The Thin Man [Blu-ray]

William Powell and Myrna Loy have such a wonderful banter as they go about solving crimes and protecting innocents - and don't forget Asta (and Mrs. Asta), their beloved dog(s)!If you haven't watch The Thin Man movies - REPENT! 😁 You will love them. Even my 35 year old daughter who has a strong dislike of black and white films loves them.

GREAT MOVIE

You can't go wrong with Powell and Loy. A detective genre classic.

Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) have recently moved back to New York from the West Coast and are looking forward to some time together when an old acquaintance, a young woman named Dorothy Wynant (Maureen O'Sullivan), asks for Nick's help in locating her father, an inventor named Clyde Wynant (Edward Ellis). Nick was a working class hard-drinking private detective before he married blue-blooded Nora. But now Nick is enjoying his retirement and is reluctant to get involved in any mysteries. Nora, on the other hand, is intrigued by Nick's old line of work and welcomes the excitement that detective work might bring to her life. But Nick stubbornly refuses to take the case, even when the missing man's secretary is murdered and his lawyer and ex-wife express their concern as well. But when a gun-wielding thug forces his way into the Charles' apartment and the police harass him for answers, Nick is left with little choice but to take the case of "the thin man". Believing that the police are on the wrong trail entirely, Nick returns to Clyde Wynant's closed-up shop, where he finds an essential clue to his disappearance. Nick then decides that the best way to ferret out the culprit is to invite all of the suspects and interested parties to a dinner party at his apartment where he will lay out the story as he knows it and set up the murderer in the presence of the police."The Thin Man" was adapted from the popular 1933 detective novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett and directed by W.S. Van Dyke in 1934. Although fans of Dashiell Hammet's hard-boiled whodunit may not recognize the Nick and Nora Charles of the silver screen, "The Thin Man" impresses me as one of the best adapted screenplays in cinematic history. Screenwriters Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich have brilliantly adapted Dashiell Hammet's novel for a mainstream audience. The story has been simplified considerably. But, more significantly, the movie's characters have been made more likable and respectable than those of the book, and somewhat less alcoholic. Although Hammett's novel is full of witty quips, it is far too cynical to be called a comedy. Screenwriters Hackett and Goodrich chose to make the film a comedy of manners and de-emphasized the mystery in favor of Nick and Nora's relationship. That decision, along with the casting of William Powell and Myrna Loy, who have such great comic chemistry and affection between them, made "The Thin Man" so irresistible to audiences in the 1930's that it supported an impressive 6-film franchise over the course of 13 years. William Powell and Myrna Loy's appeal has not diminished in the least to this day. There has never been a funnier party scene than the Charles' wonderful drunken Christmas party. And an expanded role for the Charles' irrepressible pooch Asta perfectly tops off the comedy. "The Thin Man" is a wonderfully entertaining combination of mystery, comedy, and romance set in the glamourous world of upper-class Manhattan in the 1930's. It's as good as popular movie-making gets. "The Thin Man" of course refers to the missing Mr. Wynant, although the phrase came to be associated with Nick Charles in the subsequent "Thin Man" films.We can only hope that eventually all of "The Thin Man" movies will be available as a DVD boxed set with some nice extras. If you like "The Thin Man" and old comedy/ mystery/romance movies appeal to you, you might like Alfred Hitchcock's 1938 film "The Lady Vanishes". It is a lighthearted, utterly charming film, and one of Hitchcock's best, that manages to successfully combine even more genres than "The Thin Man" does.

A wonderful detective romp with the only chemistry & marvelous interplay between them that exceeds Remington & Laura. If you like the Agatha Christie story with the "invite all 10 of them to dinner & see what happens" you will see it done right here. Every one loves Nick & Nora and you will too.

