W.S. VAN DYKE

Bil’s rating (out of 5): BBBB

USA, 1936.  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.  Screenplay by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, based on characters created by Dashiell Hammett.  Cinematography by Oliver T. Marsh.  Produced by Hunt Stromberg.  Music by Herbert Stothart, Edward Ward.  Production Design by Cedric Gibbons.  Costume Design by Dolly Tree.  Film Editing by Robert Kern.  

Worthy sequel to The Thin Man has William Powell and Myrna Loy reprising their roles with W.S. Van Dyke back at the helm as director. Nick and Nora Charles experience a triumphal return to San Francisco after cracking their first case as amateur detectives, only to be met with their next assignment on New Year’s Eve. Nora’s high society cousin has lost a husband to a showgirl, and needs to know his whereabouts or else she’ll simply die. When Nick begins to investigate, he finds out that the missing gentleman is tied to too many shady underworld characters to be a simple runaway case.

The delightful dialogue that banters between the loving couple and their completely odd grab bag of relatives and friends is spicy and fun, and though it doesn’t have the impeccable pace of the first one, nor is it as complete a movie, it’s a darn good time. Features a supporting performance by a very fresh James Stewart (only in his third year of acting in movies).

Academy Award Nomination:  Best Screenplay