The Thin Man Goes Home (1944)

Director:

Richard Thorpe

Writers:

Robert Riskin (story) and
Harry Kurnitz (story) ...

Release Date:

December 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery | Drama | Family | Romance

Plot:

Nick and Nora go on holiday, and end up involved in a murder.

Plot Keywords:

Nick And Nora Charles | Sequel | Private Detective | Rifle | Secret

Cast

William Powell	...	Nick Charles
Myrna Loy	...	Nora Charles
Lucile Watson	...	Mrs. Charles
Gloria DeHaven	...	Laura Ronson (as Gloria De Haven)
Anne Revere	...	Crazy Mary
Helen Vinson	...	Helena Draque
Harry Davenport	...	Dr. Bertram Charles
Leon Ames	...	Edgar Draque
Donald Meek	...	Willie Crump
Edward Brophy	...	Brogan
Lloyd Corrigan	...	Dr. Bruce Clayworth
Anita Sharp-Bolster	...	Hilda (as Anita Bolster)
Ralph Brooks	...	Peter Berton
Donald MacBride	...	Police Chief MacGregor
Morris Ankrum	...	Willoughby

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #10301) | UK:PG (re-rating) (2005) | UK:A (original rating)

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

The Charles' dog, Asta, was replaced for this movie. The original dog outgrew the part.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the baggage car scene, Asta twice hides behind a milk can; once running from the right and the second time, running from the left. In the second sequence, the writing on the crates behind her is backwards. This is because the film editor simply reversed the negative from the first sequence in order to "create" the second.

Quotes:

Nicholas 'Nick' Charles: Right there was the little old schoolhouse.
[Laughs]
Nicholas 'Nick' Charles: Once on Halloween I burned it down - slightly.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hollywood Remembers: Myrna Loy - So Nice to Come Home to (1991) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Happy Birthday to You

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.