Song of the Thin Man
| Song of the Thin Man | |
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Theatrical Film Poster
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| Directed by | Edward Buzzell |
| Produced by | Nat Perrin |
| Written by |
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| Screenplay by |
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| Story by | Stanley Roberts |
| Starring | |
| Music by | David Snell |
| Cinematography | Charles Rosher |
| Edited by | Gene Ruggiero |
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Production
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| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
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Release date
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Running time
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86 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,670,000 |
| Box office | $2,305,000 |
Song of the Thin Man is a 1947 comedy-crime film directed by Edward Buzzell, the last of the six Thin Man films. Like the others, it stars William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, characters created by Dashiell Hammett. Nick Jr. is played by . Patricia Morison, Keenan Wynn, Gloria Grahame and Jayne Meadows are featured in this story set in the world of nightclub musicians.
A charity benefit sponsored by David Thayer is staged aboard the S.S. Fortune, Phil Brant's gambling ship. The entertainment is provided by a jazz band led by Tommy Drake and featuring singer Fran Page and talented but unstable clarinetist Buddy Hollis.
After a set, Drake informs a displeased Brant that he is quitting, having gotten a much better booking through Mitchell Talbin. However, Drake has a problem; he owes gangster Al Amboy $12,000. When Amboy (who is at the party) hears the news, he demands full payment that very night. Drake begs Talbin to give him an advance, but Talbin is unwilling to part with such a large sum. In desperation, Drake sneaks into Brant's office and opens the safe. However, he is shot from behind and killed.
Brant and socialite Janet Thayer elope, since her father David disapproves of Brant's lower-class background. The next morning, they show up at Nick and Nora Charles's apartment, having learned that Brant is the prime suspect in the murder. When a bullet narrowly misses Brant, Nick turns him in to the police, having decided it is safer for all concerned. Then Nick starts investigating.
Sneaking aboard the Fortune, Nick discovers on the back side of a sheet of music a receipt signed by Amboy acknowledging that Drake's debt had been paid. Nick then runs into Drake's band, allowed back on board to collect their instruments. When he questions them, he learns that the bandleader had many enemies, among them Buddy Hollis. Musician Clarence "Clinker" Krause agrees to help Nick track Buddy down, but they have no luck.
Nick and Nora visit a hostile Janet. The bullet that killed Drake likely came from an antique gun, and Nick knows Janet's father is an avid collector. Sure enough, he finds one gun missing from Mr. Thayer's collection. Janet leaves after getting a telephone call. Nick and Nora follow her to Fran's apartment. There they find Fran's body; she was stabbed in the back very recently. Janet claims Fran called to sell her some information, but that she got there after Fran was killed.
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Wikipedia