The Thin Man Comes Home (1945)

Directed by Richard Thorpe. Starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, Harry Davenport, Lucile Watson, Gloria DeHaven, Anne Revere, Helen Vinson, Edward Brophy, Leon Ames, Donald Meek, Lloyd Corrigan, Anita Sharp-Bolster, Ralph Brooks.

Thin Man movie number five is as leisurely as a hang-out movie, with a weak murder mystery that hardly stimulates a whiff of danger or urgency. Thorpe takes over for the late W. S. Van Dyke to helm the lark, and Robert Riskin and Dwight Taylor’s script compensates with an extra helping of humor, only some of which inspires frivolous feelings. The entire impetus of the entry is spelled out in a clunky kitchen scene between Loy and mother-in-law Watson; after that, it’s just killing time until that matter is resolved. Periodic funny scenes keep the whole affair afloat, but it feels much longer than it actually is, and the “colorful” support is on the wan side (except for DeHaven’s drama enthusiast Laurabell, who’s a lot to deal with). Only Powell’s comfort in the character keeps Nick Charles a recognizable Dashiell Hammett sleuth (he’s drinking cider now…cider!), but if you ever wanted to see those sophisticated ex-lushes bumping elbows with goats… Highlights include an enthusiastic dancing sailor, Loy casually starting a pool hall brawl, and one of the few genuine surprises across all the sequels. The only feature film that Loy made while America was at war, as she had devoted herself to Red Cross service for years. Followed by Song of the Thin Man.

58/100