The Thin Man Goes Home

Released Jan 25, 1945

1h 40m

Comedy

Drama

List

75%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

79%

Audience Score

2,500+ Ratings

Famous retired detective Nick Charles (William Powell) takes his wife, Nora (Myrna Loy), and their dog, Asta, to visit Nick's parents in their small, quiet town. Determined that Nick's father respect Nick's profession, Nora urges him to find a crime to investigate, unaware that Nick's presence has already frightened spy Edgar Draque (Leon Ames) into action. After Nora buys a painting for Nick's birthday and the artist is murdered, Nick discovers that the murder is connected to espionage.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

The Thin Man Goes Home gets by as a minor, albeit pleasant sequel.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 15, 2022

Full Review

Mattie Lucas

From the Front Row

Powell and Loy are a constant delight, even if the sparkle was beginning to dull in the later part of the series.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 6, 2022

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

The Thin Man Goes Home represents a drop from its predecessors, although there's still enough of merit to earn a recommendation.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 27, 2021

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Rated: 4/5

Dec 11, 2007

Full Review

Chris Barsanti

Filmcritic.com

More in keeping with a classic British mystery

Rated: 3/5

Aug 14, 2005

Full Review

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

By the time The Thin Man Goes Home rolled around, the series was beginning to feel pretty thin itself.

Rated: 5/10

Jul 26, 2005

Full Review

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alan g

Best of the Thin Man movies. Still fresh and watchable even after almost one years. Great acting. Cute dog. Plot twists galore.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/26/24

Full Review

Brian G

Raymond Chandler type who-done-it. The Thin Man movies never fail to entertain!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/06/23

Full Review

matthew d

A neat departure from the high crimes of the big city. Director Richard Thorpe's romantic-comedy mystery The Thin Man Goes Home (1944) is quite fun as Thorpe emulates the fast pace and whimsical humor of The Thin Man's director W.S. Van Dyke's style from the first four Thin Man movies. It's a shame Van Dyke commited suicide before finishing his series, but Thorpe takes on the challenge with a neat small town whodunit. I liked how writers Harry Kurnitz, Robert Riskin, and Dwight Taylor create a serious story about hidden clues in plain sight. I really enjoyed the painting bit and how it's all about Nick getting acceptance from his father over his career path as a detective instead of a doctor. William Powell is as funny as ever as detective Nick Charles. He gets a neat hesitancy around his tough father, played by the stern Harry Davenport. Myrna Loy is lovable as the curious, eager, and adventurous sleuth Nora Charles. She's simply divine and hilarious. Nora is a wonderful heroine and lovable wife figure for Nick, while being her own unique character trying to defend Nick to his father. Lucile Watson is fun as Nick's enthusiastic mother. Gloria DeHaven gives an entertainingly over the top performance as Laurabelle Ronson. Anne Revere is touching as the mentally touched Crazy Mary. Helen Vinson is fun as the shady Helena Draque. Leon Ames is excellent as Edgar Draque, desperate to recover a painting. Donald Meek has a hysterical role as the painting salesman. Asta Jr. is wondrous as the wonder dog Asta with all his tricks and excitement. Editor Ralph E. Winters cuts The Thin Man Goes Home like dark film noir. Karl Freund's cinematography makes this small town look like a dangerous place full of shadows. Art direction from Cedric Gibbons and Edward C. Carfagno uses brightly lit town views to juxtapose the dark and moody nights full of creepy shacks and shadows scattered all over. Edwin B. Willis' set decoration creates a charming home for Nick's parents and a lavish estate full of ornate furnishings for the Ronsons. Composer David Snell's music is very playful and captures that whimsical comedy tone with the tense melodies for the darker mystery atmosphere. I loved Irene's costumes for Myrna Loy with exquisite dresses and creative patterns. Her style is very different from the other Thin Man movies. In short, The Thin Man Goes Home provides 101 minutes of pleasant comedy and intriguing mystery that keeps you on your toes.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I liked the first two, the third not so much. This one, however, worked out fine, even if Nick drank nothing stronger than cider. (Though apple cider comes in both alcoholic and nonalcoholic versions.) Nick brings Nora to Sycamore Springs, the rural town he grew up in, and visits his elderly father and mother. The father is a prominent local doctor who was disappointed that his son chose to become a policeman instead, though Nora responds by telling them what a wonderful detective Nick is-to Nick's embarrassment. Word spreads through town of Nick and Nora'a arrival, and the locals assume they are here to work on a criminal case. Of course, Nick and Nora only came for social reasons-until a man visits the father's house and is shot to death when the front door is answered. Now the pair have a crime to solve. Unlike the previous installments, Asta is helpful this time, and Nick sticks to cider and no longer smokes. The movie was made at the tail end of World War Two, and of course the war effort is a large part of the mystery. And the suspects are more obvious than usual. At least not as convoluted as the third movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Frances H

Love this series and thanks to TCM, I was able to watch the complete series in order! What a treat!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/12/20

Full Review

Audience Member

A good entry in the series.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

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Richard Thorpe

Director

William Powell

Nick Charles

Myrna Loy

Nora Charles

Lucile Watson

Mrs. Marta Charles

Gloria DeHaven

Laura Belle Ronson

Anne Revere

Crazy Mary

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Synopsis

Famous retired detective Nick Charles (William Powell) takes his wife, Nora (Myrna Loy), and their dog, Asta, to visit Nick's parents in their small, quiet town. Determined that Nick's father respect Nick's profession, Nora urges him to find a crime to investigate, unaware that Nick's presence has already frightened spy Edgar Draque (Leon Ames) into action. After Nora buys a painting for Nick's birthday and the artist is murdered, Nick discovers that the murder is connected to espionage.

Director: Richard Thorpe
Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 25, 1945, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 1, 2014
Runtime: 1h 40m

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