I have been watching and writing about The Thin Man movies, and up this time is Shadow of the Thin Man, which is the fourth movie in a six-movie series.

You can find my impressions/reviews/recaps/whatever you want to call it here.

If you have read my other posts or are familiar with these movies, then you know that the main characters are Nick and Nora Charles.

Nick is a private investigator, but is mainly helping to manage all of Nora’s money since she is an heiress.

Nora, however, would like Nick to do a little more and keep himself busy instead of drinking alcohol and gambling. 

Myrna Loy made a comment in her autobiography that movies four through six weren’t as good as the first three because the original writers, Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, had decided they didn’t want to be a part of the franchise any longer. I respectfully disagree with her, at least for Shadow of the Thin Man. The mystery is convoluted, as always, (and I am really not sure about the guilty party making sense) but I felt the banter between Nick and Nora was as well-written as the previous movies. This one was a lot better than Another Thin Man, which was confusing and all over the place to me, and written by the married writers.

Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett tried to tank the series after the second movie by adding a baby because they really didn’t want to write a third. They clearly failed at sinking the series. By this movie, Goodrich and Hackett had literally had it.

“They press you awfully hard there…” Goodrich said. “When they started talking about another Thin Man, we started throwing up and crying into our typewriters. We had the nervous breakdown together, [so] we said, ‘let’s get out of here [and] we quit.’”

Novelist Dashiell Hammett, the original creator of the characters, also bowed out of the movies and refused to be part of it.

In this edition, we are introduced to Nick Jr., who is now around 5-years-old. He adds even more chaos and comedy to the mix, especially with his interactions with Nick Sr.

In one scene, he tells his dad he needs to drink more milk instead of alcohol at dinner. This makes Nick Sr. choke down half a glass of milk with some hilarious expressions, before the doorbell rings and he is let off the hook.

It is in this movie that I have to admit I do feel like Nick’s drinking is less funny and more sad. I get that Nick drinking too much is a running joke throughout the movie series, but he’s a dad now and showing his kid that he drinks no matter the mood he is in. There is always an excuse to drink with Nick Charles Sr.

But let’s not get too logical or realistic here. This is a comedy-mystery and we are meant to have some fun watching it, which I did.

In the beginning of the film, we see Nick and Nick Jr. at the park and they are supposed to be reading a child’s book, but Nick Sr. is trying to read the horses who are going to be at the races later in the day. He’s added gambling to his irresponsible repertoire I guess.

Soon Nick is on his way to the track, but not before he’s pulled over for speeding, which is quickly forgiven when the officer recognizes Nick name. Not only does the office not give Nick a ticket, but he’s given a police escort to the track. Things seem to be out of hand, though, when tons of police cars surround the car and escort Nick and Nora into the track. The couple is confused when officers gather around the car and start fawning over him and telling him how impressed they were with the last case he solved.

It turns out that they aren’t actually there for Nick, though. There’s been a murder at the track. Nick doesn’t care, though, and seems determined not to get involved.

He doesn’t want to get involved even when Major Jason I. Sculley, the special deputy for the state legislature, and investigative reporter Paul Clarke visit and ask for his help in the case.

Of course, he eventually does get involved and the mystery picks up. I enjoyed the little interludes in this one, more than the mystery. There are some hilarious scenes with Nora and Nick at a wrestling match where Nora is where a hat that men keep commenting on because they think it is silly.

Then there is the relatable scene where Nick is on a merry-go-round with Nick Jr., trying to grab a ring but getting motion sick and dizzy in the process.

Another Thin Man (1939) was filmed shortly after Powell’s finance Jean Harlow died suddenly. This movie also brought heartache for cast members, especially Powell who lost his ex-wife Carole Lombard in a plane crash in and then his first wife and mother of his only son, Eileen Wilson also died. Myrna Loy went through a divorce and then a quick marriage, which was a strike at her character’s “good girl image.”

But then the real blow to the entire cast and country was when Pearl Harbor was attacked two weeks after the movie released.

In 1943 the franchise also lost its director, W.S. Vandyke, after he passed away.

Loy recalled feeling the void, both of a director and friend, saying that “[Van Dyke] seems to be neglected now. He was one of Hollywood’s best, most versatile directors.

Donna Reed appeared in this film in only her second major screen role.

The firth movie in the series, The Thin Man Goes Home, didn’t come out until 1944, partially due to the war and VanDyke’s death.

Did you make it this far in the series?

You can catch my other movie recaps here:

The Thin Man

After The Thin Man

Another Thin Man

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Sources or Additional Resources:

https://www.tcm.com/articles/81421/shadow-of-the-thin-man

If you want to find clips and thoughts about vintage movies and TV, you can visit me on Instagram on my Nostalgically Thinking Account (https://www.instagram.com/nostalgically_thinking/) or on my YouTube account Nostalgically and Bookishly Thinking here: https://www.youtube.com/@nostaglicandbookish

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