Review of The Thin Man Goes Home

In a far more interesting premise than the usual Thin Man movies, this sixth installment is probably my favorite. William Powell and Myrna Loy return to his hometown to celebrate his birthday. They're strictly on vacation and not interested in solving any murder cases. Bill's parents are played by Lucile Watson and the disapproving Harry Davenport. Harry has never been proud of his son, and Myrna thinks if he shows his intelligence by solving a crime, it'll mend the father-son rift. Myrna gets annoyed by his apathetic attitude after she repeatedly tries to get him involved in cracking a murder case. "Something has got to be done!" she exclaims, and when he wraps his arms around her, she slaps him away. "Not that." Bill throws up his hands. "Not even on my birthday?" The Charleses are just adorable, and even when he placates her or she goes behind his back, they still have great banter and lots of love. In another cute scene, Myrna sees Bill in a sweatsuit relaxing on a hammock outside and as she struggles to put together a folding chair so she can sit beside him, he halfheartedly offers to help. "Oh no," she says flatly. "You might get all sweaty and die."

In the supporting cast, you'll see lots of familiar faces, each with their own unique character who adds quirk to the small town. Leon Ames and his wife Helen Vinson are crooks trying to get their hands on a painting with a secret, Donald Meek is an overwhelmed art gallery owner, Anne Revere plays the strange loner "Crazy Mary", Glora deHaven is a dramatic student with flair, and Edward Brophy is a former crook turned devoted sidekick. If you're going to watch only one of the Thin Man movies, I'd recommend this one. Only devoted fans will enjoy the entire series.