The Thin Man (1934) Directed by W.S. Van Dyke
(Review originally written at 30 April 2008)
"The Thin Man" surely is a fun enough movie to watch but it sort of annoys me that there are way better same type of movies out there from the same period that are better than this movie but far less known and appreciated.
Yes its a good entertaining movie but it's also a very simplistic one in many regards. Simplistic in the way it's made. It's has a very simple look and apparently it also only cost 2 weeks to shoot this movie, which unfortunately really showed on screen for me. It's also very simplistic with its story. Well these type of entertaining '30's comedies are never really about its story but in this case it works sort of distracting since the movie is a detective movie with a murder mystery in it, in which the story always sort of automatically gets pushed toward the foreground.
The only thing that can still save these type of simplistic movies are good characters and actors portraying them. This movie really has that. What mostly makes this movie is its main character former detective Nick Charles, played by William Powell and his wife Nora, played by the popular silent movie star Myrna Loy. They are a real odd couple, who perhaps are more best friends than truly lovers. Or perhaps brother and sister would be a better description of it. They love to have fun together and poke fun at each other. It's the most charming aspect of "The Thin Man" and at the same time also what makes this movie still an entertaining one to watch.
On its own this movie really isn't that comedy filled as you would expect. The movie is lacking some good laughs for a comedy, which just more makes this a fun murder-mystery, rather than a full-blood comedy.
The movie is perfectly cast with William Powell and Myrna Loy. They are great but they are even better together in this movie. They share some good screen chemistry together. It's also the movie that sort of re-launched Myrna Loy's career. She was a big actress in the silent era but she was one of those actresses that didn't quite made the step between the silent- and sound movies. She got rediscovered in this movie again and continued to act till the early 80's. Also the other characters and actors are good but you can debate and wonder if there aren't one or two too many characters in the movie, which also makes the movie at times a bit too convincing and tiresome to watch, simply because you don't care- and can't really follow the story, also due to its simplicity it gets brought to the screen with.
Really not bad, I just hope that any of its 5(!) sequels is still better and more entertaining.
7/10