"The Thin Man" (1934) is the first in the series and undoubtedly the best. Mr. and Mrs. Nick Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) arrive back in New York after four years and walk straight into the middle of a murder case. At the beginning of the film, Dorothy Wynant visits the lab of her eccentric scientist father Clyde Wynant to announce her upcoming marriage. Although Wynant is a suspect in the murder of his mistress and former secretary, he announces that he's going on a trip, but will be back in time for the wedding. But he can't tell anyone where he's going and when he'll be back. Not even his secretary MacCaulay (Porter Hall) knows.When weeks go by and there is no word from her father, she turns to Nick Charles, who knew her as a child. Nick is reluctant to take the case. After all, his wife Nora is rich, so why should he go back to work? But Nora doesn't seem to want to take no for an answer. When Detective Guild (Nat Pendleton) asks him if he's working on the case, Nick replies, "Frankly, I am not." Then Nora quickly chimes in. "But he's interested."Finally, Nick decides to take matters into his own hands. Late one night, he visits Wynant's lab (it's never clear how he got the key). Deep in the cellar, he finds the body. Wynant has been dead for quite some time. Now the only thing left to do is find the murderer!Nick decides to take a page out of the playbook of Charlie Chan (see, for example, "Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise.") Get all the suspects together in one room and let the murderer trap himself into a confession. And what a group of suspects! In addition to the already-mentioned MacCaulay, there's Mimi Wynant Jorgenson, Wynant's ex-wife (Minna Gombell), Chris Jorgenson (Caesar Romero), her current husband, Nunheim (Harold Huber), Morelli (Edward Brophy), Tanner (Cyril Thornton), Dorothy and her brother Gilbert (William Henry), and Julia Wolf (Natalie Moorhead). Nick invites them all to dinner (some of the suspects don't want to come, so they are escorted by the police).As Nick methodically reveals the facts of the case, the suspects get more and more nervous. Finally, the guilty party pulls a gun and tries to shoot Nick, who knocks him out. Which leads to Nora having the best line in the movie. Embracing Nick, she exclaims, "Oh, darling, I'm so glad you're not a detective!"William Powell and Myrna Loy made so many movies together that people just naturally assumed they were married. They weren't, but Myrna did remark once that she treated Bill a lot better than any of her four husbands!

The writing and delivery of lines are smart and sassy. A bit dated in terms of stereotypes, but food for thought vS a reason not to watch. Myrna Lou’s clothes are worth watching alone.

Never having seen 'The Thin Man' and reading the highly favourable reviews I wanted to view this classic whodun IT . I found that there was a Spanish version ‘La Gena De Los Acusados’ available for considerably less than the US WB Archive Edition. I purchased it hoping it came from from WB source- it was issued in 2019. On viewing the film I was delighted to find that the B&W print is extremely good for a film made in 1934 and has negligible sign of damage and has clearly been subject to a substanial digital make over. Also the English dialogue/sound is extremely good for a film made in 1934. The Menu is in Spanish fairly easy to navigate or go to options on your player. The disc has English dialogue (and others) and optional English sub- titles. There are no extras on this disc. I really enjoyed the film and it was worth saving at least £10 buying this Spanish version.

An ab fab film in every way the two stars are at the top of their game as are most of the cast.First of a series of Thin Man films based on a Dasheil Hammett book stars William Powell as a boozy ex private eye and his gorgeous 'missus' Nora played by Myrna Loy.Very clever plot that keeps you guessing to the last reel lots of witty dialogue to and quite risque (film was pre code) no swearing ,gratutious violence or sex scenes they really dont make 'em like this annymore!

