Metro made this diverting knock-off of its own Thin Man series, about a married couple who work in rare books but dabble in murder investigation. Melvyn Douglas is less fleetfooted than William Powell, and Florence Rice just an ersatz Myrna Loy, but they’re both appealing enough, and have nice chemistry. The suspect that the pair are trying to clear is unfortunately an unpleasant little freak, and the script is variable, but the laughs it holds are surprisingly big, and Claire Dodd has fun as a sultry secretary with a secret or five. Followed by two sequels the following year, each with recast leads.
