After the Thin Man (1936)

After the Thin Man (1936)

Immediate sequel to The Thin Man (1934) finds Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) coming back home from New York on New Year's Eve only to find a surprise party for them in a house so full of strangers that no one recognizes them till they are finally seen by the kitchen staff.

Reinforcing eventual themes from the movie, their dog Asta finds that his female companion has been less than faithful and, as a result, one of the litter of newborns is black. A hole under the fence reveals the point of access of the neighboring culprit.

Their quiet evening already ruined, they further receive a call from a cousin and the couple is unable to say no in a family crisis.

They must now attend a family dinner full of old-timers which concludes with the not too surprising revelation that a philandering, gold-digging husband has been missing and requires to be found.

Could Nicholas help out?

The simple case of the missing husband soon turns into a multiple murder mystery.

A worthy follow up to the first film which fully understands the proper blend of romantic couple interplay; upper- and lower-class contrast and clashes between snobby relatives and the former flatfoot, and the amusement of a high-class lady at being confronted by various underworld characters who alternatively hit on her or inadvertently reveal previously unknown aspects of her husband’s life, including a list of names of former girlfriends.

One of the fun elements of the series is Nora’s looking to participate in her husband’s exciting profession and in Nick’s hopes to leave it behind (and simply enjoy his wife’s wealthy lifestyle,) being unable to, and in his multiple attempts to protect her from the danger he’s already retired from. In this chapter this results in her being locked up in a closet and later in a jail cell full of prostitutes, (hopefully so that she will learn a lesson, perhaps?) Extracting a promise from her does no good in altering her reckless behavior.

Lots of opportunities for funny business including the surprise party and, later, the dinner with family elders and their ancient butler. Even chasing Asta for a note thrown thru the window turns into a worthwhile action-comedy sequence.

An odd scene finds Nick, drunkenly (we assume!) making out with someone else’s wife in the dark. This isn’t quite Pre-Code stuff, but it’s still refreshing how horny women characters are here. This (presumably) includes the elderly aunt Nick accompanies to the table, but she barely has time to smile at him before we cut away from the scene.

With James Stewart, Elissa Landi, Joseph Calleia, Jessie Ralph, Alan Marshal and Penny Singleton.

Great stuff.