BBBB
(out of 5)
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).
USA, 1936
Directed by W.S. Van Dyke
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
