For my first column, I wanted to start off with a bang by reviewing a film my parents introduced to me at a young age, The Thin Man (1934). It was made in the year the Hays Code officially started to censor Hollywood’s productions. The plot deals with a rich man going missing. His daughter asks Nick Charles (William Powell), a former private detective, to investigate. Although Nick is unconvinced by the offer, he, his wife (Myrna Loy) and their dog (Asta) are pulled into the case when the rich man’s mistress is found murdered. Shady characters may have a role in the proceedings.
When you read a plot outline of this movie, you might think of this as only a mystery thriller. However, there are strong comedic elements present. One of my favorite lines from the movie is when Marion, a minor character, says; “I don't like crooks. And if I did like 'em, I wouldn't like crooks that are stool pigeons. And if I did like crooks that are stool pigeons, I still wouldn't like you!”. Because of the Hollywood restrictions even before the Code was put into effect, the movie relies more on comedy than on murder scenes. However, this makes it good to watch with the family, despite bursts of crude humor.
When it comes to the cast, everyone does well in their parts. There is some overacting, but that is inevitable in movies of this age. William Powell and Myrna Loy are excellent as the main couple and have an amazing chemistry. Of course, there are other actors who steal the show. One such actor that comes to mind is Gertrude Short, who does well as the aforementioned Marion in an uncredited role.
The script is full of satisfying one-liners, unwittingly influencing the film noirs that came the decade after. The cinematography is adequate on the whole, while the various “action-packed” sequences are comical from a modern point of view but still effective. However, there is an unrealistic scene where a corpse is revealed with some less-than-convincing substance acting as blood. The killer reveal is genuinely surprising and the scene in which he (or she?) is revealed brings all of the characters together. The twists introduced are quite satisfactory and aren’t overdone.
On a behind-the-scenes note, Myrna Loy said the dinner scene that exposes the murderer was a hard scene to film because they filmed multiple retakes of it. Oysters were also included in the scene, and according to Loy “they began to putrefy”. The movie was a success and led to five sequels, which gradually declined in quality. If you want to watch/have watched this movie and want to see another, I recommend the second, After The Thin Man (1936).
Overall, the movie is a fun and nostalgic watch (at least for me!). It’s available to watch on several streaming services, so I recommend giving it a try! The Thin Man gets a 9/10 from me. Thanks for reading my column, and tune in next time for a different review!