The sparkling series featured the irresistible William Powell and Myrna Loy as husband and wife sleuths who solved murders with the aid of their wire-haired terrier, Asta. Set in the glamorous world of 1930s and 40s upper-class Manhattan, The Thin Man and its sequels established a timeless standard for witty comedy, clever dialogue and urbane one upmanship. The 6-Disc set includes THE THIN MAN, AFTER THE THIN MAN, ANOTHER THIN MAN, SHADOW OF THE THIN MAN, SONG OF THE THIN MAN, THE THIN MAN GOES HOME. Each film has been meticulously remastered and restored for Blu-ray, from 4K scans of the best surviving elements. Additionally, the collection contains vintage short subjects and animated cartoons to help re-create the way these films were first presented in theaters upon their release. It’s an essential collection of screen classics that belong in every serious film lover’s library.

This set gathers all six previously released individual Blu-Ray releases from the Thin Man series. For previous thoughts on the franchise, check out our reviews of After The Thin Man, Another Thin Man, Shadow of the Thin Man, The Thin Man Goes Home, and Song of the Thin Man.

Video Quality

Full thoughts on the video assessment of each release can be found at the links above. The assessment for the final film in the series can be found below.

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

Full thoughts on the audio assessment of each release can be found at the links above. The assessment for the final film in the series can be found below.

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

The Thin Man

The Thin Man TV Series – Scene of the Crime (10/24/1958): The 26-minute second season premiere of the television adaptation featuring Peter Lawford and Phyllis Kirk in lead roles of Nick and Nora Charles.

Lux Radio Theater Radio Broadcast (6/8/1936): A 58-minute radio broadcast of the material featuring William Powell and Myrna Loy reprising their roles.

Theatrical Trailer: The inventive three-minute trailer is provided here.

After The Thin Man

“How To Be A Detective” with Robert Benchley: A nine-minute short from director Felix E. Feist made in 1936 in which Benchley gives a quick humorous lesson on how best to catch a criminal. This is a fun addition to the package that you probably would not have been able to find anywhere else.

“The Early Bird and the Worm”: A nine-minute Happy Harmonies cartoon in which a happy little bluebird tries to get a precious little musical worm. Not hilarious but charming.

Lux Radio Theater Broadcast (6/17/1940) with Powell & Loy: An hour-long radio broadcast of After The Thin Man in which Powell & Loy reprise their roles that offers a condensed version of the story. This is a very entertaining listen for fans of the pair.

Leo Is On the Air Radio Promo: A nearly fifteen-minute MGM radio piece that offers some snippets of musical numbers and information about After The Thin Man. This is an interesting bit of history.

Theatrical Trailer: A three-minute trailer for the film that plays up the love of the original The Thin Man while teasing new and interesting adventures.

Another Thin Man

MGM Musical Short – Love on Tap: An 11-minute short film directed by George Sidney (Show Boat) in which a man tries to woo the manager of a dance troupe. This is mostly a showcase for some talented dancers, but it is pretty fun.

Classic MGM Cartoon – The Bookworm: An eight-minute Friz Freleng and Hugh Harman animated short in which a kindly worm tries to avoid being the key ingredient in a spell being conjured by a coven of witches. Another fun addition to the disc.

Theatrical Trailer: A two-and-a-half minute trailer that plays up the historic return of the couple to the silver screen.

Shadow Of The Thin Man

The Tell-Tale Heart: A 20-minute vintage 1941 short from Jules Dassin which adapts the classic Edgar Allan Poe story. This is an entertaining version of the story that is quite effective.

The Goose Goes South: A six-minute Hanna/Barbera short that concerns the one goose who does not fly south for the winter and the adventures he gets into trying to get there by alternative means. This is a fun bit of business.

Theatrical Trailer: The three-minute trailer for the film is provided here.

The Thin Man Goes Home

Robert Benchley Comedy Short – Why Daddy?: A nine-minute short film in which a man attempts to participate in a quiz show against a child to less than stellar results.

Classic Cartoon – Screwball Squirrel: A nearly eight-minute Tex Avery animated short is provided here which can also be found on the Tex Avery Screwball Collection: Volume One.

Theatrical Trailer: A two-minute trailer is provided here

Song Of The Thin Man

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 amusing 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

The Thin Man series is one of the most entertaining collection of movies to emerge from the Golden Age of Hollywood. While there are moments that do not quite sustain the creative heights established by the early entries, there is an overall high level of quality. Nick and Nora are always a delightful sight with a sizzling chemistry over these six films. The cases are always engaging, but the truth is we 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 collection featuring a 5-star A/V presentation and fun special features. If you are a fan of the series, now is the time to make it a permanent part of your collection. Essential

The Complete Thin Man Collection can be purchased directly through MovieZyng 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.