind but sleeping for a month, our favourite detective couple are surprised to walk into a welcome-home party held by people they don't even know, before they are invited to Nora's Aunt Katherine's (Jessie Ralph) house for dinner. Whilst there, Nora's cousin Selma (Elissa Landi) reveals that her husband, Robert (Alan Marshal), has been missing for three days.

The filmmakers have, once again, managed to round up a terrific cast to complement the talents of its two sparkling leads. I particularly enjoyed the contribution of Jessie Ralph as Aunt Katherine, who absolutely detests Nick and addresses him as "Nich-o-larse!" Nick's obsession with alcohol also continues, though he maintains his uncanny ability to switch painlessly between a drunken stupor and completely alert sobriety. The good-natured inter-marital sledging that made the original film so enjoyable still carries a razor-sharp wit, and, in one hilarious sequence, Nick even goes as far as pretending not to recognise his wife so she can be temporarily detained in a jail cell.

'After the Thin Man' is one of those very rare occasions when a sequel is good enough to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with its predecessor. A mixture of clever writing, talented directing and an infectious chemistry between the cast members worked to ensure that the partnership between Nick and Nora Charles would be a prolonged one.

In this first sequel to the celebrated film "The Thin Man", detective Nick Charles, (Powell) his socialite wife Nora (Loy) and their beloved terrier Asta are on their way home to San Francisco after a long trip. Shortly after they arrive, Nora is invited to her wealthy aunt's house for dinner where she is told by her cousin Selma (Landi) that her husband Robert has run off (again) and she needs Nick to find him. When Nick and Nora find Robert at a local nightclub that very evening, they soon discover that he is wrapped up in a situation with some shady people; he is soliciting David (a really young Stewart), an ex-beau of Selma's who is still in love with her, for $25,000. In exchange for this $25,000 he will leave Selma's life forever, will run off with his girlfriend, a singer at the nightclub, and David can then step in. The plan promptly goes sour when Robert is shot and killed, leaving five suspects in his murder, including Selma herself. It is up to Nick and Nora to help the police solve the crime and clear Selma's name.

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Thin Man", and was absolutely charmed and delighted with this sequel. Nick and Nora Charles absolutely have to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest on screen couples in film history. Certainly, they take a back seat to the better known Hepburn/Tracy, Gable/Leigh, hell, even Curtis/Lemmon. But while the story itself in "After the Thin Man" was good, and strong enough to stand on its own merit, but the film itself is great because of Powell and Loy. Myrna Loy, one of my favorite classic film actresses, made a career out of being the non-plussed wife or object of affection to varying degrees of spastic leading men. (Particularly Cary Grant in "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" and "The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer", both films I would definitely recommend.) Loy's straight-faced elegance is perfection as Nora Charles, a young and beautiful wealthy socialite who married Nick, a detective from the wrong side of the tracks who loves liquor and ribald humor. Powell is hilarious and charming as Nick, and they own the characters so thoroughly, I can't fathom anyone else playing those roles.

