There’s more atmosphere, as well as a spicier mystery, in this second of six Thin Man films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. They play married couple Nick and Nora Charles: he’s a retired private detective and she’s a wealthy heiress. Returning to their home in San Francisco after reluctantly solving a crime in New York City in The Thin Man, they hope to rest (and drink) in peace, but their plans are upended when Nora’s socialite cousin (Elissa Landi) reports that her scoundrel husband has gone missing. Nick halfheartedly takes the case, sending them on a New Year’s Eve sojourn through the city’s foggy streets, stopping in stuffy drawing rooms, seedy apartments, and a nightclub/Chinese restaurant (a setting that makes for some cringeworthy cultural representation). With After the Thin Man, the best thing about the series remains the playful, boozy, flirtatious repartee between Powell and Loy (even if Nick seems a bit bossier this time around). Keep an eye out for a young James Stewart, as well, giving way more than the material requires. As for Asta, Nick and Nora’s wire-haired fox terrier, his agent must have negotiated for more screen time in the sequel. A game of chase involving a clue is fun, but giving the dog a wife and rambunctious litter feels like animal-antics overreach.
(1/2/2025)
