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ComedyMysteryCrime

The Thin Man

- A laugh tops every thrilling moment!

A husband and wife detective team takes on the search for a missing inventor and almost get killed for their efforts.

Release Date : 1934-05-25

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Metro-Goldwyn-MayerCosmopolitan Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

William Powell

Character Name : Nick Charles

Original Name : William Powell

Gender : Male

Myrna Loy

Character Name : Nora Charles

Original Name : Myrna Loy

Gender : Female

Maureen O'Sullivan

Character Name : Dorothy Wynant

Original Name : Maureen O'Sullivan

Gender : Female

Nat Pendleton

Character Name : Inspector John Guild

Original Name : Nat Pendleton

Gender : Male

Minna Gombell

Character Name : Mimi Wynant

Original Name : Minna Gombell

Gender : Female

Porter Hall

Character Name : Herbert MacCaulay

Original Name : Porter Hall

Gender : Male

Henry Wadsworth

Character Name : Tommy

Original Name : Henry Wadsworth

Gender : Male

William Henry

Character Name : Gilbert Wynant

Original Name : William Henry

Gender : Male

Harold Huber

Character Name : Arthur Nunheim

Original Name : Harold Huber

Gender : Male

Cesar Romero

Character Name : Chris Jorgenson

Original Name : Cesar Romero

Gender : Male

Natalie Moorhead

Character Name : Julia Wolf

Original Name : Natalie Moorhead

Gender : Female

Edward Brophy

Character Name : Joe Morelli

Original Name : Edward Brophy

Gender : Male

Edward Ellis

Character Name : Clyde Wynant

Original Name : Edward Ellis

Gender : Male

Cyril Thornton

Character Name : Tanner

Original Name : Cyril Thornton

Gender : Male

Will Aubrey

Character Name : Minor Role (uncredited)

Original Name : Will Aubrey

Gender : Male

William Augustin

Character Name : Wynant's Butler (uncredited)

Original Name : William Augustin

Gender : Male

Polly Bailey

Character Name : Janitress (uncredited)

Original Name : Polly Bailey

Gender : Female

Arthur Belasco

Character Name : Detective (uncredited)

Original Name : Arthur Belasco

Gender : Male

Brooks Benedict

Character Name : Night Club Patron (uncredited)

Original Name : Brooks Benedict

Gender : Male

Tui Bow

Character Name : Stenographer (uncredited)

Original Name : Tui Bow

Gender : Female

Raymond Brown

Character Name : Police Dr. Walton (uncredited)

Original Name : Raymond Brown

Gender : Male

Ruth Channing

Character Name : Mrs. Jorgenson (uncredited)

Original Name : Ruth Channing

Gender : Male

Jack Cheatham

Character Name : Detective (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Cheatham

Gender : Male

Clay Clement

Character Name : Quinn (uncredited)

Original Name : Clay Clement

Gender : Male

Dorothy Compton

Character Name : Maid at Dinner Party (uncredited)

Original Name : Dorothy Compton

Gender : Female

Nick Copeland

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Nick Copeland

Gender : Male

John Dunsmuir

Character Name : Boxer at Party (uncredited)

Original Name : John Dunsmuir

Gender : Male

Pat Flaherty

Character Name : Fighter at Party (uncredited)

Original Name : Pat Flaherty

Gender : Male

Bess Flowers

Character Name : Nick's Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Bess Flowers

Gender : Female

Douglas Fowley

Character Name : Taxi Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : Douglas Fowley

Gender : Male

Christian J. Frank

Character Name : Plainclothesman (uncredited)

Original Name : Christian J. Frank

Gender : Male

Kay Garrett

Character Name : Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Original Name : Kay Garrett

Gender : Male

Kenneth Gibson

Character Name : Apartment Clerk (uncredited)

Original Name : Kenneth Gibson

Gender : Male

Dick Gordon

Character Name : Night Club Patron (uncredited)

Original Name : Dick Gordon

Gender : Male

Creighton Hale

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Creighton Hale

Gender : Male

Sherry Hall

Character Name : Taxi Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : Sherry Hall

Gender : Male

Edward Hearn

Character Name : Detective (uncredited)

Original Name : Edward Hearn

Gender : Male

Robert Homans

Character Name : Billy the Detective (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Homans

Gender : Male

John Irwin

Character Name : 'Face' Tefler (uncredited)

Original Name : John Irwin

Gender : Male

Thomas E. Jackson

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Thomas E. Jackson

Gender : Male

Sydney Jarvis

Character Name : Witness (uncredited)

Original Name : Sydney Jarvis

Gender : Male

Tiny Jones

Character Name : Woman Buying Newspaper (uncredited)

Original Name : Tiny Jones

Gender : Female

Kenner G. Kemp

Character Name : Night Club Patron (uncredited)

Original Name : Kenner G. Kemp

Gender : Male

John Larkin

Character Name : Porter (uncredited)

Original Name : John Larkin

Gender : Male

Dixie Laughton

Character Name : Janitress (uncredited)

Original Name : Dixie Laughton

Gender : Male

Walter Long

Character Name : Stutsy Burke (uncredited)

Original Name : Walter Long

Gender : Male

Fred Malatesta

Character Name : Joe - Headwaiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred Malatesta

Gender : Male

Hans Moebus

Character Name : Night Club Patron (uncredited)

Original Name : Hans Moebus

Gender : Male

William H. O'Brien

Character Name : Bartender (uncredited)

Original Name : William H. O'Brien

Gender : Male

Frank O'Connor

Character Name : Detective Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank O'Connor

Gender : Male

Henry Otho

Character Name : Burly Party Waiter-Bodyguard (uncredited)

Original Name : Henry Otho

Gender : Male

Garry Owen

Character Name : Detective (uncredited)

Original Name : Garry Owen

Gender : Male

Lee Phelps

Character Name : Detective (uncredited)

Original Name : Lee Phelps

Gender : Male

Alexander Pollard

Character Name : Waiter Hired for Dinner (uncredited)

Original Name : Alexander Pollard

Gender : Male

Albert Pollet

Character Name : Waiter Hired for Dinner (uncredited)

Original Name : Albert Pollet

Gender : Male

Bob Reeves

Character Name : Cop (uncredited)

Original Name : Bob Reeves

Gender : Male

Bert Roach

Character Name : Crying Man at Party (uncredited)

Original Name : Bert Roach

Gender : Male

Rolfe Sedan

Character Name : Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Rolfe Sedan

Gender : Male

Gertrude Short

Character Name : Marian (uncredited)

Original Name : Gertrude Short

Gender : Female

Lee Shumway

Character Name : Plainclothesman (uncredited)

Original Name : Lee Shumway

Gender : Male

Skippy

Character Name : Asta (uncredited)

Original Name : Skippy

Gender : Male

Pietro Sosso

Character Name : Butler (uncredited)

Original Name : Pietro Sosso

Gender : Male

Ben Taggart

Character Name : Police Captain (uncredited)

Original Name : Ben Taggart

Gender : Male

Phil Tead

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Phil Tead

Gender : Male

George Templeton

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : George Templeton

Gender : Male

Harry Tenbrook

Character Name : Guest at Nick's Party (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Tenbrook

Gender : Male

Huey White

Character Name : Minor Role (uncredited)

Original Name : Huey White

Gender : Male

Leo White

Character Name : Leo - Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Leo White

Gender : Male

Charles Williams

Character Name : Fighter Manager (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Williams

Gender : Male

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Waiter, will you serve the nuts? ...I mean, will you serve the guests the nuts? 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 he ordered for it 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