The Thin Man (1934)

Director:

W.S. Van Dyke

Writers:

Albert Hackett (screenplay) and
Frances Goodrich (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

June 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery

Tagline:

A laugh tops every thrilling moment!

Plot:

Comedy-mystery featuring Nick and Nora Charles: a former detective and his rich, playful wife. They solve a murder case mostly for the fun of it.

Plot Keywords:

Private Detective | Wiseguy Dialogue | Police Detective | Lieutenant | Urban

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 1 win

Cast

William Powell	...	Nick
Myrna Loy	...	Nora
Maureen O'Sullivan	...	Dorothy
Nat Pendleton	...	Guild
Minna Gombell	...	Mimi
Porter Hall	...	MacCaulay
Henry Wadsworth	...	Tommy
William Henry	...	Gilbert
Harold Huber	...	Nunheim
Cesar Romero	...	Chris
Natalie Moorhead	...	Julia Wolf
Edward Brophy	...	Morelli
Edward Ellis	...	Wynant
Cyril Thornton	...	Tanner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Asta	...	Asta (uncredited)
Will Aubrey	...	(uncredited)
Polly Bailey	...	Janitress (uncredited)
Arthur Belasco	...	Detective (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict	...	Dance Extra (uncredited)
Tui Bow	...	Stenographer (uncredited)
Raymond Brown	...	Dr. Walton (uncredited)
Ruth Channing	...	Mrs. Jorgenson (uncredited)
Clay Clement	...	Quinn (uncredited)
Nick Copeland	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty	...	Cop / Fighter (uncredited)
Douglas Fowley	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Kenneth Gibson	...	Apartment Clerk (uncredited)
Creighton Hale	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Sherry Hall	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Edward Hearn	...	Detective (uncredited)
Robert Homans	...	Billy the Detective (uncredited)
Arthur Housman	...	Drunken Party Guest (uncredited)
Thomas E. Jackson	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Restaurant Table Extra (uncredited)
John Larkin	...	Porter (uncredited)
Dixie Laughton	...	Janitress (uncredited)
Walter Long	...	Stutsy Burke (uncredited)
Fred Malatesta	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Garry Owen	...	Detective (uncredited)
Lee Phelps	...	Detective (uncredited)
Bert Roach	...	Foster (uncredited)
Rolfe Sedan	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Gertrude Short	...	Marion (uncredited)
Ben Taggart	...	Police Captain (uncredited)
Phil Tead	...	Reporter (uncredited)
George Templeton	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	Guest at Nick's Party (uncredited)
Huey White	...	'Face' Tefler (uncredited)
Leo White	...	Leo, Waiter (uncredited)
Charles Williams	...	Fight Manager (uncredited)

Directed by
W.S. Van Dyke

Writing credits
Albert Hackett		(screenplay) and
Frances Goodrich		(screenplay)
Dashiell Hammett		(novel)

Produced by
Hunt Stromberg	....	producer

Original Music by
William Axt		(as Dr. William Axt)

Cinematography by
James Wong Howe		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Robert Kern		(as Robert J. Kern)

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons

Art Department
David Townsend	....	associate art director
Edwin B. Willis	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director

Camera and Electrical Department
Ted Allen	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dolly Tree	....	wardrobe

Production Companies

• Cosmopolitan Productions (for)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1934) (USA) (theatrical) (as Metro Goldwyn Mayer)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

South Korea:12 (2003) | Netherlands:AL (DVD rating) | UK:A (original rating) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Argentina:13 | Finland:(Banned) (1934-1938) | Finland:K-16 (1938) | USA:Approved | Germany:6 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:U

Company:

Cosmopolitan Productions

Trivia:

Louis B. Mayer, head of MGM, originally was against the idea of Myrna Loy being cast in this picture but director W.S. Van Dyke wanted to use the stars of the movie Manhattan Melodrama (1934), William Powell and Myrna Loy. Mayer said that Powell was OK for the part since he had already played detectives in other films. Loy eventually got the part and made new image for herself.

Goofs:

Continuity: Nick walks into a bedroom with an ice bucket full of ice. Minutes later, he walks out of the bedroom but the ice has melted.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Tanner: Your daughter's here, Mr. Wynant. Mr. Wynant! Mr. Wynant!
Clyde Wynant, the thin man: Haven't you got any more sense than to shout at me like that?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Olive or Twist 2004 (2004)

Soundtrack:

Our Big Love Scene

Puts modern movies to shame

"The Thin Man", a deliciously superb mix that keeps getting richer becomes better with every single viewing. The first time I missed a bit of the murder plot, but repeated viewings just enhance the movie.

It has started making me wanted to go out, get a terrier and call it Asta, drink too much for my own good and become a private eye detective. And move to New York. The lovable couple make it all look fun, and even if they do drink too much. Only after I have snapped out of admiration mode for the movie I remember that they were highly paid actors following a script in a hit film of 1934, and I'm living in the year 2000, cannot get a dog, am living in Sydney, and worst of all, I'm fourteen, so I can't drink or become a detective. Such is the modern manner of the movie. It is one of the very few films of its time that retains its freshness, intrigue and brilliant humour.

William Powell and Myrna Loy are incredibly likeable, the wisecracking darlings of society who we all want to know. Their performances were both absolutely brilliant! Some of their antics are a good deal wilder than those we are used to, but in fear of being caught up in murder would keep me away from them, but not long enough. I don't believe there are any shallow characters at all. Thank goodness for "The Thin Man". One of the first to show an affectionate couple in love, I'm still scanning for the same in movies of the 50s.

W.S Dyke is of course not one of the most remembered directors of his time, but for this alone he could be considered a great director. He was not Alfred Hitchcock, but he successfully combined high comedy, crime and thrills into one film. No wonder the major film studios were hot after this property. And Dyke didn't have to rely on the excruciatingly hilarious elements of slapstick. A married couple and a dog was all that was needed. Such a simple thing to emphasise on, and how well it worked! Could there be a more stolen plot of today?

Unfortunately, MGM, despite creating one of the best teamings of the era by putting the platonic Powell and Loy together, released this film in 1934. A nominee for Best Picture, Actor and Director, among other things, it was Capra's "It Happened One Night" that made history by becoming the first film in history to sweep the five major categories at the Oscars. If it had been released in 1933, it would have beaten the now forgotten "Calvacade", in 1935 it may have swept some Oscars up against "Mutiny on the Bounty". I wonder why Loy was not nominated. The film simply could not have been done without her.

Powell and Loy went on to make many movies together. Asta, appeared again as George in the 1938 slapstick masterpiece "Bringing Up Baby".

Although we need some good movies now, no one should even think contemplate for a split second on a remake. There is no way justice could be done to this film. It is a comic masterpiece that continually tricks the viewers, and without a doubt, one of the very best and brightest movies of the 1930s.

I hope I can watch the other "Thin Man" movies. I will definitely be reading the book. The film ended half an hour ago, but I already feel like going back for a second helping.

Rating: 10/10