Much is made of "chemistry", and the chemistry between our two main characters is electric. The material they had to work with certainly helped in the success of this film. Hammett's story works as a good base, with Goodrich & Hackett punching up the script. Toward the beginning of the film, there is a scene where Nick and Nora are returning to their San Francisco mansion, completely exhausted and pledging to sleep for a month. When they open their door, however, they find their house filled with a couple of hundred people; apparently, friends of theirs were throwing them a surprise welcome home party, only no one there recognizes them as the guests of honor, so they non-chalantly begin to dance with everyone else until they are finally noticed by their servants. Describing the situation doesn't do it justice, but it is just one example of the many charming scenes contained in this film. "After the Thin Man" also has some hilarious lines, and while a lot of the appeal is in the delivery, dialogue like a scene between Nick and Nora, who are waiting to be let in to her aunt's house, (Nick and her aunt have a mutual dislike for one another) when Nora asks, "What ARE you muttering to yourself?" Nick replies, "I'm just trying to get all of the bad words out of my mind." And then later, when reintroducing her husband to her aunt, Nora says, "You remember my husband, Nick…" her aunt replies with "Hello, NicholASS." (And proceeds to call him that the entire film.) Even Asta has a subplot in this film; when they arrive home in the beginning of the film, he runs back to the kennel to see Mrs. Asta. Apparently Mrs. Asta has had a litter of puppies, and when they all come out black and white (with one fully black one) even though the Astas are fully white, he finds out that the culprit is a black dog from down the street. The two scenes involving this little side story are truly funny and fitting of a dog that has reached iconic status. (At least in the crossword puzzle world – his name is a clue in at least one crossword puzzle I do a week!) "After the Thin Man" has some corny moments, but they are few and so minor compared to the relative greatness of the rest of the film, that I don't think I could truly single them out easily. (At least not with seeming needlessly picky) I would truly recommend this film series to anyone who enjoys classic films – I so thoroughly enjoyed this film that I plan to check out the rest of the sequels in the near future. The snappy & clever dialogue, great performances and good story truly make "After the Thin Man" a worthy sequel to its great predecessor. 8/10 --Shelly

Alluding to her 1950s screen personna, Oscar Levant once wisecracked about Doris Day: "Hey, I knew her BEFORE she was a virgin!" Well, no, Ms. Day isn't in this film, but one of the (many) treats offered up by "After The Thin Man" is a chance to get to know James Stewart BEFORE he was James Stewart. Appearing here in a supporting role, he gets to show off some acting chops he didn't always get a chance to display in his later career.

Add to the mix a topnotch screenplay, the chemistry between William Powell and Myrna Loy that is so strong you find yourself believing that only a week has lapsed since their previous outing (rather than two years), at least one sight gag worthy of Groucho Marx (Nick when he and Nora go to visit her stuffed-shirt relatives), and -- oh, yes -- some vintage location footage shot in San Francisco back in the days when "the city that knows how" still knew. (Yep, that really is the old 3rd and Townsend depot, and yes, as a matter of fact, that really is Lotta's Fountain on lower Market Street, and how about that driveway leading up to their palatial home, complete with the breathtaking view? None other than the approach to Coit Tower!)

If the storyline's a bit thinner than the original, the fun is no less. The madcap drinking (sheesh!) and the razor-sharp banter continue on their merry way. As do Nick and Nora. And oh, yes, not that it probably matters that much, but there is a mystery and it does get solved.

The Thin Man series.........a lifestyle which probably never really existed but wasn't it fun? Lots of money, booze and murder all wrapped up in a neat little package. Nick and Nora, looking sophisticated, solving everyone's problems while consuming a case of various spirits, and loving each other dearly. What a life!!

This second entry in the series really holds up well.....usually sequels are much weaker but not so here. The supporting cast is great with the exception of Penny Singleton (Dorothy McNulty at this point in her career and before she went on to play Blondie). She is like fingernails on a blackboard.....that voice!!! And look for her dance number when she almost falls backward after slamming into the side of the stage! I found her very irritating. Elissa Landi is a little bit over the top as well but she is so attractive that it doesn't matter much. Jessie Ralph is the prototype of the battle axe from hell and Joseph Calliea is his usual suave, oily crook. Then there is James Stewart, before his days of stardom......you have to look twice to be sure that it is the same man. We are so ingrained in his later stuttering, hesitant persona that it is difficult to recognize him......and he was quite handsome!

But of course it is William Powell and Myrna Loy that carry the show as the charming sophisticates whose repartee is brisk and surprisingly modern. There was never a better light comedy team on film (well, maybe Tracy and Hepburn). Thank heavens they are captured on film forever.

Watch this film....you'll love it. Plus there is the added bonus of seeing San Francisco in the 30's.....and don't forget Asta!!!!