Another Thin Man (1939)

Director:

W.S. Van Dyke

Writers:

Dashiell Hammett (story)
Frances Goodrich (writer) ...

Release Date:

17 November 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Mystery | Drama | Crime | Romance

Tagline:

It's a blessed event

Plot:

An explosives manufacturer suspects a young man is out to kill him. He calls in Nick and Nora (with new baby) to sort things out.

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Murder | Dog | Baby | Adoption

Cast

William Powell	...	Nick Charles
Myrna Loy	...	Nora Charles
Virginia Grey	...	Lois MacFay / Linda Mills
Otto Kruger	...	Assistant District Attorney Van Slack
C. Aubrey Smith	...	Colonel Burr MacFay
Ruth Hussey	...	Dorothy Waters, Charles' Nanny
Nat Pendleton	...	Lieutenant Guild
Patric Knowles	...	Dudley Horn, Lois' Fiance
Tom Neal	...	Freddie Coleman, MacFay's Secretary
Phyllis Gordon	...	Mrs. Isabella Bellam, MacFay's Housekeeper
Sheldon Leonard	...	Phil Church
Don Costello	...	'Diamond Back' Vogel
Harry Bellaver	...	'Creeps' Binder
William A. Poulsen	...	Nicky Charles Jr.
Muriel Hutchison	...	H. Culverton 'Smitty' Smith

Also Known As:

Return of the Thin Man (USA) (promotional title)
Nick joue et gagne (Belgium: French title) (France) [fr]
Dünner Mann, 3. Fall (West Germany) (TV title) [de]
Gäckande skuggan kommer tillbaka (Sweden) [sv]
I epavlis tou mystiriou (Greece) [el]
Nick e Esposa, Detectives (Portugal) [pt]
Nick speelt en wint (Belgium: Flemish title) [un]
Noch ein dünner Mann (West Germany) (TV title) [de]
Otra reunión de acusados (Spain) [es]
Pettävän varjon seikkailut (Finland) [fi]
Pettävän varjon uudet seikkailut (Finland) [fi]
Si riparla dell'uomo ombra (Italy) [it]

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

Spanish | English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:U (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #5826) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Bidwell Park - Manzanita Avenue, Chico, California, USA

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

Rafael Storm replaced Alexander D'Arcy as the gigolo during the retakes.

Goofs:

Continuity: When baby Nickie is crawling on Nick as he sleeps, Nick is on his back. When the shot changes angles and Nora picks up baby Nickie, Nick is rolling onto his back from his left side.

Quotes:

Gatekeeper: He says his name is Charles, but he looks to me like a pool parlor dude.

Movie Connections:

Featured in From the Ends of the Earth (1939)

Soundtrack:

Happy Days Are Here Again

Not bad, but too many plot elements smother the comedy...

This third entry in the series was the last to be based on the Dashiell Hammet stories. It starts out interestingly enough, with Nick and Nora asked to spend some time with C. AUBREY SMITH who's been receiving death threats from a gangster (SHELDON LEONARD). So far, so good. RUTH HUSSEY is the nanny for the newborn Nick, Jr. and we immediately think she knows more than she says about the events that follow.

When Smith is murdered, Nick and Nora have to solve another crime, going about it with more sobriety than usual. Among the many suspects are OTTO KRUGER, VIRGINIA GREY, TOM NEAL, PATRIC KNOWLES, MARJORIE MAIN and, of course, SHELDON LEONARD.

The formula is set, the ingredients are there, and if you love Powell and Loy in their Nick/Nora guise, you'll no doubt enjoy this one. The plot is no more convoluted than usual, but the main pleasure is enjoying the chemistry and wit of two of the screen's favorite sleuths.