Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)

Director:

W.S. Van Dyke

Writers:

Dashiell Hammett (characters)
Harry Kurnitz (story)

Release Date:

November 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Drama | Mystery | Crime

Tagline:

Hey everybody, my folks are back on the trail of the dog-gondest mystery you ever saw! They're Wackier Than Ever!

Plot:

Nick and Nora are at their wise-cracking best as they investigate murder and racketeering at a local race-track.

Plot Keywords:

Jockey | Nick And Nora Charles | Murder | Racketeer | Birthday Party

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

William Powell	...	Nick Charles
Myrna Loy	...	Nora Charles
Barry Nelson	...	Paul Clarke - reporter
Donna Reed	...	Molly - Stephens' receptionist
Sam Levene	...	Lieutenant Abrams
Alan Baxter	...	'Whitey' Barrow
Henry O'Neill	...	Major Jason I. Sculley
Richard Hall	...	Nick Charles, Jr. (as Dickie Hall)
Stella Adler	...	Claire Porter / Clara Peters
Loring Smith	...	'Link' Stephens - Gambling syndicate boss
Joseph Anthony	...	Fred Macy - Stephens' deputy
Lou Lubin	...	'Rainbow' Benny
Louise Beavers	...	Stella
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Aldrich Bowker	...	Watchman (scenes deleted)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7707)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Debut of Sid Melton.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the last scene of the movie when Asta is hiding under the fur coat the wires that are used to pull his head and the coat down are visible.

Quotes:

Nora Charles: He's getting more like his father everyday.
Estrellita: He sure is. This morning he was playing with a corkscrew.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hollywood Remembers: Myrna Loy - So Nice to Come Home to (1991) (TV)

Nick and Nora at it again

"Shadow of the Thin Man" is another addition to the "Thin Man" series starring that wonderful couple, Nick and Nora Charles, played to perfection by William Powell and Myrna Loy. In this film, they have a son, Nicky, who's adorable and keeps Daddy on his toes. In one scene, Nick has to drink milk (instead of his cocktail) so that Nicky will drink his; in another, so as not embarrass his son, Nick rides the carousel and gets quite dizzy. So does Asta - we see him hugging a fire hydrant for dear life once the ride ends.

The movie starts out innocently enough with Nick reading the racing forms to his son as if it's a story. When Nick and Nora get to the track, a murder has been committed and the two become immediately involved. Donna Reed has a small role as a secretary for a thug, and she's giving information to her boyfriend, a reporter, played by Barry Nelson. This was the stage actor's first film, and he's right out of college.

There are some very funny scenes in this film - the best being the one in the restaurant. But Nora and Nick attending a wrestling match is another goodie. That brilliant actor, Asta, really has a good supporting role. It's one of his better performances.

The murder mystery is interesting, but like all the "Thin Man" movies, the style, the repartee, and the humor are what make Nick and Nora fun and even today, keep them popular. And their little dog too.