Tonight's Movie: Shadow of the Thin Man (1941) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

SHADOW OF THE THIN MAN (1941) is the latest movie in the Thin Man franchise to be released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive.

SHADOW OF THE THIN MAN is the fourth film in the series. The new Blu-ray release follows Warner Archive Blu-ray releases of the three previous films, THE THIN MAN (1934), AFTER THE THIN MAN (1936), and ANOTHER THIN MAN (1939).

In SHADOW OF THE THIN MAN, the bicoastal Nick (William Powell) and Nora (Myrna Loy) Charles are back in San Francisco.

In short order they're reunited with Lt. Abrams (Sam Levene, who was also in AFTER THE THIN MAN), when Nick happens to visit a racetrack just after a jockey is murdered.

Nick joins Lt. Abrams, newspaper reporter Dan (Barry Nelson), and Major Sculley (Henry O'Neill), who's investigating organized crime, trying to solve the mystery. There are more murders, and the ever-expanding cast of suspects includes Stella Adler, Will Wright, Loring Smith, Joseph Anthony, and Lou Lubin.

The screenplay of this 97-minute film was written by Irving Brecher and Harry Kurnitz, based on Kurnitz's story, and there are some delightful moments and snatches of dialogue. Seven years after the series began, Powell and Loy have lost none of their special magic...and speaking of magic, Nick is mysteriously able to hear Nora shaking cocktails far out of hearing range.

There are lots of fun faces in the cast, starting with Donna Reed as Dan's girlfriend; the role is purely decorative, but it's lovely seeing her in just her third movie.

Wonderful character bits are handled by marvelous actors such as Louise Beavers as the Charles's maid; Tito Vuolo as a waiter determined for everyone to order sea bass; Edgar Dearing as a motorcycle cop who is thrilled to meet Nick while giving him a speeding ticket; and Adeline De Walt Reynolds as a landlady who knows her crime slang.

Nick Jr. was played by Richard "Dickie" Hall, in his first film; this was his only appearance as Nick Jr., who would be played by Dean Stockwell in the final film in the series. Hall had 16 credits in features and shorts through 1945, bowing out of movies after HER HIGHNESS AND THE BELLBOY (1945). Born in 1934, Hall appears to still be with us if IMDb is accurate.

SHADOW OF THE THIN MAN was once again directed by W.S. Van Dyke, who directed the prior three films. Sadly, it was the last Thin Man film he made; Van Dyke would pass away in 1943, a year before the release of the next movie in the series.

The movie was filmed in black and white by William Daniels, who also filmed ANOTHER THIN MAN.

SHADOW OF THE THIN MAN is a typically great-looking Warner Archive Collection Blu-ray. Sound is also excellent. Extras consist of the trailer, the cartoon THE GOOSE GOES SOUTH (1941), and a short directed by Jules Dassin, THE TELL-TALE HEART (1941), starring Joseph Schildkraut.

There are now just two Thin Man films not yet out on Blu-ray, THE THIN MAN GOES HOME (1944) and SONG OF THE THIN MAN (1947). Hopefully those will be released in due course. I'll share any news on that front as I receive it!

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from the Warner Archive Collection Amazon Store or from any online retailers where Blu-rays are sold.

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