The Thin Man

Plot synopsis:
Famous New York detective Nick Charles met and fell in love with Nora, an heiress from an old upper-class family, decided to quit his job, moved to San Francisco and started a life of merriment, childish pranks and non-stop drinking.For one of their vacations, Nick took Nora back to New York to visit old friends, just in time to get tangled up as old friend Clyde Wynant (a thin middle-aged businessman) was discovered to be missing - thus suspected of murdering girlfriend Julia Wolf and kidnapping ex-wife Mimi's new husband Chris Jorgenson.Very much in love with his wife and having immense fun with the newfound leisure life, Nick had no intention of playing the detective. Unfortunately, everyone thought otherwise. After being chased around by reporters, shot at by a gangster (Joe Morelli), constantly harrassed by Wynant's family, and incessantly ridiculed by Nora, Nick finally decided to pick up his detective hat again - just so that people would leave him alone!Adopting the manner of a happy-go-lightly drunk, Nick found out that no one had seen Clyde for over 3 months. His lawyer MacCaulay would receive phone calls instructing him to give large sums of money to Julia, who claimed that she saw him often and was acting on his orders. But Julia was suspected to be not only cheating on Clyde, but also stealing from him, for gangster boyfriend Joe Morelli.And the Wynant family was as happy as Nick last left them. Clyde's affair with Julia gave wife Mimi good grounds for divorce and endless opportunities to pester him for money; even after her marriage to Chris Jorgenson, a penniless man living off his wife and her ex-husband's money. Clyde's son Gilbert was an eccentric bookworm, with little thoughts for his own family. His daughter Dorothy was close to him, and engaged to be married to Tommy. Dorothy was having a secret struggle with Mimi and was the first Wynant to come and ask for Nick's help.Mimi had gone to see Julia on the day she died, and was the first to find her dead. Mimi recognised the watch chain Julia held in her hand to be Clyde's, and was keeping it to blackmail him. Knowing that Mimi was devoted to Chris, Nick used Chris' disappearance and coerced her into giving up the watch chain.Lacking conclusive evidence to prove his theory, Nick pretended to take his terrier Asta for an evening walk and sneaked into Clyde's shop. He caught the bookkeeper Tanner, an ex-con once arrested by him, sneaking into the store. But Asta caught something better - a dead body buried beneath the store floor.Based on the clothes worn by the skeleton, the police deducted that the skeleton was a fat man by the name of Rosengreen, known adversary of Clyde's, and released the findings to the reporters.Now that all the suspects had let down their guard, Nick put on the real show. He hosted a dinner party, where all the guests were "escorted" by police cars and half of the waiters were police officers. So arrived the distressed guests: the Wynant family and Tommy, Jorgenson and the real Mrs. Jorgenson, Joe Morelli and girlfriend Marion, Tanner, and MacCaulay.Over dinner, and his signature never-empty cocktail glasses, Nick revealed that the skeleton was Clyde, the murderer had purposedly dressed the dead body in large size clothing to fool the police. The murderer then conspired with Julia to steal all of Wynant's money.Everything was going well until Mimi decided to go see Julia, about how the two of them working together to squeeze Clyde for more money. Worried that Julia may double-cross him, the murderer killed Julia and coerced Mimi into giving fake testimonies about having met Clyde, in exchange for all the money she can ask for.Nick pointed out to Mimi that as Jorgenson was after her money and didn't legally divorce the first Mrs. Jorgenson, her marriage to Jorgenson was not valid; therefore, she was no longer excluded from Clyde's will. Seeing that she could gain more money by telling the truth, Mimi was about to give out all secrets when a shot was fired - by MacCaulay.Freed from the nightmare of being a murderer's daughter, Dorothy married Tommy and the two headed off to their honeymoon. Nick, Nora and Asta also left on the same train - back to their peaceful, idle life in San Francisco.

Tags: comedy, mystery, psychedelic, murder

Review:
When Julia turns up murdered, Wynant is the obvious suspect, but nobody can find him.Enter Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy), a detective and heiress, just recently married, and clearly very much in love.
W.S. Van Dyke's 1934 film "The Thin Man" stars Myrna Loy and William Powell as Nora and Nick Charles, upper class sleuths who unwittingly become caught up in the case of a missing friend and former client.
Throughout the investigation, Nick and Nora rarely are without a drink in their hands, are forever trading bons mots and getting themselves into comical situations; they even get their terrier Asta in on their investigation."The Thin Man" is a great detective story that is enhanced by its classiness and humor.
This comic murder mystery introduced the world to one of the most perfect screen matches I know, the incomparable duo William Powell and Myrna Loy. Shot by Woody "one shot" van Dyke in just twelve days with many of the first takes used in the film, it still comes across as wonderfully fresh.
