After the events of The Thin Man, Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) arrive in San Francisco just in time for New Years’. After solving a murder on Christmas and dealing with the endless publicity (and drinks), Nick is ready for a rest. But nothing stays calm for too long in The Charles’s life. Nora gets a distressed call and invitation to her cousin Selma’s (Elissa Landi). It seems that her husband has gone missing and her Aunt Katherine (Jessie Ralph) wants to make sure that the news doesn’t cause a scandal. Their solution is to use Nick to find him. But soon the simple case becomes another complex web of murder and shady characters. 

After The Thin Man (1936) Is the second of the six Thin Man movies and it’s one of the best. Right along with the first movie, After is one of the best murder mysteries with plenty of comedy. It’s one of the rare sequels that are equal to its predecessor. It also literally picks up just a few days after the first film. Even though it was a jump from 1934 to 1936, everything seems perfect with equally charming performances from Powell and Loy. 

Much of the same creative team returns to craft a deeper sequel. The screenplay by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich, from a story by Dashiell Hammett, keeps much of the spirit of the first film and the source novel. Unlike the first, This isn’t based on any of Hammett’s works, and instead just plays off the wonderful characterizations of Powell and Loy as Nick and Nora. The script adds to the class differences between Nick, who married into wealth, and Nora who was born into it. The first act has a lot of fun showing Nora into Nick’s underworld life. The dialogue is also snappy and fun. One of the best exchanges is “Are you packing dear? Yes Darling, I’m just putting away this liquor”. As Nick sips down another martini. 

While the first one was made at the end of the pre-code era (by 1935 The Hays Code was being strictly enforced) After The Thin Man is more careful with its view of vice and crime. There is still plenty of sleaze boiling under the surface with the New Year’s Eve setting and Nora’s corrupt family. It’s packed with visuals that would grow more popular with Film Noir in the 1940s. Cinematographer Oliver T. Marsh and director W.S. Van Dyke makes the criminal underworld come to life with hazy closeups, fog, shadows, mist, and nocturnal feeling. The camerawork becomes even more impressive during the climax with push-ins, sudden pans, and some harsh spotlights. 

Of course, it’s not all grim. The comic elements are pushed further in this entry. The cute dog Astar is given a wife with pups. There is even a running gag with a neighbor dog that leads to one of my favorite pieces of IMDB trivia. “This film marks the first instance of puppy dog adultery in the history of cinema”! 

William Powell and Myrna Loy completely fit into their roles as Nick and Nora. Their on-screen chemistry is a huge part of the series success and it’s easy to see why. Their witty banter and jokes make them so watchable. This entry even teases a child on the way to add to the warm family feeling. The rest of the cast is equally impressive. James Stewart is brilliant here as one of the cousin’s love interests. Joseph Calleia makes a menacing heavy with some dark comedy on the side. This also marked the Hollywood debut of character actor George Zucco, who would soon become a monster kid favorite in many Universal and Poverty Row horror films. 

Warner Archives has brought After the Thin Man to Blu-ray in a handsome upgrade from the previous DVD editions. The picture is clearer and the blacks are smoother. The 1080p HD picture is sharp with no HDR issues. The night-time scenes are especially well defined and full of detail. The disc comes with a clean 2.0 English DTS-HD Master Audio Track. There are a few spots where some hiss can be heard. But there is no annoying pops or sizzle. English subtitles are included.

In terms of extras we get

• How to be a Detective short featuring Robert Benchley
• The MGM cartoon The Early Bird and the Worm.
• The Lux Radio Theater Broadcast adaptation of After The Thin Man. It features Powell and Loy reprising their roles. Dated 06/17/1940.
• Leo is on the Air Promo
• Theatrical Trailer.

The extras are carried over from the previous DVD editions, but the improved Picture quality makes this an essential upgrade. I hope Warner Archives releases the other four films on Blu-ray. Highly Recommended. 

Director- W.S. Van Dyke

Cast- William Powell, Myrna Loy

Country of Origin- US

Distributor- Warner Archive

Discs- 1

Reviewer- Tyler Miller