At the Capitol
After a two-year sabbatical the Nick Charleses are back in town again with "The Shadow of the Thin Man," which is currently stopping at the Capitol. And the news this morning is that they are still the same merrily married couple, that they are still at home to such motley folk as Rainbow Benny, Spider Webb and Meat Balls Murphy, and that William Powell—Nick, none other—still drinks cocktails with an obvious zest that must be worth millions in advertising to the liquor industry. But delightful people that they are, there is a slight change coming over the Charleses, increasingly noticeable in their visits since "The Thin Mar" first appeared in 1934. Nick Jr. is growing to be a big boy now and there isn't quite the same old flashing give and take between mamma and papa. The Charleses, we're afraid, are settling down.
Think, for instance, of how long it takes Nick to take over the reins in that Stephens-Macy race track scandal despite the fact that there is always a murder around the corner. It isn't until after a newspaper buddy is about to take the rap for the second death that Nick begins to display some of the old dash. After that the wheels begin to move. Around the dubious demise of the frightened jockey and the killing of Whitey the blackmailer Nick sets his bait to be sniffed by all sorts of unpretty people—a blond lady with a spurious accent and several sources of support, a neurotic little killer, a couple of snarling gangsters, suave gents and race-track touts.
Don't ask us who the villain is. That's Nick's story and only his silken mental processes could have pieced it together. But there are some exciting moments before the final showdown—especially when Nick leaves his offspring (who's a bore anyway) at home and prowls around the deserted stables, the corridors of a boxing arena, and dowdy boarding houses, always adding a new piece to the jig-saw puzzle. Myrna Loy is still practically perfect as his adoring and indulgent helpmate, and as some of the strange folk he meets in his travels, Stella Adler, Alan Baxter, Sam Levene and Lou Lubin all give excellent performances. In short, the Charleses and friends are choice company still, but some of their former reckless joie de vivre is gone.
NY Times, November 21, 1941
http://rapidshare.com/files/178878494/Shadow_of_the_Thin_Man__1941_.DAT.001
http://rapidshare.com/files/178880477/Shadow_of_the_Thin_Man__1941_.DAT.002
http://rapidshare.com/files/178882021/Shadow_of_the_Thin_Man__1941_.DAT.003
http://rapidshare.com/files/178883871/Shadow_of_the_Thin_Man__1941_.DAT.004
http://rapidshare.com/files/178885501/Shadow_of_the_Thin_Man__1941_.DAT.005
http://rapidshare.com/files/178886924/Shadow_of_the_Thin_Man__1941_.DAT.006
http://rapidshare.com/files/178888123/Shadow_of_the_Thin_Man__1941_.DAT.007
no pass
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