Song Of The Thin Man (1947)

At a charity event aboard a gambling ship, a band leader (Phillip Reed) is shot to death. When the new bridegroom (Bruce Cowling) of a family friend (Jayne Meadows) is accused of the murder, detective Nick Charles (William Powell) investigates the killing. The last entry of THE THIN MAN series, this is a rather lackluster effort. Naturally, the pleasure of seeing Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles again goes a long way in making this a highly watchable brew but one can't help but be disappointed that the film lacks the sparkle of (most of) the previous entries in the franchise. The abundant murder suspects aren't an interesting lot and frankly, neither is the mundane murder. The less said about the PERRY MASON finale (the accused stands up and readily confesses) the better. I don't mean to be too hard on it because, as I said, it's rather enjoyable. Directed by Edward Buzzell (NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER). Among the murder suspects: Gloria Grahame, Keenan Wynn, Marie Windsor, Leon Ames, Patricia Morison, Don Taylor, Ralph Morgan, William Hudson and with Dean Stockwell as young Nick Jr., Warner Anderson, Connie Gilchrist and Bess Flowers who actually has a few lines here as Meadows' mother.