Another Thin Man

source: Another Thin Man

Another Thin Man

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.

The third installment in the series, and made after William Powell's bought with cancer and loss of Jean Harlow, 'Another Thin Man' doesn't miss a beat. Much is made of Powell and Myrna Loy's on-screen chemistry, and it's deserved. While figuring out whodunit, Powell is cool, calm, and bemused, and Loy is spunky and brave. They both have such a natural playfulness about them, and in addition to comic relief from their dog Asta, they have a one year old baby in this movie. I also absolutely loved the dancing we see in the 'West Indies Club' towards the end, by the (uncredited) René Rivero Guillen and Ramona Ajon (stage names René & Estela) – look for the clip on youtube, and you'll see what I mean, it's silky smooth and fantastic.

This third entry in the series was the last to be based on the Dashiell Hammet stories. It starts out interestingly enough, with Nick and Nora asked to spend some time with C. AUBREY SMITH who's been receiving death threats from a gangster (SHELDON LEONARD). So far, so good. RUTH HUSSEY is the nanny for the newborn Nick, Jr. and we immediately think she knows more than she says about the events that follow. When Smith is murdered, Nick and Nora have to solve another crime, going about it with more sobriety than usual. Among the many suspects are OTTO KRUGER, VIRGINIA GREY, TOM NEAL, PATRIC KNOWLES, MARJORIE MAIN and, of course, SHELDON LEONARD. The formula is set, the ingredients are there, and if you love Powell and Loy in their Nick/Nora guise, you'll no doubt enjoy this one. The plot is no more convoluted than usual, but the main pleasure is enjoying the chemistry and wit of two of the screen's favorite sleuths.

Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) are back for their third film in this series, and sporting a new addition to the family (Nick Jr.) Family business with one of Nora's father's associates leads them to a Long Island estate, where the bodies and suspects appear even before they arrive at their destination. Before long, the body count rises and the suspects take on an international flavor (in the form of a very young Sheldon Leonard, who later gained fame as the producer of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "I Spy"). Between cocktails, flirting and playful banter between the co-stars, the movie reaches a suspenseful end as Nick put the clues together and reconstructs the crime, probing the minds of those present until the murder cracks. Between your own cracking up (with laughter), you'll be guessing who done it to who in this well-constructed mystery-romantic comedy.

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.