Customer Reviews

The Thin Man Goes Home [VHS]

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

10 years later, Nick and Nora Charles (and Asta) are back for a delightful fifth installment in the Thin Man series. This time, on Nick's birthday, the Charles are visiting Nick's parents in the rural, small town of Sycamore Springs. But all is not well between Nick and his dad, Dr. Bertram Charles (Harry Davenport). Nora is distressed to find out that Dr. Charles patronizingly looks down at Nick's "policeman" profession, and she asks Mrs. Charles if there are any cases lying about which Nick could solve to impress his father. If he could just make his father proud once, Nick'll pop a vest button. Well, no sooner asked than granted. One evening, a man is murdered at the Charles' front door and Nick and Nora find themselves suddenly embroiled in another humdinger of a murder mystery. Yes, this is a bit of a departure from the usual cosmopolitan settings in which we routinely see the Charles. However, it doesn't take long for Nick to start feeling right at home again as he strives to crack the case, despite the number of corpses piling up. En route, he unearths several small town secrets and uncovers a murderer and a spy ring. But is it enough to make a father proud?

True, Nick and Nora Charles, formerly the lives-of-the-cocktail-party, may have settled down a bit (after all, they have a brat now), and Nick now imbibes cider rather than martinis. But, even after all this time, Powell and Loy's dazzling chemistry is still very much intact. As usual, the murder mystery is secondary to the charming play between Nick and Nora. In fact, the mystery isn't even introduced until 30 minutes into the picture, as director Richard Thorpe first has the film leisurely wallow in an amusing train escapade, several introductions of quirky character actors, Nora's virtuoso breakdown of the case of Stinky Davis, and Nora's epic cage match with a lawn chair.

But even with the advent of the mystery element, the film still takes time to indulge in Nick and Nora frolickings. There's a little scene with Nick and Nora and her frustrated attempts to introduce his birthday present, a painting of a windmill from Nick's childhood. There's Nora's amateurish shadowing of a "suspect," with Nora, in turn, being followed, which all climaxes in a pool room brawl. And what about Nick foisting off his wife onto a partnerless sailor who longs to dance at a charity event? Jitterbug, anyone?

I get a kick out of how Nick Charles's urbane sophistication seems to strand him in the face of his father's low expectations. Dr. Charles never got over the disappointment of Nick not following him in the doctoring biz. A nice touch early on, which whets the viewer's appetite, is the scene of Nick ineptly fixing an endtable, only to have it fall apart and bushwhack him, leaving him prone on the carpet, which is exactly where his father finds him. Nick has to insist that Dr. Charles take a sip of his cider drink to convince him he isn't inebriated.

The dialogue as usual is smart and snappy; the plot is convoluted but is ably enlivened by two leads in full rapport with each other. The character actors, a great staple of the series, once again sparkle and divert. Lucile Watson as Mrs. Charles, Harry Davenport as Dr. Charles, Donald Meek as the pawnshop owner Mr. Crump, Gloria DeHaven as the overly dramatic Laura Ronson, Anne Revere as Crazy Mary, and Anita Sharp-Bolster as the suspicious Charles' housekeeper all do very credible work. The Thin Man Goes Home may not have the fresh and seminal quality of the first Thin Man, but at this point, any Thin Man installment is like comfort food or hot cocoa, brimming with warmth and nostalgia. This fifth offering is actually my second favorite of the series, after The Thin Man, and mostly because of the family dynamics brought in. The underlying theme of the film is Nick trying to make his father proud of him, and I'm on board with that.

I'm not one for suggesting that people spend their money frivolously, but the Thin Man series is that rare case where every film is worth its weight in gold. So my recommendation for folks thinking of purchasing a Thin Man movie: just go ahead and buy the entire box set collection. Trust me, if you own one Thin Man, you'll want to own the rest.

In the 5th installment of the Thin Man series, Nick and Nora decide to visit Nick's parents in the small town of Sycamore Springs. During the train ride there, they smuggle Asta aboard in Nora's fur coat but leave little Nicky Jr. at home!

Nick's father (Harry Davenport) is a well-respected Doctor who is trying to get a new hospital built. He never liked Nick becoming a detective and always looked down on his son because of his career choice and lifestyle. Naturally, the first time they meet...Nick is lying on the floor after bumping his head on a table, but dad thinks he's drunk again.

Of course, everyone in town knows Nick Charles and they all think he's there on a case. Soon he is, as a series of murders takes place as well as a phony painting con and of course Nick has to step in and solve the murders. In the end his dad finally says how proud he is of Nick.

Still the humor is quite sharp. At one point Nick Gives Nora a spanking since she shot her mouth off to the newspapers about Nicks involvement in the case. Very funny there and his dad takes glee in Nora getting smacked on the behind.

The movie still has some of its great character actors such as Edward Brophy (who appeared in the first Thin Man film as a gangster) as Brogan...a con man friend of Nicks, and Donald Meek as art store owner Willie Crump. Also look for a young Gloria DeHaven as a teenager smitten with Nick.

