I've always liked ANOTHER THIN MAN. I never quite understood what made it different than the other THIN MAN FILMS until I read some of the other reviews listed here at IMDB.com. I guess it, as some have described, is darker film or perhaps grittier would be a better word. Anyway, the next three THIN MAN sequels all followed a very basic formula. All that changes were the names and faces but the people were all the same. Those three films were, in my opinion, targeted at the current fans. No doubt the fan base was large and guaranteed a good return at the box office. However, the love bickering that went on between Nick and Nora was no longer fresh. The plots all followed the same formula and even Asta the dog was no longer as amusing as he first was. In general all the other sequels followed the time old Hollywood tradition of redressing the same old story to lure fans back to the theater and wring some more money out of them.
ANOTHER THIN MAN did seem to leave some of the overt comedy behind and focused on plot a little bit more. I didn't notice as big a change in the formulas as others have but it is clear that VanDyke was trying to approach the film from a different angle. As this was only the second sequel to the original THIN MAN the view, if he/she watches all six films in the order they were made, may not notice some of characteristic plot devices. More than anything else I think this is the last THIN MAN film that showed Nick and Nora's playful bickering and loving digs at each other and it still seemed believable to the viewers. By the fourth film it no longer seemed genuine or practical. Instead of falling into the dull married routine in later films Nick and Nora still playfully feel each other out and take pleasure in pushing each others buttons. To me this didn't seem that realistic for an old married couple but it was still fresh in ANOTHER THIN MAN.
This film should appeal to all THIN MAN fans as well as the more casual viewer. If this is the first film you've seen of the THIN MAN movies I suggest watching THE THIN MAN and AFTER THE THIN MAN before watching any of the other THIN MAN films.
ANOTHER THIN MAN did seem to leave some of the overt comedy behind and focused on plot a little bit more. I didn't notice as big a change in the formulas as others have but it is clear that VanDyke was trying to approach the film from a different angle. As this was only the second sequel to the original THIN MAN the view, if he/she watches all six films in the order they were made, may not notice some of characteristic plot devices. More than anything else I think this is the last THIN MAN film that showed Nick and Nora's playful bickering and loving digs at each other and it still seemed believable to the viewers. By the fourth film it no longer seemed genuine or practical. Instead of falling into the dull married routine in later films Nick and Nora still playfully feel each other out and take pleasure in pushing each others buttons. To me this didn't seem that realistic for an old married couple but it was still fresh in ANOTHER THIN MAN.
This film should appeal to all THIN MAN fans as well as the more casual viewer. If this is the first film you've seen of the THIN MAN movies I suggest watching THE THIN MAN and AFTER THE THIN MAN before watching any of the other THIN MAN films.