Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

After the Thin Man Blu-ray Movie Review

Nick and Nora's Infinite Playfulness.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III January 15, 2021

Released two years after The Thin Man, W.S. Van Dyke's aptly-named After the Thin Man offers yet another case for Nick and Nora Charles, along with their faithful dog Astra, to sink their teeth into. This sequel takes place immediately after the first film -- as in literally on Nick and Nora's return trip to San Francisco, where they're hoping to celebrate the upcoming New Year in peace. The couple are surprised to find their home full of guests for a welcome-back party... but even that would be preferable to a seeing Nora's dreadful Aunt Katherine (Jessie Ralph). Nick and Nora end up going to Aunt Katherine's anyway, if for no other reason than to comfort cousin Selma (Elissa Landi), whose estranged husband Robert (Alan Marshal) has been missing for three days. Also present is David Graham (James Stewart), Selma's former lover, who secretly offers to pay Robert $25,000 to leave peacefully and grant Selma a long-overdue divorce.

It's a somewhat convoluted setup that thankfully doesn't collapse under its own weight, thanks in no small part to its mostly light touch and excellent cast which, from a cynic's perspective, might seem a little overstuffed. During early scenes we're introduced with what feels like dozens of supporting characters, from a shifty nightclub owner named "Dancer" (Joseph Calleia), his employee and actual dancer Polly (Dorothy McNulty), Polly's tough-talking ex-husband Phil (Paul Fix), Selma's overbearing psychiatrist Dr. Kammer (George Zucco), and many others. First-time viewers may even be overwhelmed at the odd detours and red herrings sprinkled throughout the film, many of which arrive before a genuine crime takes place. But once After the Thin Man gets going, it's business as usual: a murder inevitably occurs -- two, actually -- so it's up to Nick and Nora to sift through the rubble and find a guilty party while ensuring the wrong person doesn't get punished. Meanwhile, their adorable dog Asta has his own problems: "Mrs. Asta" seems to be stepping out with a neighborhood Schnauzer, which if shot today might end with a Maury Povich episode.

Director W.S. Van Dyke, who also helmed The Thin Man and would return for another two installments after this one, directs After the Thin Man smoothly and with a similar swiftness to the original... even though it runs nearly 20 minutes longer, with more than a few first-act segments that could have easily been trimmed. Like most sequels, After the Thin Man's main objective was simply to offer more of what made the first film such a runaway hit, with only its self-aware sense of success (and those extraneous scenes) standing in the way. It ultimately ended up being an even bigger hit for MGM, who would continue to churn out Thin Man sequels for nearly another full decade and to diminishing returns. But this lightweight and entertaining production still stands as the series' second-best outing -- at least if you're in it for all the boozy behavior, of course. Soon enough Nick and Nora would soon no longer be a carefree, childless couple with loads of free time on their hands... and responsible adults aren't nearly as fun to watch, are they?

For now, drink up and enjoy yourself with another well-rounded Blu-ray package from Warner Archive Collection, who have once again outdone themselves with an absolutely top-tier 1080p presentation and all of the DVD-era extras carried over from their parent company's terrific (but long out-of-print) 2005 DVD collection. Although it might be a while before all six Thin Man films reach the format, if they're as good as this disc they'll be worth the wait.

After the Thin Man Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Advertised as a "new 4K restoration from the best surviving elements", this stunning 1080p transfer of After the Thin Man is every bit as good as the first one, if not even better. The film's nitrate roots are visible from start to finish, with silvers grays shining through thanks to excellent contrast levels and a strong amount of natural film grain. As a whole, the image is very clean with no signs of excessive digital manipulation, no compression artifacts, and not a hint of edge enhancement or sharpening. Even potentially problematic scenes, such as an extremely foggy nighttime meeting that involves a gun disposal, look as filmic as possible with noise kept to an absolute minimum. Elsewhere, skin tones and period-specific clothing likewise sparkle with detail and texture, while the film's most decorative sets and locations reveal more than enough depth to appreciate After the Thin Man's excellent production design. All things considered, this is simply a phenomenal effort and one of Warner Archive's best-looking vintage titles to date.

As usual, Warner Archive has also posted at least one HD clip on their YouTube channel.

After the Thin Man Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, the DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio squeezes as much sonic detail out of the film's source elements as possible, but its seams are slightly more visible here. There's a persistent hiss and crackle behind many sound effects and lines of dialogue; it's nothing more than a mild distraction as just about every line is clearly intelligible, but such a flaw -- which is more than likely baked into the source material -- prevents this split mono track from reaching even greater heights. It's still a very fine effort that, at the very least, falls more or less in-line with most films from the era, and likewise still sounds quite a bit fuller and more robust than the version released on DVD back in 2005. After the Thin Man's rousing original score, credited to both Herbert Stothart (most famous for his work on The Wizard of Oz) and seven-time Oscar winner Edward Ward (Universal's Phantom of the Opera), gets a pretty nice boost as well.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the film only; they're formatted nicely with no sync issues.

After the Thin Man Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This release arrives in a standard keepcase with poster-themed cover art and a handful of era-specific extras.

• How to Be a Detective (8:49) - Directed Felix E. Feist, this 1936 Robert Benchley short offers another short -- and mostly light-hearted -- lesson on helpful ways to catch a criminal. Crime doesn't pay, says the Hays Code.

• The Early Bird and the Worm (9:14) - Also from the same year, this Happy Harmonies cartoon features a chipper bluebird trying to devour a flute-playing worm, but a cunning rattlesnake and two lazy crows -- clearly modelled after the blackface comedy team "Moran and Mack", and who aren't too offensively portrayed but just really ain't all that funny -- almost beat our hero to the punch. They end up getting along, of course.

• Lux Radio Theater Broadcast (59:35) - Originally airing on 6/17/1940, this vintage condensed adaptation of After the Thin Man features William Powell and Myrna Loy reprising their lead roles as Nick and Nora.

• Leo is On the Air (14:27) - This short installment of MGM's long-running radio series, which originally aired in 1936, promotes After the Thin Man with a plot summary and several audio clips from the movie.

• Theatrical Trailer (2:54) - This vintage promotional piece can be seen here.

After the Thin Man Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Although it's a half-step down from the landmark first film, W.S. Van Dyke's After the Thin Man offers a slightly different take on what proved to be a very polished and durable formula for the long-running film series. With its New Year's Eve backdrop, cast of colorful supporting characters, and terrific locations, it's a breezy and enjoyable production that, like The Thin Man, hides its central mystery playfully behind the terrific chemistry of its two leads. Warner Archive's fine treatment includes another top-tier restoration and plenty of DVD-era bonus features, making After the Thin Man an essential purchase for fans of the first film. Newcomers, obviously, should start from the beginning.