The Thin Man (1934)

The Thin Man (1934) – Retired detective Nick Charles and his heiress wife Nora find their life of frivolity and fun interrupted by the disappearance of an old client.  That’s followed by a series of murders.  The socialite couple leaps into the fray with drink held high and a series of quips on their lips.

Directed by W.S. Van Dyke                              Starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, Maureen                                                                                                            O’Sullivan

Sometimes a movie studio just gets lucky.  This movie was originally envisioned as a “B-movie”, one intended as a supporting picture for the big name, back in the days when a single admission got you several movies plus features.  What they got was a surprise hit that led to a series of classic comedies.  The chemistry between Powell and Loy as Nick and Nora was perfect from the first moment.

The original story was by the great Dashiell Hammett.  It was the last novel he wrote. You can see the bones of a classic detective story here.  For the movie, the screenwriters play up the Nick and Nora angle and leave some of the grittier parts of the original behind.  What you get is a cross between a madcap comedy and a noir detective tale.  At the center of it all is the wit and timing of Powell and Loy.

This film was pivotal for Loy’s career.  She had worked with Powell earlier on “Manhattan Melodrama”, but had done mostly smaller character roles prior to this, but by 1938 she was named, along with Clark Gable, the “King and Queen of Hollywood”.  Powell was already a star.  After “The Thin Man”, he and Loy would work together twelve more times. Maureen O’Sullivan had made the movie that would make her famous two years before, appearing as Jane in “Tarzan, the Ape Man” opposite Johnny Weismuller.

What you end up with is a movie that is a bouncy, witty riff on the detective flick.  It’s great fun to watch two actors really enjoy working together.  The kind of easy, breezy interplay you see between the two stars can not be faked.  Hardly any wonder that it has retained an audience as long as it has.  The dialogue holds up astoundingly well.

What You Will Like About It – Nick and Nora.

Rating – **** Recommended