[.ca] The Thin Man Goes Home

This movie was so good I popped my vest buttons!:
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 Visit the Folks.:
This entry in the series is a change of pace. Instead of New York or San Francisco we have Sycamore Springs. Sycamore Springs looks as if it is just down the road from George Bailey's Bedford Falls. It's very Norman Rockwell. Lots of trees, picket fences, and big houses. Nick and Nora breeze into town to celebrate Nick's birthday with the folks. There are a variety of suspicious characters hanging around town. They get nervous when a famous detective arrives. There is, in fact, a murder. Right on the Charles' front porch. Nick and Nora's razor sharp repartee lost some of its edginess by this point in the series. This film gets disparaged as a step down in quality. Although some of the banter takes place over a wobbly piece of lawn furniture in the side yard rather than a cocktail shaker in a New York bar, dismissing the film as inferior is a mistake. Ozzie and Harriet interludes notwithstanding, this is fun for those who enjoy classic comedy. A hallmark of the series is that the murder is an excuse for humor. Not to make fun of murder, of course, but it's hilarious when Nora follows a suspect on a walk on the wild side. The WWII flavor of this flick adds to its old-fashioned charm. The mystery is of stolen propellor plans down at the local defense plant. The small town social mores are quaint. This movie is a good fit for fans of classic comedy, Thin Man fans, and collectors. Ownership is recommended. ;-)

"Has Nora Become 'Ordinaire'?":
A delightful change of pace from previous "Thin Man" movies -- no cutsie "little Nickie" and no annoying references to Nora as "mama." Nick returns home, is faced with a mystery, and finally receives his father's praise. Most importanly, Nick's background is nicely developed. Obviously his brains and composure come from his father while his drinking problem and sometimes-irresponsibility are the result of an overweaning mother. The plot unwinds with several twists and features an assortment of local small-town characters played by a wonderful supporting cast. (None of them are portrayed disparagingly, or negatively mocked or compared to "hip" New Yorkers.) The story moves along at a pleasant pace and of course Nick smoothly solves the mystery. What's MOST interesting, however, is the transformation seen in Mrs. Charles -- Nora has become "ordinaire." The once strikingly beautiful, ultra-sophisticated woman is now a whining little wife. While once capable of exchanging rapier one-liners with a variety New York males, she now is reduced to self-consciously avoiding eye contact with a few appreciative men in a pool hall. She would have verbally decimated those guys in earlier movies. Can this be the same Nora who effortlessly reigned over parties on both coasts? Nora's role seems to be that of her husband's cheerleader -- and an uninteresting one at that. Maybe she's trying to ingratiate herself with the family. And she looks...well.... While changes in fashion come and go, it's a pity to see Nora with an unflattering hairstyle and in uninteresting clothes. Maybe audiences in the 40's wanted different images from those in the '30s. Or maybe motherhood took a toll on Nora. Meanwhile Nick is more charming than ever -- and -- in a household without liquor! He's more than a drunk afterall. In fact we get new insight into Nick that will gratify his many fans. This is a very good movie, do watch it.