GRADE: A

“After the Thin Man” is the well-mounted sequel to 1934’s groundbreaking, box-office sensation, “The Thin Man,” which established a new level of adult sophistication and brought to life the screen’s most famous sleuthing couple, Nick and Nora Charles.

Those new standards include the depiction of a truly modern, married female character not tied to a child or the confines of the home, a woman who can think for herself and act independently without being a femme fatal; the relaxed use of colloquial dialogue, appropriately applied and spoken by well-educated adults; the recreational use of alcohol, casually consumed strictly for enjoyment and devoid of social stigma; public displays of affection between husband and wife in a titillating fashion that is authentic and believable; and the formalization of the sequel structure, a format that connects the narratives rather than serializing them by merely reprising the characters.

In this glorious second entry, which picks up exactly where “The Thin Man” left off, Nick and Nora (William Powell and Myrna Loy), with their dog, Asta, in tow, are headed by train back to San Francisco to celebrate New Year’s Eve after spending Christmas in New York.

Upon their arrival, in a typically fanciful Nick and Nora set piece, they’re confronted with a wild News Year’s Eve party being thrown at their own home, a scene reminiscent of the Christmas party in the first film. Later that night they escape to a cocktail lounge where they’re reunited with Nick’s niece and her new husband. A short time later, the husband vanishes and Nick, reluctantly and (as usual) at Nora’s urging, becomes involved in the case.

“After the Thin Man” again features the witty and sparkling prose of screenwriters Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, whose dialogue epitomizes Depression-era chic and the laissez-fare attitude of the times. It also features a fine early performance from James Stewart and introduces a new character, Police Lieutenant Abrams, into the mix, deftly played by Sam Levene, who would reprise his role in the fourth film of the series.

The action isn’t quite as fast or compact as in the first film, but “After the Thin Man” contains all the hallmarks of what would go on to become the most successful series of feature films ever created until the “Star Wars” saga captured that title.

If, by chance, there’s still anyone out there who hasn’t managed to experience the outright pleasure of watching “The Thin Man,” please stop reading and go directly to your library or local video store so you can rectify this serious cinematic oversight! Once you have, you’ll not only be keen on watching “After the Thin Man,” but the entire six film “Thin Man” collection—films that continue to rank among Hollywood’s most creative and entertaining achievements.

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