Main Cast: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Virginia Grey, C. Aubrey Smith, Otto Kruger
Release Year: 1939
Country: US
Run Time: 105 minutes
Plot
Three years after the second Thin Man entry, MGM brought back the property by popular demand with Another Thin Man. As ever, William Powell and Myrna Loy star as sophisticated sleuths Nick and Nora Charles, with the added filip of 8-month-old Nick Charles Jr. At the invitation of munitions manufacturer Colonel MacFay (C. Aubrey Smith), the Charleses spend a weekend at MacFay's Long Island estate. The Colonel is certain that his shady ex-business associate Phil Church (Sheldon Leonard) plans to do him harm, a prognostication that apparently comes true when murder rears its ugly head. Though he's promised to cut down on his drinking (after all, he's a daddy now), Nick spends an inordinate amount of time sorting out the clues and identifying the actual murderer-who, of course, is the least likely suspect (and in fact is played by an actor who seldom if ever harmed a fly in any other film). Adding to the merry mayhem is the Charleses' efforts to find a good baby-sitter, resulting in an onslaught of "help"-and additional babies!--courtesy of Nick's old Underworld cronies. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Too much plot tends to get in the way of the usual verbal sparring between the Charleses, Nick (William Powell) and Nora (Myrna Loy) , in this the third entry in M-G-M's series of sophisticated whodunits. Not that Nick and his charming wife aren't their usual brittle selves but the screenwriters dragged in almost to burdensome a riddle for them to solve. The end result is fairly entertaining, though, especially when Mr. Charles' addlebrained gangland pals insist on given little Nick, Jr. (William A. Paulsen) a birthday party complete with "rented" baby guests. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
The film was originally promoted in the United States under the title of Return of the Thin Man, and was followed by Shadow of the Thin Man (1941).
Plot
In this adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's "The Farewell Murder", Nick (Powell) and Nora (Loy) Charles are back in New York with Asta and a new arrival - Nicky Jr. They are invited by Colonel MacFey (Smith) to spend the weekend at his house in Long Island as he desperately wants Nick to put his well-known detective skills to work. It seems the Colonel has been receiving threats from Phil Church (Leonard), a very shady character. When Col. McFey is killed, Church seems to be the obvious suspect. However, Nick is skeptical. He suspects there is something far more complicated going on. McFey's housekeeper, daughter and various hangers-on all may have had an interest in seeking the old man's demise.
