Another Thin Man (1939)

The third in the Thin Man series of features, best bought as The Thin Man Collection boxed set, which includes all six movies and from which I viewed this.

Now with a baby, the sleuthing twosome, the Charles' - William Powell and Myrna Loy, plus dog Asta get involved in a case involving a wealthy businessman, known as The Colonel - a full blooded and fruity performance from C Aubrey Smith. A menacing ex-convict, whose homicidal dreams begin to come reality then lead the super smooth sleuth to unravel a tangle of intrigue, blackmail and kidnapping.

Compared to the previous movies, this case is more involving and is this one is more akin to an Agatha Christie, especially in the quite complex final scene, where all guilty parties are assembled in a room as their defences are bamboozled, until the guilty culprit is at last, revealed. And, of course, it's not who you expect!

Amongst all this is what keeps these lovely old films afloat, the undoubted natural chemistry between the leads, the superbly timed wise- cracks and the snapshot of a society long gone but kept alive by such movies. Director W S Van Dyke fully utilises the comedic opportunities offered by a trick-playing dog and a cute baby but even to me, who normally finds such distractions annoying do not mind one bit and actually enjoy them.

If you already enjoy the Thin Man films, then you will like this one, too. Some say that by this point the franchise had already lost its magic and sparkle and I suppose they could be right. However, it is still enjoyable and Loy and Powell are ever beguiling and sophisticated.

Fmovies: 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.

Another Thin Man fmovies. The third of the Thin Man films finds Nick and Nora out on Long Island answering a distress call from an old friend of Nora's father, C. Aubrey Smith. Sheldon Leonard went to prison and he's got the idea that Smith should have been there with him. He's making all kinds of threats against Smith and eventually Smith winds up dead. Three other deaths occur, two of the human and a dog (not Asta) before William Powell solves the mystery.

Another Thin Man boasts the usual tightly written script with a good group of plausible suspects, the ending I have to confess was a real surprise to me.

MGM always gave Powell and Loy a great group of supporting players to work with. Some of the ones I enjoyed here not previously mentioned were Virginia Grey as Smith's daughter, Harry Bellaver as one of Nick's old criminal cronies and Marjorie Main as a landlady who thinks she's seen it all.

Abner Biberman has an unusual role given the times. He's a hatchetfaced stone cold killer named 'Dum-Dum' who works for Sheldon Leonard and has a devotion to him that leans pretty heavily on the gay side. I'm not sure it could be explained any other way.

Myrna is her bright and cheery self aiding Powell more with moral support than assisting Powell with the case. It's what the audiences expected from The Thin Man films and in this they were not disappointed.

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.

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.