Not the best of the series but not the worst either. Still a great deal of fun.

This is the fourth sequel to the 1934 smash hit THE THIN MAN. Just when I would have thought the series was dead the producers and writers were able to add life to the franchise.

Nick goes home and of course gets dragged into another murder mystery. Nora, who by now should no longer be curious to see Nick solve a mystery, tries to get Nick to solve a murder mystery so he can impress his father the medical doctor. Nick's father had always hoped his son would have become a doctor and when Nick became a cop and then detective he looked down on him. As far as the mystery goes it follows the typical THIN MAN formula. A bunch of suspects are introduced and in the end Nick rounds them all up and reveals the killer.

The comedy is better than ever. Rather than have Nick always drinking and having jokes centered around his drinking Nick is now sober. The jokes are even funnier because everyone believes he is still a drunk and he just can't convince them otherwise. The scene in his Dad's parlor is hilarious. Nick is stone sober but due to a series of mishaps he is on the floor and appears to all to be drunk as ever. Also, when Nick recounts his childhood to Nora and tells her of his trips to the wood shed that brings back memories of my childhood and trips to the wood shed.

This is my second favorite THIN MAN movie. Right behind AFTER THE THIN MAN and just before the original THIN MAN. It is an almost perfect blend of mystery and comedy. Where the heck are the DVD's for all the THIN MAN movies?

Nick and Nora go to a small town to visit Nick's parents in this installment. Of course, usually it's a quiet place where nothing exciting ever happens, but when the Charles show up, there's bound to be murder. There's an extra dose of humour in this story compared to the others in the series and the film has a strong supporting cast that includes Lucile Watson and Harry Davenport as the parents, Gloria DeHaven as a drama queen, Leon Ames as a mysterious art collector, and best of all, Anne Revere as the town's crazy woman. William Powell and Myrna Loy do their customary good job as the leads. The mystery was interesting, with some good twists, and other than needing a little tightening up in a few places, the film moves along well. Mystery fans will enjoy this entry.

Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) are off to visit Nick's parents (played by Harry Davenport and Lucile Watson) in Sycamore Springs. Along for the trip is Asta the dog, but they left little Nicky behind since he was enjoying kindergarten so much (like that excuse would fly with any grandparent).

Nick is well known in his hometown, and everyone immediately assumes he is there to work on a case. Nora encourages those rumors if only to bring out the skeletons so Nick can impress his father, who still wishes Nick had become a doctor.

All too soon, a young artist drops dead on the doorstep of the Charles home. Now Nick and Nora have a real mystery to solve. Can Nick do it?

Having enjoyed the previous four films in the series, I must say I was disappointed with this one. Oh, don't get me wrong, the acting is still fine. But the script let everyone down.

First off, I truly missed the humor. Actually, I did find the scenes about Nick's drinking (he's on the wagon here) pretty funny. But the wit has been replaced with slapstick. Yes, those scenes are funny, but they don't compare to the humor of the previous films.

Then there's the mystery. While I have trouble with old time actors, if I concentrate, I can follow the story and keep people straight. Here, that never happened. There were a few events and revelations early, but it was still underdeveloped. Having said that, the solution was logical.

This is the weakest of the first five in the series (I'll reserve judgment on the entire series until I've seen the sixth). Fans will certainly enjoy it, but it pales next to the others.

Nick and Nora are off to Nick's parents in Sycamore Springs in this fun outing for our favorite mystery duo. Nick has taken to apple cider in anticipation of his birthday visit hoping for a pat on the back from his disapproving dad, who wanted Nick to follow in his footsteps and become a doctor.

A good screenplay from Frank Capra's favorite writer, Robert Riskin, in collaboration with Dwight Taylor, has the couple becoming involved in another crime while being a bit more domestic visiting the folks. Everett Riskin produced this fun MGM entry in the series, directed nicely by Richard Thorpe this time. While it doesn't have the frantic snap of some of the other entries, the charm and witty byplay between the screen's most fun couple remains to make this one very enjoyable.

The mystery involves a painting of an old windmill Nora buys as a birthday gift for Nicky, much to her chagrin. It will turn out, however, to Nora's delight, to be the key to two murders that will force Nick into action and show his dad (Harry Davenport) just why he should be proud. There is the usual detective work from Nick and, of course, the suspects all gathered together as the murderer is exposed. But it is the fun getting there which makes "The Thin Man Goes Home" so much fun for fans.

Nora has some fine moments telling Nick's dad and mom (Lucile Watson) about Nick's capture of "Stinky" in an effort to impress them. It's also great fun as Nick rests in a hammock wearing his old high school uniform and reading detective magazines while Nora fruitlessly attempts to set up a lawn chair. The most fun, however, occurs when a solo Nora, tracking down a suspect, starts a brawl in a pool hall.

