The Thin Man Goes Home (1945)

Directed by: Richard Thorpe | 100 minutes | comedy, crime | Actors: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Lucile Watson, Gloria DeHaven, Anne Revere, Helen Vinson, Harry Davenport, Leon Ames, Donald Meek, Edward Brophy, Lloyd Corrigan, Anita Sharp-Bolster, Ralph Brooks, Donald MacBride, Morris Ankrum

Ten years after the first ‘Thin Man’ came ‘The Thin Man Goes Home’, the fifth part of the six crime comedies about the detective couple Nick and Nora Charles and their dog Asta. Richard Thorpe took over the directing baton in 1945 from WS Van Dyke, who died in 1943, who had directed the previous five Thin Man’s. The dog Asta was also replaced in this film by a somewhat younger one.

In ‘The Thin Man Goes Home’ Nick (William Powell) and Nora (Myrna Loy) go on vacation to Sycamore Springs, Nick’s hometown. They drink a little less, because a restriction on alcohol consumption has been announced due to the war. And the film industry must also respond to this. Furthermore, the couple does what it always does: solve murders in a comical way.

Nick is determined not to work during his vacation. But everywhere he goes, murders are committed and he is called upon. This is also the case in Sycamore Springs, the otherwise quiet town.

Nick is a celebrity and everyone admires him. Everyone except his father, who would much rather have seen him become a doctor, just like himself. The residents of Sycamore Springs believe he has come to work on a case. His quirky and witty wife Nora does everything she can to feed that rumor. She hopes that by solving a case, Nick can earn his father’s respect.

Soon someone dies, in front of Nick’s parents’ house. It has something to do with a mysterious painting and a family affair that got out of hand. Nick initially keeps in the background, but in the end can’t resist to investigate on his own. As always, there are a lot of suspects again, this time in all shapes and sizes.

‘The Thin Man Goes Home’ is a light-hearted and cheerful film, which is perhaps even more comical than the other parts. It’s hard to rate old movies and still leave them in their original value. ‘The Thin Man Goes Home’ is certainly entertaining, and never boring. Although the jokes are not up to date, the couple still puts a constant smile on your face. More than the slapstick humor, this has to do with the relationship between husband and wife. Nick and Nora are surprisingly equal. They challenge each other, verbally and physically. Myrna Loy in particular is sophisticated and intriguing even by modern standards. The way William responds to that is clever, comical and (unfortunately) usually superior.

Of course Nick solves the murder. But not before a puzzle with many tracks and complicated side roads has been put down. The killer is certainly not an obvious person. The ‘Thin Man’ fans had to wait years for the fifth part at the time. When ‘The Thin Man Goes Home’ came out, it was received enthusiastically. At the time, the movie was hilarious, and it’s still worth watching today.