After the Thin Man, 1936

Set immediately after the Christmastime events of “The Thin Man,” “After the Thin Man” finds Nick (William Powell) and Nora (Myrna Loy) speeding to San Francisco to spend the New Year’s holiday with her family. Between Aunt Katherine’s teetotaling reprimands to Nick, and Cousin Selma’s missing husband, “After the Thin Man” taps into the familiarly fraught dynamic of holiday get-togethers, but with an added dash of dangerous mystery and plenty of New Year’s glamor.  

Holiday, 1938

As with many other films that deal with New Year’s, “Holiday” involves Christmas as well; however, it is for the primary purpose of setting the scene for a New Year’s Eve engagement party. Johnny Case, played with earnest charm by a young Cary Grant, is eager to marry his love and see the world. He discovers though, that she is more intent on security and social standing than adventuring together. What we choose to prioritize and who we want to be, are points pivotal to the film’s resolution, making it perfectly suited for New Year’s Eve viewing. 

An Affair to Remember, 1957

Though bracketed by Christmas scenes, it is a New Year’s resolution that provides the impetus for “An Affair to Remember.” Playboy Nicky Ferrante (Cary Grant) and singer Terry McKay (Deborah Kerr), after a romantic encounter on a cruise, promise to meet each other in six months, after having proved their intent and independence. However, their ambitions take a dramatic turn, leading to a touching climax that ultimately renews the value of a fateful New Year’s Eve promise. Full of questions of character and life events, “An Affair to Remember” is an apt study in both indulgence and commitment.