There is a solid supporting cast as always, led by Gloria DeHaven as the dramatic young Laura Belle Ronson. Donald Meek, Leon Ames, Anne Revere as "Crazy Mary," and lovely Helen Vinson round out the fine cast. It is nice to see Vinson, especially, as film buffs will remember her tender role in "I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang."

Will Nick finally get that pat on the back from the old man and pop a button on his vest? You don't want to miss Nora getting a spanking from Nick while you find out. William Powell and Myrna Loy will forever hold a special place in the heart of every film buff for these wonderful films so full of entertainment. Don't miss Nora's wild dance with a sailor as Nick tries to ditch her in this one. That alone is worth the price of admission.

My Mom pointed me toward the Thin Man (among many other wonderful classic films) and I became an instant fan. I am desperately awaiting the studios to release the whole series on DVD and bring some light to this wonderful cast and stories.

This is my favorite film in "The Thin Man series" I really enjoyed it, and would highly recommend it. It's great classic acting. Witty and charming, like all Myrna Loy and William Powell pictures. They were a great screen couple, a real team.

The fifth installment of the famous "Thin Man" series is hampered by a change of directors and a very weak script, and the result is far from the standard the first four films in the series have led us to expect. The primary issue here is the way in which the screenplay presents the character of Nora Charles; instead of giving us smart sophistocation, the script gives us a daffy loopiness, and the result is not so much fun as foolish, with Myrna Loy clearly uncomfortable with the lines in several scenes.

In spite of this, there are still elements to enjoy in this story of Nick and Nora's visit to Nick's hometown--where, naturally enough, they are soon confronted with a murder. The Powell/Loy chemistry continues to have lots of crackle, and when not obstructed by the script Loy manages several very memorable moments. The supporting cast is typically fine, featuring Lucille Watson, Harry Davenport, Anne Revere, and Gloria DeHaven. Fans of the series who are willing to overlook the tampering with Nora's character will enjoy it; newcomers, however, should select one of the earlier "Thin Man" films.

"The Thin Man Goes Home" (1945) was the 5th movie in the "Thin Man" franchise and the first directed by Richard Thorpe, from a screenplay by newcomers Robert Riskin and Dwight Taylor. "The Thin Man Goes Home" is a convoluted murder mystery with a long list of diverse suspects, as usual, but it is otherwise a departure from the previous "Thin Man" movies. It isn't set in an urban environment, but in an idyllic small-town America that anticipates the Eisenhower era with its apparent purity. There are sordid dramas among regular folk, but criminal underworld characters are absent. And Nick and Nora Charles no longer lead glamorous, exciting lives. They seem dowdy, in fact. It's as if hard-boiled fiction met "Leave It To Beaver" -a decade too early. I can only guess that the reason for the change was Hollywood's desire to present an idealized vision of middle class Americans during World War II. Nick is even on the wagon, drinking apple cider from his flask! It's ironic, since movies were getting markedly less sentimental and more hard-boiled in the 1940s, while the "Thin Man" series is becoming more domestic. Go figure.

"The Thin Man Goes Home" finds Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) visiting Nick's family in the town where he grew up. While Nick has his heart set on rest and relaxation, Nora hopes that a mystery will turn up for him to solve, so that Nick will have the opportunity to prove himself to his disappointed father (Harry Davenport), who wanted Nick to be a doctor like himself. As if on queue, a stranger collapses dead on their doorstep. So Nick goes about looking for clues, stirring things up in the tranquil town of Sycamore Springs -where people don't like things stirred up.

I didn't like "The Thin Man Goes Home" at first. There is no glamour and no gangsters. The Charleses are a comfortable middle-aged couple -or rather Nick is comfortable in his sweatshirt and Nora looks like an absurd decoration. Poor Myrna Loy wins my Worst Wardrobe Award for her frizzy hairdo, horrible house dresses, and the ugliest suits imaginable. But "The Thin Man Goes Home" is not a bad mystery; it's simply dated. It's WWII propaganda, insomuch as a comedic murder mystery could be. Nick and Nora Charles have left the high life behind to become Everyman and Everywoman, even traveling in coach on the train, which seems inexplicable given their wealth. Nick uncovers international espionage, not just murder for passion or money. "The Thin Man Goes Home" is a film for a certain time and place. It doesn't really hold up today, but that, in itself, is interesting on some level. And the mystery is reasonably well-written, which is more than I would expect from the 5th film in a 6-film series.

The DVD (Warner Brothers 2005): "Why Daddy?" (9 min) is a comedic short film written by and starring Robert Benchley. He plays Joe, a man who goes on a radio quiz show to match wits with a child contestant. "Screwball Squirrel" (7 min) is a cartoon in which a smart aleck fox torments a dopey bird dog. The gimmick is that the animals know that they're performing in a movie. There is also a theatrical trailer for "The Thin Man Goes Home". Subtitles are available in English, Spanish, and French.