Song of the Thin Man

In this sixth and final Thin Man film, the party is over. None of the fun of the series’ early films remains. We could always count on Nick and Nora to gracefully navigate the mysteries that fell in their laps with wit and aplomb (and of course a healthy dose of liquor). Above all else, it was their surefootedness and levity that made them endearing. Song of the Thin Man abandons these traits, setting them against the unlikely duo of domesticity and hipsters, portraying them as stern parents and aging squares. William Powell and Myrna Loy both look tired and uninterested throughout the film, and their charm dries up pretty quickly. The mystery is standard-fare, but compared to previous outings, the approach is humorless, and the ending is the least climactic of any of the films in the series. This one is for completists only.