Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

A Masterpiece!

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

I have watched every "Thin Man" movie dozens of times. Got hooked when they first aired on late-night TV in Philadelphia in the mid-50s. But one question remains: Why the heck did the Brogan character (Edward Brophy) secretly accompany Nick and Nora to Sycamore Springs? There is absolutely no reason given (unless I missed it). At one point, I surmised that Nick went home specifically because of the thefts of top secret plans from the military contractor and needed Brogan's help; however, that's never explored. So...what's your guess about Brogan? Aside from that plot hole, this installment maintains the excellent "Thin Man" tradition.

Here we've got a complete change of atmosphere for our city-dwellers Nick and Nora: they travel to Nick's small hometown to see his parents after a long time. And since Nick knows how much his father disapproves of his excessive drinking, he's gone on a 'diet' of... apple cider! But Father also disapproves of something else: that Nick didn't become a doctor like himself, but just a 'cop'... And yet that's exactly what's made him famous in his town: the many difficult murder cases he's solved in the city. And so everybody thinks, as soon as he turns up in the sleepy hole, that he must be here 'on business'... But while he's trying to persuade everyone that he's just on holiday - he DOES get his 'business': a young man is shot right in front of the door of his parents' house! So, whether he wants to or not, he helps investigating (since the country cops are even dumber than those in the city...); and he uncovers not only a whole number of well-kept family secrets, but - with a painting that Nora buys him for his birthday and that seems strangely coveted by some people as evidence - finally a big case of industrial espionage! And as for the identity of the actual murderer: here he makes his father proud at last with his knowledge of forensic medicine...Now, it depends on the point of view: you could call the environment in this movie either unusual or unsuitable for Nick and Nora. Anyway, let's see it from the positive side: William Powell and Myrna Loy are once again in great shape and in the mood for cheeky jokes (Nickie Jr. was left at home this time, so there aren't any parents' issues), Anne Revere gives a great performance as 'Crazy Mary' and Donald Meek as the nutty art dealer and Edward Brophy (who had played 'Morelli' in the original first "Thin Man" movie) as the chatty salesman provide good fun entertainment, and the plot is really quite clever and full of surprises.Still, you can feel the atmosphere changing and drifting further away from the first 'Thin Man' movies; so, for fans of Nick and Nora (as we knew them from the 30s) this one might be a slight disappointment - but as a crime comedy on the whole it's certainly solid, well-made entertainment!

It's 1945, the trains are packed with people, Asta doesn't remain hidden under Nora's fur coat so Nick, Nora and Asta end up in the baggage car as they travel to Nick's home town. And Nick is drinking only cider - his father never approved of drink. Thus begins, "The Thin Man Goes Home," made as the war was ending and a lot of people whose lives had changed were thinking about going home.Nick, it turns out, has an uneasy relationship with his doctor dad because he himself never became a doctor. When the inevitable mystery arises around a murder, Nora wants Nick to solve it to impress his dad.The fact is, the scripts of "The Thin Man" series never mattered. It was always the acting and interaction of William Powell and Myrna Loy, and here, as usual, they're great - loving, flippant, and funny. Since Nick is always falling on the floor or getting hit on the head, it's hard for anyone to believe he's sober. At a charity dance, in order to do some investigating, he gives his dance tickets to a sailor and Nora becomes his partner. The dance scene is hilarious as the sailor tosses Nora all over the place and swings her around with the kind of maneuvers you see in pair figure skating.The war is still on so the story involves espionage. A very young Gloria de Haven does nicely as a self-consciously over-dramatic young woman; Harry Davenport and Lucile Watson are great as Nick's parents; and the later blacklisted Anne Revere does a fine job as Crazy Mary.William Powell could read the phone book with class and humor; Loy looks beautiful and their teamwork has never been better. Highly recommended.

With entry 5/6 it was a more conventional series, more mature and sedate than the sophisticated romp of 10 years previous. But still good clean fun, even with the Ed Brophy in the bushes gag!Nick and Nora vacate to Nick's parents home in in quiet Hicksville, but find it suddenly bristling with murder, base intrigues and seedy bars. The plot's easier to follow than before, but that doesn't make it less entertaining: Based on the data collected whilst watching the first four films I deduced who the murderer was straight off (but not the real baddies) - but it was still wonderful to take part in the denouement. Character actors from the Falcon and Boston Blackie fill the screen, and even Donald MacBride appears as yes, a detective. Asta followed Nick closely throughout, Junior was left at school for the sake of all the viewers, however Nora was given a few out of character padding sequences. Favourite bit: At a dance Nora getting whisked into a prolonged hep jive with a sailor much to Nick's transfixed amazement.So well worth watching for those of us who are looking for olde time production-line family entertainment and not High Art.