Directed by W.S. Van Dyke
Written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett based on a story by Dashiell Hammett
1936/USA
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Repeat viewing
[Last line, as Nick gapes at Nora knitting baby boots] Nora Charles: And you call yourself a detective.
All of the main personnel from The Thin Man are back for the sequel plus some good supporting players. The sequel doesn’t capture the sparkle of the original but it’s an entertaining watch.
Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) return home to San Francisco from their adventures in New York in the original film. They are greeted by an invitation to dinner by Nora’s stuffy Aunt Katherine (Jessie Ralph). Nora’s cousin Selma’s husband Robert has disappeared and Nick is asked to investigate. Selma is being comforted by ex-boyfriend David (James Stewart).
Nick and Nora track Robert down to a nightclub owned by thug Dancer (Joseph Calleia). Robert is getting ready to run off with singer Polly and is extorting $25,000 out of David to leave Selma. Naturally, Robert is promptly murdered. At first all fingers are pointing at Selma but as the murders pile up, Nick is not so sure.
Once again, it is the loving banter between Powell and Loy and their amazing chemistry that makes this film. Here, there are a few too many songs that take away from the time we could be spending with our heroes. The mystery plot is also really difficult to follow. Still, we get to see Jessie Ralph play against type as a crotchety old society lady and James Stewart is really interesting.
Trailer
This is a pretty darn good sequel and has in support on of my favorite actors, Joseph Calleia. Maybe not up the original but much better than the ones to follow. The unveiling of the villain was a surprise, huh?
I love William Powell but I always wondered where he got that accent (whatever it is) since he is from Pittsburgh. He was one of a kind!!!
I liked Joseph Calleia too. He didn’t change much over the years did he? Still that same intensity.
The unveiling of the villain is a surprise and his reaction is a REAL shocker!
I rate the first Thin Man movie a 10. I rate this, the first sequel, a 9. It’s a great, GREAT sequel, and there’s a very satisfying amount of Nick and Nora banter. My favorite bits are when Nick is interacting with Nora’s family.
And James Stewart. I mean, honestly.
My husband is not a movie buff, but he agreed to accompany me to a screening of the first Thin Man movie. And you know what? HE LOVED IT. Loved it to the point of coming home and HE wanted to watch the sequel. And HE wanted to see if the DVD had any special features. His favorite thing about The Thin Man? What else? WILLIAM POWELL.
Isn’t it great when the man of the house joins in the fun? I’ve watched the original with my husband and he liked it but I wasn’t able to talk him into the sequel. 1936 was quite the year for James Stewart before he was typed.