Rarely had, or has, a healthy and happy, still vibrant marriage been credibly portrayed on film. Myrna Loy (once the 'Queen of Hollywood', and one can see why) and an obviously decade-older William Powell strike sparks off each other, with Powell debonair, rogueish, martini-fuelled, and moustachioed, and Loy sourly sweet, flirtatious, languorous, and underplaying delightfully. Both are pitch-perfect in roles that could have been made for them.The plot is of secondary importance and, as is often the case in such crime capers, utterly incomprehensible. Maureen O'Sullivan (later Mia Farrow's mum and Tarzan's Jane) is excellent in an early role as an ingenue, while there's a large supporting cast of varying degrees of acting prowess.But it's the likeably cocktail-sodden duet/duel of Nick and Nora that one watches and keenly misses when they're not on screen.Their sparring, cooing and courting, and fond backchat ~ this is one marriage still in its honeymoon stage and not about to leave it any time soon, if ever ~ is one of the mildly perverse joys of thirties cinema.The verbose screenplay is loosely based on a later Dashiel Hammett story, but enterprising, fast-shooting director W.S. Van Dyke turns it into a comedy which just happens to feature a murder or two. The final expository revelation of the culprit (at a dinner-party ~ what else! ~ given by Nick and Nora) is, frankly, an inevitable anti-climax, and I'm quite sure that all concerned were aware of the fact.This is without any doubt Powell & Loy's film, and they made several more in the series, each less interesting than the last, though they both continued to give value for money.See it, if only for the absurdly subversive {but then, the whole film is gloriously subversive} scene in which Nick tries out his Christmas present {from Nora, of course} of a handgun by shooting balloons from the Christmas tree, in a variety of outlandish postures.Then there's the admirable Asta the dog, who is nevertheless perhaps a cuteness too far ~ particularly in the final squirm-inducing shot.Oh, and the dialogue is at times very naughty indeed, I'm happy to say, full of risque double, and indeed single, entendres. This was just before the iniquitous Hays Code was instigated, so you could get away with ~ well, not quite murder ...Joyfully daft ~ see it at least once.

The Thin Man is directed by W. S. Van Dyke and co-written by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich. It is based on the Dashiell Hammett novel of the same name. Starring are William Powell and Myrna Loy, with support coming from Maureen O'Sullivan, Nat Pendleton, Minna Gombell, Porter Hall and Skippy as Astra the dog. 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. Planning to finally settle down, their life is upturned when Nick is called back into detective work due to a friend's disappearance and the possibility he was also involved in a murder. Murder, malarkey and mirth are about to become the order of the day.It was the big surprise hit of 1934. Afforded only a tiny budget because studio head honcho Louis B. Mayer thought it was dud material, and ordered to be completed in under three weeks time, film made stars out of Powell and Loy and coined an impressive $2 million at the box office. Also birthing a franchise (5 film sequels and a radio and television series would follow), it's a film that has irresistible charm leaping out from every frame. It's easy to see even now why a mid 1930's audience could take so warmly to such an appealing motion picture.From the off the film was in good hands, Dyke (One-Take Woody as he was sometimes known) was an unfussy director with a keen eye for pacing and casting, both of which are things that shine through in this production. There's also considerable talent in the writing, both in the source material and with the script writers. Hammett based his witty bantering couple on himself and his relationship with playwright Lillian Hellman, this was ideal material for Hackett and Goodrich, themselves a happily married couple fondly thought of in the cut and thrust world of Hollywood. As a couple they would go on to write It's a Wonderful Life for Frank Capra and win the Pulitzer Prize for their play The Diary of Anne Frank.It stands out as a film of note because it successfully marries a murder mystery story with a screwball comedy spin, this was something new and exciting. While the believable relationship between Powell and Loy was also a breath of fresh air; a married couple deeply in love, devoted, funny, boozey and bouncing off of each other with witty repartee. It can never be overstated just how good Powell and Loy are here, true enough they are given an absolutely zinging script to work from, but the level of comedy, both in visual ticks and delivery of lines, is extraordinarily high.Small budget and a small shoot, but everything else about The Thin Man is big. Big laughs, big mystery and big love, all bundled up into a joyous bit of classic cinema. 9/10

Recently bought several in the series.What splendid films - crisp pacey, filmed in long takes with great panache. The plots are more complex than you might expect, but unhurried & eccentrically detailed. Acting is superb with large casts wonderfully handled by the director and cameraman. The editing in amazingly slick for the date of the film and the quality of the print is superb. Lighting also atmospheric and imaginative. One scene is shot in almost total darkness. Nor do they shy away from reality. A corpse is found because of the stench of corruption. A dark and unexpected moment.Perhaps the alchoholism of the central character is taken more lightly than we would wish nowadays [He is happy in his boozy haze; no lurking despair or tragedy fro him!]A revelation. Cute dog too!Van dyke directs this first one, and the others he directs are the BEST!