At a charity gambling benefit aboard the S.S. Fortune, the tables are hot, the jazz is hotter and before you know it, a bandleader’s body is growing cold. They’re playing your song, Nick and Nora Charles! William Powell and Myrna Loy return for the sixth and final time as the married sleuths, rousting suspects out of bed for 4 a.m. interrogations while trying to fathom the bebop argot of ‘40s jazz jive. Speaking of their renowned screen chemistry, Loy once said, “It wasn’t a conscious thing. If you heard us talking in a room, you’d hear the same thing. He’d tease me, and there was a sort of blending which seemed to please people.” Decades later, people are still pleased. The melody of Song of the Thin Man and the entire beloved series lingers on.
For thoughts on Song Of The Thin Man, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic here.
Video Quality
Song Of The Thin Man makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Warner Archive with a brand new 1080p master from a 4K scan of the best surviving preservation elements. This final film sends the series out on a high note by offering another standout presentation. The new transfer shows off a great amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s varied production design which features apartment interiors and nightclub settings. There is a fantastic amount of detail present with nice textures on the clothing. The contrast is well defined, and there is virtually no print damage to be found. The stunning black-and-white photography shot by Charles Rosher sparkles in high definition with natural grain intact. Black levels are very deep with no trace of black crush or compression artifacts. Warner Archive has treated the entire series with the respect it deserves.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a charming DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that serves this movie perfectly well. This track shows no discernible age related wear and tear. The warmth and breezy nature of the David Snell score sounds as lovely as ever here. Despite the strength of the music, nothing ever overpowers the dialogue or other important information. Dialogue and background noises are represented in perfect harmony with all competing elements. There are also optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film. Warner Archive has matched the stunning achievement of the video with the audio.
Special Features
- Passing Parade Short – A Really Important Person: An 11-minute short from 1947 is presented here in standard definition and features a young Billy Reilly (Dean Stockwell) searching to find a subject worthy of being featured in his school report. This is an entertaining enough bit of entertainment.
- Classic Cartoon – Slap Happy Lion: A nearly eight-minute hilarious Tex Avery cartoon is presented here in glorious HD, as it can also be found on the Tex Avery Screwball Classics: Volume Three.
- Theatrical Trailer: The three-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Song Of The Thin Man finds the series closing out with a whimper more than a bang, but this is relative to the overall high quality that the series provided over six films. Nick and Nora are still a delightful sight, but the sizzle of their chemistry has faded somewhat over these six films. The case itself is fairly entertaining, and Nick continues to have a colorful assortment of associates, but the formula feels a bit repetitive. Nevertheless, I could watch Myrna Loy and William Powell discuss the weather for an hour and still feel it was time well spent. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a standout A/V presentation and a couple fun special features. If you are a fan of the series, there is no reason not to round out your collection with this top-shelf release. Recommended
Song Of The Thin Man can be purchased directly through the Warner Archive Amazon Store or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
