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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The best combination there was in the Thirties: William Powell, Myrna Loy and murder, December 18, 2006
Says Nick to Nora, "Come on, let's get something to eat. I'm thirsty." And we're off on the second Thin Man movie, which is just about as good as the first. Was there ever as affectionate, witty and self-possessed a couple as Nick and Nora Charles, or who had such good writers? Nick Charles (William Powell) is a suave, dapper, smart ex-cop; Nora Charles (Myrna Loy) is a wealthy, sophisticated society lady with a distinctly wry sense of humor. Murder follows them like gum stuck on their shoes.
They're on the Sunset Limited to San Francisco to visit Nora's family. Nick has just wrapped up the case of the murdered scientist, the thin man, back east. Little do they know that not only will they be dealing with Nora's haughty, rich and condescending relatives, but with the shooting of the bounder who was the husband of her cousin, Selma Landis (Elissa Landi). He was planning to leave Selma for a nightclub singer, Polly Byrnes (Penny Singleton), after shaking down David Graham (James Stewart), who had loved Selma before she married the cad. Nick agrees to help the police and Nora is determined to help Nick. Before long Nick is greeting every small-time crook in the city as a friend, celebrating with Nora New Year's Eve in the Lichee Club, the nightclub where Polly performs, finding a body in a basement and a secret listening device, just right for blackmail, above the ceiling in Polly's apartment. If Nora's rich relatives represent the worst of society snobbery, the suspects represent some of the thickest. "Whaddaya mean 'illiterate'?" Polly says to Nick at one point, "my father and mother were married right here in the city hall!"
It all comes together in an apartment which had been rented by the murderer, when Nick has the police bring all the suspects together. He hopes a slip will identify the killer. As Nick replays the events, while everyone snarls and fusses at each other, it dawns on Nick that the murder of Selma's husband was not about blackmail, but about...well, you'll need to see the movie. Let's just say you're in for a surprise.
The movie works so well, just as The Thin Man did, because the mystery is complicated, because William Powell and Myrna Loy were probably the classiest and funniest pairing Hollywood has ever come up with, and because the dialogue crackles with wry humor that is just as funny now as it was 70 years ago. The DVD is almost worth having just for the scene when Nora, without actually asking him, talks an exhausted and tipsy Nick, after they've gone to bed, into getting up to make scrambled eggs for her. Speaking of wry humor, or more accurately, rye humor, the only dated aspect of the movie is the extent of Nick Charles' drinking. Liquor, especially martinis and champagne, in the comedies of the Thirties was shorthand for sophistication. Well, Nick and Nora Charles are definitely sophisticated. Nick never gets drunk, but he does enough slight speech slurring, to these modern ears, to be a little irritating. That's a small complaint, not really worth bothering about. However, I wouldn't be surprised if nine years later Nick Charles wouldn't have been approached for Don Birnam's character in The Lost Weekend.
The movie is a delight. The DVD transfer is just fine. There are several extras, including a Robert Benchley short on "How to Be a Detective."
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nice Labyrinthine Mystery and Colorful Cast of Characters. , March 24, 2006
"After the Thin Man" picks up where 1934's classic comedic mystery "The Thin Man" left off. Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) are returning by train to their home in San Francisco. They arrive on New Year's Eve to a gaggle of reporters plying Nick for details of the now-famous Thin Man case and a house full of drunken revelers. Nora's fragile cousin Selma (Elissa Landi) insists that the couple join her for dinner at the family home, hoping Nick will be able to help with a problem: Selma's philandering husband Robert (Alan Marshall) is missing. The generally disapproving family matriarch Aunt Katherine (Jessie Ralph) will do anything to avoid a scandal. And Selma's former fiancé Robert (Jimmy Stewart), who still loves her, hopes that Robert is gone for good this time. So much for Nick and Nora's plans to relax for a while.
