After The Thin Man (1936)

After the Thin Man (1936) is the sparkling sequel to the smash hit The Thin Man (1934), and it reunites William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, cinema’s most stylish and witty detective couple.

Building on the breezy chemistry and cocktail-fueled repartee that made the first film such a delight, this second installment offers a more intricate plot, higher emotional stakes, and a host of colorful suspects, all wrapped in the sophisticated glamour of 1930s high society.

Though often overshadowed by the novelty and tightness of the original, After the Thin Man is in many ways a deeper, darker, and more rewarding experience—an excellent follow-up that expands the universe of the Charleses without losing its charm.

Plot Overview

The film picks up immediately after the events of The Thin Man, as Nick and Nora return home to San Francisco after the Christmas holiday in New York. Hoping for a peaceful New Year’s Eve, they instead walk straight into another mystery—this time one involving Nora’s aristocratic family, the snooty and dysfunctionally proud Wynants (amusingly distanced from Nick's more raffish sensibilities). Nora’s cousin Selma (Elissa Landi) is distraught over the disappearance of her ne'er-do-well husband, Robert, who soon turns up dead. When Selma becomes the prime suspect, Nick is reluctantly drawn back into detective work, partly at Nora’s mischievous insistence.

As Nick investigates, he navigates a complex web of secrets, betrayals, and false identities, uncovering a range of suspects with plausible motives. Among them is friend of the family David (played by a then up-and-coming James Stewart), whose transformation over the course of the film adds an unexpected emotional punch.

William Powell’s Performance

William Powell once again proves why he was the ideal screen detective of the era. As Nick Charles, Powell exudes effortless charm, razor-sharp intelligence, and a kind of insouciant humour that makes even the most convoluted murder plot feel like a lark. What’s most remarkable is how Powell imbues Nick with such natural authority without ever appearing domineering—his detective work is always laced with dry wit and an almost reluctant sense of duty.

In After the Thin Man, Powell expands the emotional palette of Nick. The stakes feel slightly more personal here: Nick is operating within Nora’s social sphere, among people who look down on him as a former flatfoot. Powell plays this with an undercurrent of self-assurance and quiet amusement, defusing condescension with perfect timing and wordplay. His scenes with Loy are as delightful as ever, but Powell also shows his chops in tenser moments, especially as the mystery deepens and the mood darkens.

Myrna Loy and the Charles Dynamic

Myrna Loy is once again marvelous as Nora Charles, the only woman in film noir who ever seemed to enjoy being married to a detective. The Charleses’ marriage is the engine of the film’s charm—a union built on playful teasing, mutual respect, and an abundance of martinis. Loy and Powell’s chemistry is so organic that it feels improvised; their banter is quick but never cruel, affectionate yet never cloying. Nora once again proves herself more than a bystander, actively encouraging Nick to take the case and inserting herself into the investigation with a sense of curiosity and adventure that sidesteps the era’s usual limitations on female characters.

James Stewart: A Surprise in the Shadows

One of the most intriguing aspects of After the Thin Man is the performance of James Stewart, who was still early in his career. As David Graham, Stewart plays against the wholesome image he would later come to embody. His character’s arc is quietly tragic, and Stewart’s final scenes are chilling and surprisingly intense, hinting at the emotional range he would later explore in films like Vertigo (1958). It’s a quietly bold performance that elevates the film's finale and injects a dose of psychological depth into what might otherwise have been a conventional mystery denouement.

Direction and Style

Director W.S. Van Dyke, affectionately nicknamed “One-Take Woody,” returns to helm the sequel with the same brisk pacing and light touch that made The Thin Man such a joy. The film clocks in at nearly two hours, but it never drags—every scene crackles with wit, and every supporting character is memorable. The script, again by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich (adapting from a Dashiell Hammett idea), walks a delicate line between murder mystery and screwball comedy, never letting the tonal shifts feel jarring.

Technically, the film is a marvel of studio-era elegance. The sets, costumes, and lighting ooze upper-class sophistication, with Art Deco interiors and lavish party scenes. The cinematography by Oliver T. Marsh adds a touch of noirish texture, particularly in the nighttime sequences and shadowy backrooms of San Francisco nightclubs.

Themes and Tensions

After the Thin Man subtly explores themes of social class, familial obligation, and emotional repression. The snobbery of Nora’s relatives, contrasted with Nick’s working-class roots, is a recurring thread, often played for laughs but with a real bite beneath the surface. The script also delves into the fragility of appearances—beneath the glamour and affluence of the Wynants lies moral rot, betrayal, and desperation. The contrast between Nick and the more emotionally entangled suspects adds to his allure—he’s the cool head in a society of concealed chaos.

Reception and Legacy

The film was a commercial and critical success upon its release, and it earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Writing (Screenplay). While some critics have historically favored the first film for its tighter pacing and surprise factor, many regard After the Thin Man as a more mature and refined entry—less a rehash than a worthy evolution.

Its influence is seen in the enduring appeal of detective couples in film and television, and its mix of crime, comedy, and romance remains a high-water mark for the genre.

Conclusion

After the Thin Man is a rare sequel that not only lives up to the original but deepens and enriches its central characters and themes. With William Powell at his suave, sardonic best, and Myrna Loy matching him beat for beat, the film delivers everything audiences could want: mystery, laughter, romance, and a few genuinely poignant moments. It’s a triumph of style and substance, a film that sparkles as brightly today as it did nearly ninety years ago.

Final Rating:

An elegant mystery with depth, charm, and one of the greatest screen pairings in film history.