DOPO L'UOMO OMBRA
AFTER THE THIN MAN
(1936)
Un cugino della moglie del celebre detective scompare. Le indagini fanno scoprire un retroscena di gozzoviglie nella vita dello sciagurato fatto fuori prima della sua fuga. Chi è stato? 2° film della serie L'uomo ombra, ispirata al romanzo di Dashiell Hammett. Un po' prolisso, ma ricco di garbo e arguzia come il primo. Nomination all'Oscar per la sceneggiatura, grazie specialmente ai dialoghi scintillanti di Francis Goodrich e Albert Hackett. 3/4 di commedia, 1/4 di giallo. Seguito da Si riparla dell'uomo ombra.
Note
I film della serie sono: (1) L'uomo ombra (The thin man, 1934), (2) Dopo l'uomo ombra (After the Thin Man, 1936), (3) Si riparla dell'uomo ombra (Another Thin Man, 1939), (4) L'ombra dell'uomo ombra (Shadow of the Thin Man, 1941), diretti ancora da Van Dyke, (5) L'uomo ombra torna a casa (The Thin Man Goes Home, 1944) di Richard Thorpe, e (6) Il canto dell'uomo ombra (Song of the Thin Man, 1947) per la regia di Edward Buzzell. E' in lavorazione un remake del film diretto da Rob Marshall e il ruolo del protagonista sarà interpretato da Johnny Depp.
English
After the Thin Man is a 1936 American film, starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, and James Stewart, that is the sequel to the film The Thin Man. The movie presents Powell and Loy as Dashiell Hammett's characters Nick and Nora Charles. The film was directed by W. S. Van Dyke and also featured Elissa Landi, Joseph Calleia, Jessie Ralph, Alan Marshall, and Penny Singleton.
Nick and Nora Charles return from vacation to their home in San Francisco on New Year's Eve, where Nora's stuffy family expect the couple to join them for a formal dinner. Nick is despised by Nora's Aunt Katherine, the family matriarch, as his immigrant heritage and experience as a "flat foot" are considered below Nora. The true reason for their invitation is that Nora's cousin Selma's ne'er-do-well husband Robert has been missing. Nick is coerced into a little quiet detective work for the family.
They easily find Robert at a Chinese nightclub, where he's been conducting an affair with Polly, the star performer. Robert tries to extort money from Selma's unrequited love, David Graham (James Stewart): $25,000 and Robert will leave Selma alone permanently. Unknown to Robert, Polly and the nightclub's owner, Dancer, plan to grift the money and dispose of him. After being paid off, and returning home for some clothes, Robert is shot at the stroke of midnight. David finds Selma standing over Robert and hurriedly disposes of her gun. Despite this, the police determine that she's the prime suspect, and her fragile mental state only strengthens the case. Selma insists that she never fired her gun, and Nick is now obliged to investigate and determine the true murderer.
As suspects pile up, schemes and double-crosses are found and two more murders occur, including Polly's brutal brother. Lt. Abrams (Sam Levene, making his series debut) readily accepts Nick's assistance. Nick follows a trail of clues that lead him to the apartment of a mysterious "Anderson". As in the previous film, the true murderer is the least likely suspect, betrayed by a trivial slip-up during a final interrogation and denouement featuring all the suspects. The case solved, and once again, traveling by train, Nora reveals to Nick that they are expecting a baby, although Nick has to be prodded into putting the "clues" together and she comments: "A fine detective you are." He hugs the new "Mommy".
The film's story was written by Dashiell Hammett, based on his characters Nick and Nora, but not a particular novel or short story. Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich wrote the screenplay.
Dopo l'uomo ombra
William Powell e Myrna Loy in After the Thin
Titolo originale After the Thin Man
Paese Stati Uniti
Anno 1936
Durata 107 min
Colore B/N
Audio Sonoro
Genere Commedia / poliziesco
Regia W.S. Van Dyke
Soggetto Dashiell Hammett
Sceneggiatura Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich
Fotografia Oliver T. Marsh
Montaggio Robert Kern
Musiche Herbert Stothart, Edward Ward
Interpreti e personaggi
* William Powell: Nick Charles
* Myrna Loy: Nora
* James Stewart:David
* Elissa Landi: Selma
* Joseph Calleia: danzatore
* Jessie Ralph: zia Katherine
* Alan Marshal: Robert
* Dorothy McNulty: Polly
* Richard Cramer: gelataio
* Baldwin Cooke: fotografo
DATI TECNICI
DVD5
Dimensione: 4,36Gt
Lingue: Eng - Fra - Ita
Sottotitoli: Ita-Eng-Fra-Ned
Regione: 2 PAL
Durata: 1H47min
Extra: Si
Risoluzione: 4:3 - 720x576
DVD DOLBI DIGITAL