The creative talent from "The Thin Man" reunited for this sequel: Dashiell Hammett contributed the (unpublished) story. Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett wrote the screenplay. And W. S. Van Dyke directs. Of the five "Thin Man" sequels that were made 1936-1947, "After the Thin Man" is the only one that approaches the quality of the original. It doesn't match "The Thin Man"'s witty banter between Nick and Nora, which explains why this film is not as fondly remembered. But it does match, and possibly exceeds, the mystery and cast of suspects. There are colorful underworld characters, indelicate and unscrupulous dames, and a hard-boiled police detective, Lieutenant Abrams (Sam Levene). This is notable, because the police become buffoons, played for laughs, in subsequent "Thin Man" films. Dashiell Hammett is characteristically unflattering to everyone: The underworld is motivated purely by material gain and completely lacking in ethics, while the aristocracy's values are outdated and out-of-touch. A well-written and thoroughly entertaining film.
The DVD (Warner Brothers 2005): This print has some minor white specks, but the picture is otherwise good, and sound is good. Bonus features include a short film and a cartoon, as is usual for the "Thin Man" DVDs, but this one also includes some old radio programs. "How to Be a Detective" (9 min) is a short film in which satirist Robert Benchley gives us comedic lessons in how to recognize criminal types, catch and criminal, and get a confession. "The Early Bird Gets the Worm" (9 min) is a Harmon-Ising cartoon of a bluebird chasing an elusive worm while a rattlesnake chases them both. "6/17/1940 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast" (audio only) is a radio play, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, of "After the Thin Man", introduced by Cecile B. Demille. It's a good play but completely redundant if you're seen the movie. "Leo Is on the Air Radio Promo" (audio only) is a "cavalcade of musical hits" from 1936 movies, including the song "Smoke Dreams" from "After the Thin Man". There is also a theatrical trailer (3 min). Subtitles are available for the film in English, Spanish, and French. Dubbing is available in French.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nick and Nora return to San Francisco., October 21, 2006
DVD will automatically play movie if option has not been chosen in 2 minutes.
Nick Charles (William Powell) and his adoring wife, Nora (Myrna Loy) return for their second mystery caper.
Nick and Nora have finally returned home after being on a train excursion from Los Angeles for 3 days. It's New Years Eve and Nick and Nora plan on sleeping for a week, maybe a month in peace and quiet. However, as they open their front door, apparently their is a surprise party for them. later, that night, they go to Nora's Aunt Katherine's Old Foogie party. Katherine is being way too bossy with everyone. In fact, when someone speaks to Selma (Elissa Landi), the old stuffy aunt quickly interrupts.
You see, Selma is terribly worried about her husband, Robert (Alan Marshall). David (James Stewart) is a very nice chap, insists on staying with Selma to comfort her, but Selma would rather be alone.
Nora mentions that Selma was a fool to marry Robert instead of David. The Charles' find Robert at the Lichee Restaurant in a drunken stupor. He has been like that for 3 days. Polly (Dorothy McNulty/Penny Singleton)
is the singer who is getting weary of Robert. Phil (Paul Fix) visits his sister polly in the dressing room and smacks her. Dancer (Joseph Calleia) tries to lookk after Polly.
Here's the racket, Dancer cons David to give him a large sum of money. Dancer will give some to Polly. Polly has to pay Phil.
Robert finally goes home to Selma, but says he is leaving right away on a trip. He leaves and Selma grabs a gun. Suddenly, everyone is looking for Robert. Outside on the darkened sidewalk, he is shot.
It wasn't Selma, but Nick and Nora will find out who the murderer is.
DVD includes in Special Features: A nearly 9-minute short, "How To Be A Detective", MGM Technicolor cartoon, "The Early Bird and the Worm".
Lux Radio Theatre Broadcast of "After The Thin Man", June 17, 1940 with William Powell and Myrna Loy, hosted by Cecil B. DeMille (59 minutes).
"Leo Is On The Air" radio promo (14 min.)
Dorothy McNulty later changed her acting name to Penny Singleton, better known as "Blondie Bumstead" in the "BLONDIE" film series (1938-50).
Sam Levene returns in Shadow of the Thin Man (1941).
The next film is: Another Thin Man (1939).
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