Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Song of the Thin Man Blu-ray Movie Review

End of an era.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III January 23, 2022

The last and least of the six-film Thin Man series, Edward Buzzell's Song of the Thin Man finds everyone's favorite domestic detective duo, Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) smack in the middle of a noir-laced drama about nightclub musicians in turmoil. Some of your familiar favorites are here: the rest of the Charles clan -- including Nicky Jr. (Dean Stockwell!) and Asta -- as well as franchise staples like a mysterious murder, multiple red herrings, and of course the big reveal... but aside from a handful of bright spots tied to the performances of our leads and a few supporting players, it's pretty clear that the series had more or less worn out its welcome.

In true franchise fashion, Song of the Thin Man finds our lovely duo in full relaxation mode until a gunshot ruins all the fun. They're enjoying a charity benefit aboard the gambling ship S.S. Fortune owned by Phil Brandt (Bruce Cowling), soaking in the music of a jazz band that includes sultry vocalist Fran Ledue Page (Gloria Grahame, marking at least the fourth series appearance of someone from It's a Wonderful Life), clarinetists Buddy Hollis (Don Taylor) and Clarence "Clinker" Krause (Keenan Wynn), and bandleader Tommy Drake (Phillip Reed). It turns out to be Tommy's last show for two reasons: (1) he's quitting to pursue a business relationship with band booker Mitchell Talbin (Leon Ames), and (2) he's shot and killed by an unknown assailant. And nope, this isn't a tightly-wound thriller where Nick and Nora narrow down suspects aboard the ship... they read about the murder in tomorrow's paper like everyone else.

That's not the only big news: Phil Brandt and his socialite girlfriend Janet Thayer (Jayne Meadows) eloped the night before, and they decide to pay the Charles family a visit that morning... mostly because he's now a prime suspect in the murder. When another shot rings out near the Charles' apartment entrance, Brandt and his new wife hide in a back room but Nick shrewdly turns them into the police, where they'll at least be safe from danger. With that out of the way, it's up to Nick (and Asta, obviously) to investigate the case and he does so aboard the S.S. Fortune and other locations, where all manner of mysteries are unearthed: notes about a paid $12,000 debt scrawled on the back of sheet music, the testimony of Drake's band mates, clues about an antique gun, and an address that, unfortunately, leads Nick and Nora to a second victim. If nothing else, Song of the Thin Man carries the lifeblood of of its predecessors and, combined with the always-charming performances of Powell and Loy, at least plays like a well-meaning follow-up at face value. Dean Stockwell is also an absolute hoot as Nicky Jr. and steals a couple of scenes early on, too.

Below the surface, however, things just don't feel right. Although earlier entries in the series (dating as far back as Another Thin Man, the third film) were clearly created to artificially extend the franchise's life, their familiar footprint -- which included the participation of key creative minds, including regular director W.S. Van Dyke, who died after the fourth film's release -- made them a bit more tolerable. As respectably decent as Song of the Thin Man can be at times, it really feels like Nick and Nora Charles were simply shoehorned in to a completely different film. For the first time, they feel a little out of their element in a script chock full of trendy buzzwords and a mostly younger cast, where the growing evidence of their middle age can't help but interfere with what's always been a lightweight and breezy viewing experience. Like the most recent mid-tempo album by a once-great rock band, it's just one encore too many.

But hey, at least it's finally here. Considering how many film series and TV shows are abandoned before completing their run on home video, the sheer fact that Song of the Thin Man exists on Blu-ray will absolutely thrill fans of the franchise. What's more is that Warner Archive has lavished just as much attention onto this release as the others, serving up another outstanding 1080p transfer with great lossless audio and a few era-specific extras.

Song of the Thin Man Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

If you've read any other of my previous Thin Man reviews -- or anything released by Warner Archive from his era, for that matter -- you can see where this is going: Song of the Thin Man is every bit as good as previous releases in the series, as this sterling 1080p transfer is in absolutely immaculate condition from start to finish. Although I obviously have a few reservations about the film itself, the cinematography is as good as ever and this slightly deeper descent into noir territory creates more than a few memorable moments from a purely visual perspective. Fine detail and textures are absolutely stunning, from suit patterns to small background details, while close-ups are equally impressive and sport a full range of silvery grays that take full advantage of the film's nitrate roots. Black levels and shadow detail are also excellent and, thanks to the usually-flawless disc encoding by Warner Archive, rivals most 4K presentations with an almost complete lack of banding, posterization, and compression artifacts. In short, it's yet another purist-friendly presentation that ends this series with a bang and continues Warner Archive's long winning streak.

Song of the Thin Man Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, the DTS-HD 2.0 Master audio mix stays true to the film's one-channel roots, only showing a few aural seams in the way of occasional hissing that likewise was picked up during on-location recording. Otherwise, it's uniformly crystal clear and easy to understand, providing of course you're fluent in late-1940s slang. The original score by composer David Snell, who previously wrote music for Shadow of the Thin Man and The Thin Man Goes Home, sounds relatively full and dynamic without overcrowding the dialogue and sound effects, while live music by the jazz band also sounds warm and inviting. Overall, a fine restoration with precious little room for improvement.

Optional English (SDH) are offered during the main feature, but not the extras.

Song of 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.

• Passing Parade Short: "A Really Important Person" (10:50) - This black-and-white short, taken from John Nesbitt's Oscar-winning series (itself based on the long-running radio show of the same name), follows intrepid policeman's son Billy Reilly (Dean Stockwell) as he looks for someone to write a school essay about. Released the same year as Song of the Thin Man (and may have served as pre-show entertainment in some markets), this one's obviously also here for the cast connection. It's dated but plenty charming and worth a spin.

• Classic Cartoon: "Slap Happy Lion" (7:26) - This classic 1947 MGM cartoon is pulled directly from Warner Archives' recent Blu-ray release, Tex Avery Screwball Classics Volume 3. In lieu of a summary, just do yourself a favor and buy that collection if you haven't already -- all three volumes are essential for animation fans.

• Theatrical Trailer (3:07) - This charming vintage promotional piece can also be seen here.

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

Providing of course Warner Archive doesn't issue some sort of compact six-disc set in the near future, fans who have not completed their Thin Man collections can certainly get moving now that its final entry has been released on Blu-ray. Though (perhaps inarguably) the weakest of the six, Song of the Thin Man is still fairly enjoyable... and let's be honest, almost any production fronted by a duo this charming would be worth watching at least once. What's more is that it looks and sounds great and includes a few vintage bonus features (although a few DVD-era odds and ends from Warner Bros.' Complete Thin Man Collection are still missing in action), which easily earns Song of the Thin Man its own spot on the shelf alongside the other five films. Recommended, but optional for more casual fans.