The story revolves around William Powell as detective Nick Charles, who tries to crack the case of a missing scientist, together with his wife Nora (Myrna Loy).
'Do you know anything about the case?' 'Yes, it's putting me way behind in my drinking.' A stellar supporting cast, a witty script with wonderful dialog, style and class to spare, and most importantly, the one of a kind chemistry between Powell and Loy all contribute to the enjoyment of this film.
and sometimes they achieve brilliance.In what might have otherwise been a sort of mediocre movie, Bill Powell and Myrna Loy breath a phenomenal life into the roles of Nick and Nora Charles, a rich woman and her dandyish (but dangerous) lush of a detective husband.
However, the intricate plot, the couple's clever dialogue, and their chemistry draw you in and make their world even seem somewhat normal.The Thin Man refers to Clyde Wynant, a somewhat absent-minded inventor, the chief suspect in what turns out to be three murders, and someone who only actually appears in the first 15 minutes of the film, never to be seen afterwards.The Charles' get caught up in the mystery of Wynant's disappearance because his daughter Dorothy (Maureen O'Sullivan) is an old friend of Nick's and asks Nick for his help.
Nick initially has no interest in continuing his former occupation of detective - he is much more interested in having a good time - until a series of circumstances and his own wife's urging draw him into the mystery and back into his role as private detective.The film is full of unsavory yet interesting characters.
The constantly semi-inebriated Nick Charles has no problem running circles around them and turns out to be both brave and brilliant in his role as sleuth.I recommend this film to anyone who likes a good murder mystery laced with a bit of dark comedy..
The interplay between Powell & Loy comes off very natural, as if they WERE married.Nick is a lovable lush with a sharp mind and Nora is rich beyond imagination, with a freshness and innocence not found in today's movie characters.
A twist in the plot could have made any one of the suspects the guilty party.The Thin Man was nominated for Best Picture and Oscar nominations were given out to William Powell, director Woody Van Dyke, and screenwriters Goodrich and Hackett for adapting Dashiell Hammett's original story.
Never mind trying to follow plot, instead follow the banter between Nick and Nora Charles, as portrayed by William Powell and Myrna Loy in this delightful comic mystery.
This seventy year old film still holds up well today and the reason is that the screenwriters knew how to write dialogue and character and were not dependent on action sequences to fill in the blanks like so many of today's screenwriters and directors, who are too busy chasing the big dollar to make a movie that is going to stand up over time.
Settling myself down to watch 'The Thin Man,' W.S. Van Dyke's highly-suspenseful, hard-boiled detective film, based on Dashiell Hammett's mystery novel of the same name, I had no idea that the film would be a remarkably well-written comedy, with the murders themselves taking second tier to the witty banter of Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy).
Hilariously scripted, with flawless acting from all involved, 'The Thin Man' is one of the most refreshingly funny films I have seen in a very, very long time.Nick is a retired detective, but he is purported to have been one of the best.
Powell was always at his best when playing opposite a strong leading lady -- i.e., Rosalind Russell, Carole Lombard, Irene Dunne -- yet he was never better than when paired with Myrna Loy as Nora in the six "Thin Man" films.
Come celebrate the end of prohibition with William Powell and Myrna Loy as the high society and wise-cracking Nick and Nora Charles.
William Axt scores the music and James Wong Howe is the cinematographer.Plot finds Powell and Loy as married couple, Nick and Nora Charles, he is a retired detective, she a good time heiress.
Watch out Fred and Ginger, Hepburn and Tracy, Bonnie and Clyde, because Nick and Nora (or should I say Powell and Loy) are hot on your tails as all-time great screen couple."The Thin Man" was the first film to team up William Powell and Myrna Loy as famed sleuthing team, not to mention husband and wife, Nick and Nora Charles.
Her appearance in this is as close as any film maker ever came to taking full advantage of her sex appeal, cuteness and comedic flair, but even at that she too often takes a back seat to Powell.And of course special mention must be made of Asta, giving one of the best performances ever delivered by a canine in a motion picture.The later films in the "Thin Man" series weren't ever able to recapture the magic of this first installment, but that would be a difficult feat for any movie.Grade: A+.
A good script, a great cast that actually works well together, and the very likable couple Nick and Nora Charles makes this film one of the best ever made.
However, the true magic of the film is the relationship between Nick and Nora (with good help from the police lieutenant Guild and the Charles' dog Asta), their witty comments, their (especially his) inebriated observations and their love of adventure makes them the couple you'd just want to invite again and again..
"One Take Woody" Van Dyke smooth and focused, and the twenties going on the thirties (but not really) atmosphere was authentic with the rich holding lavish dinner parties and drinking way too much, especially Nick Charles (Powell) who complained that sleuthing caused him to get behind in his drinking.The witty dialogue comes first from Dashiell Hammett's novel and then from Albert Hackett who adapted the script.
The script is sharp and clever; the cinematography by James Wong Howe anticipates later film noir by mixing glossy black and white beauty with an underlying grittiness; W.S. Van Dyke's direction is fast paced and never allows your attention to wander; the supporting cast is remarkably fine; and the production values offer MGM at the height of its considerable powers.All of this would be enough to make THE THIN MAN memorable, but what really elevates it into a rarefied atmosphere is the chemistry between leads William Powell and Myrna Loy, who handle their lines like sparkling rapiers, playing a combination of dry wit and unexpectedly silliness in high relief against a remarkably dark tale of multiple murder.
They are nicely supported by an army of bit players doing their best Runyon-esquire impressions as felons and thugs who all seem to have a passion for Powell's Nick Charles, ex-cop and now the gin-swilling husband of millionairess Loy. The story takes place at Christmastime in Manhattan, which gives it a nice sense of time and place even though it was clearly shot on Hollywood sound stages.
Combination murder mystery/comedy with lighthearted couple of Nick (William Powell) and Nora Charles (Myrna Loy) solving the disappearance of inventor Clyde Wynant (Edward Ellis)--he is tall and thin, hence the title.
When two other men are killed and Clyde is accused of murder, Nick invites all the suspects to have dinner with Nora and him and resolves the case, disclosing the real criminal."The Thin Man" is a witty, delightful and charming comedy with a great mystery and many suspects.
Although I was never a big fan of the Thin Man films the way so many were, I have to admit that Loy and Powell carry the film with abundant charm, whether sober or drunk (or just feeling high as they line up the drinks), but apparently its pat formula was so successful that it was repeated in film after film, so much so that it's hard to tell the other "Thin Man" titles apart.For a film that was shot in eleven days on a modest budget, it certainly did well at the box-office and ensured that there would be many more Nick and Nora adventures to follow.
All the successful ingredients are here--a cast of suspicious characters, each with a motive, and an assembly of first rate talent to support the shenanigans of Loy and Powell--MAUREEN O'SULLIVAN (as the daughter of the missing inventor), NAT PENDLETON (as a detective), CESAR ROMERO (as a playboy), EDWARD ELLIS, blonde MINNA GOMBELL (years later, a nurse in "The Snake Pit"), and PORTER HALL.As usual, the comedic elements are stressed more than the mystery about the disappearance of a well-known inventor, but fans of the series probably preferred it that way due to the deft sophistication and debonair wit of one of the screen's most classic couples..
William Powell is Nick Charles, a semi-retired detective that ends up in the middle of murder capers that are solved with the aid of his lovely wife Nora played by Myrna Loy. This charming couple love their alcoholic refreshments and that is part of the running comedy.
I'm sorry to report that the film didn't work for me at any level.William Powell and Myrna Loy play Nick and Nora Charles.
William Powell and Myrna Loy (who looks like a 30's version of Debra Messing) share some crackling dialogue as Nick & Nora Charles that had me laughing the whole way through.
:-) William Powell and Myrna Loy have breezy chemistry to spare as Nick and Nora Charles (inspired by the relationship between Dashiell Hammett and Lillian Hellman).
I speak as a great fan of Powell/Loy, MGM's product, Hunt Stromberg, and Woody VanDyke's work, but there is a huge difference in pace and style between this film and all of the others in the Thin Man series.
The film owes a lot of its charm to the great working chemistry between two main characters, the husband and wife sleuths, Nora and Nick Charles, a rich and adventurous woman and her ex-detective husband.
The detective Nick Charles (William Powell) and his able, beautiful, and insightful wife Nora (Myrna Loy) only officially take the case to discover the killer and the whereabouts of the mysterious `Thin Man.' Nick rousts the killer using a dinner party, with all the suspects as guests, and his ingenius wit, improvisation, and ability to hold attention as the hooks.Powell and Loy work admirably together (as they did in four other `Thin Man' movies), playing off each other, complimentary and interesting.
I can certainly imagine getting used to watching THE THIN MAN on a continuous loop--William Powell and Myrna Loy bring Nick and Nora Charles, an eccentric, decidedly alcoholic couple, to life.
Nick Charles (William Powell) is a former detective who returns to NYC with his new wife Nora (Myrna Loy) and their dog Asta after 4 years in California.
THE THIN MAN (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1934), directed by W.S. Van Dyke, from the novel by Dashiell Hammett, is a classic mystery-comedy that helped establish the careers of both its leading performers, William Powell and Myrna Loy, Powell especially, in a performance that earned him an Academy Award nomination.
The climatic finish where Nick summons all connected with the case at the dinner gathering is well constructed in both humor and suspense.The success of THE THIN MAN not only brought forth many imitations, but five additional sequels starring Powell and Loy, along with the basis of a 1957-59 television series starring Peter Lawford and Phyllis Kirk, but nothing to compare with the 1934 original, being the most famous and revived of all the "Thin Man" presentations combined.Distributed to video cassette as early as the 1980s by MGM Home Video enclosed in plastic clam shells, cable television presentations on the Disney Channel's "Best of Hollywood" in the 1990s, Turner Classic Movies from 1994 onward, and finally DVD where this and others continue to acquire both a new audience along with those who know who the killer is but to just simply want to watch over and over again in the manner of Nick and Nora Charles, just for the fun of it.
Even the dog was hilarious.The Thin Man (Edward Ellis) exemplifies the adage, "There is no fool like an old fool." He trusted his secretary (Natalie Moorhead) and she fleeced him, or worse.Nick (William Powell) and Nora (Myrna Loy) are roped into finding out what is going on when a body turns up.
The supporting players, especially Maureen O'Sullivan, are commendable, but none hold a candle to the two leads.DOUG: We are nearing the end of the Pre-Code Era. Fortunately, where there are ends there are also beginnings, and here begins the Thin Man film series starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. I don't have a huge amount to say about this movie except that it is very much worth the watch.
The film producers of this Thin Man Film never realized this first film starring William Powell, (Nick Charles) and Myrna Loy,(Nora Charles) would be such a great success and would go on and have six other Thin Man series.
In my opinion this is the best of the Thin Man Films, and William Powell and Myrna Loy had a great magic with their performance as husband and wife.
"The Thin Man" introduces film audiences to the Dashiell Hammett characters Nick and Nora Charles, portrayed by one of the great screen couples, William Powell and Myrna Loy. MGM was very surprised when the film, for which they had no ambitious plans, became a huge hit and even garnered four Oscar nominations.This Nick and Nora have very little to do with Hammett's Nick and Nora, and it's just as well.
Having established herself as a comedienne in Love Me Tonight and a witty female lead in Penthouse, Myrna Loy successfully completed her move away from vampy roles with The Thin Man, a superlative mystery-comedy that paired her with William Powell for the second time (following the same year's Manhattan Melodrama).
"The Thin Man" is the first of half of dozen comedy mystery movies that William Powell and Myrna Loy would make together.
The series became known as the Thin Man films, although the name doesn't come from Powell as Nick Charles.
The film stars William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora.
But when a client's daughter (Maureen O'Sullivan) asks him to find her missing father, Nick has no choice but to help when a decomposed body turns up.The first episode in the long-running film series based on Dashiell Hammett's fast-talking, hard-drinking, crime solving couple of independent means, this initial installment is a triumph, not only in its sleuthing but in the chemistry between Charles'.Incidentally, sticking a suspect's tongue to a frozen pole is a good way to get a confession.
This was the movie that would launch the 'Thin Man' series, and as in the sequels which would follow, William Powell and Myrna Loy are so damn charming, endearing, and wonderful that you'll want to eat them up.
I have always loved a good mystery,especially mysteries with a touch or more of humor.I have heard much about The Thin Man series of films for years and tonight,I finally had the pleasure of viewing the first in the series.I can't believe I had waited such a long time to indulge in this wonderful film.William Powell and Myrna Loy have perhaps the best screen chemistry that I have ever witnessed.Their constant playful interaction was so mesmerizing that you forget momentarily that you are watching a murder mystery.The supporting cast is excellent right down to the dog,Asta,who I hear seldom in her movie career did they ever have to do more than one take in any scene she was in.A new favorite in my classics section..
Former detective Nick Charles (William Powell) has come out of retirement to investigate the case of a missing inventor whose wife has just been found murdered.
Nick and Nora would become the trademark roles for Powell and Loy. This first entry in the series is excellent and one of the finest detective films made in the '30s.
The Camaraderie of William Powell and Myrna Loy as the Classic Nick and Nora Charles and the Relentless Snappy Patter are what makes this one of the Most Popular Films of All Time.
Also, the movie includes a good deal of humor which is featured most prominently in the dialog between Nick and Nora Charles (Powell and Loy).
One of the great comedy/mystery films of all times and the first pairing of pretty, snappy-comeback Myrna Loy with witty, polished William Powell as Nick and Nora Charles in a Dashiell Hammett vehicle that relies more on comedic timing than the actual mystery.
Detective Nick Charles (Powell) and wife Nora (Loy) try to solve a murder mystery between drinks.
Nick & Nora Charles (William Powell & Myrna Loy) combine comedy, mystery, highballs, romance, easy bantering and sleuthing into a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat just to see what happens next.