Never have I had the opportunity to witness such an entertaining hour and a half of cinema as I did with The Thin Man. Upon viewing (due to a suggestion from my father), I have a whole new respect for the films made in the 1930s as well as the widely unknown works of director W.S. Van Dyke. This film was an amazing blend of comedy, who-dun-it, and satire combined into a surprisingly short 93 minutes. The charm and wit of the characters, the classic mystery nestled between, and the surprising ending helped create this coveted piece of work. I can honestly say this; I have seen several films come through the Hollywood machine over the years, yet none can compare to the excitement that I experienced watching this film for the first time. I cannot wait to watch it again. It reminded me of my first viewing of the widely hysterical television series entitled Are You Being Served? The dialogue was extremely smart and seemed to break the boundaries of that era's cinema.
I will be perfectly honest, if anyone had approached me prior to my viewing of this film and asked if I knew who William Powell was, I would have given them the classic "stare into the darkness" look. Now, I cannot wait to revisit other pieces of his work. He defined and created the film version of the Thin Man better than I have witnessed any modern day actor do. He took a simple story, a murder mystery that would have been dull otherwise, and transformed it into this satiric comedy about sex, booze, and women. It was a transformation that I was not ready for, which only heightened my overall experience of this film. While some credit has to go to Van Dyke, I applaud William Powell. His sharp tongue, his irresistible charm and charisma, and his chemistry that he had with everyone in this film, especially his wife, Nora (Myrna Loy). The scenes that these two share show us how two people can have fun on a set, define themselves, as well as show us a new standard for the Hollywood married couple. They broke boundaries in cinema, while continuously showing us that no media is needed to expand their hype a la Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Powell and Loy carried this film and skyrocketed it past the average point and into one that will remain deeply rooted within your mind as you watch other films of the same genre.
The Thin Man is another perfect example of what happens when good actors create great characters in a film that could have just passed through the average shelves. After witnessing the power of Powell and Loy, you cannot help but also see that others in the film are trying to reach their excitement. There is just this aura of "fun" and a new level of quality that is nearly absent in so much of what Hollywood today has to offer. I am a true believer that if you have actors that want to be in the film, they give their full 100% and it shows through the screen, then the others will follow suit. It is those films where the key players only give 10%, or we rely heavily on special effects that ultimately the film suffers. That was not the case here at all.
Finally, I would like to say that this film doesn't suffer from aging at all. I thought that when I placed it into my player that I would be constantly reminded of how old this film was. Knowing that it was made in the late 1930s, I thought that the jokes and comments would be dated and, perhaps less funny. I couldn't have been more wrong. The jokes had me laughing, the circumstances had me roaring, and the fabulous connection between Nick and Nora had me glued to the screen. This film had everything in place and executed it correctly. While the era was dated, the jokes were not. The words from Powell's mouth seemed refreshing and utterly hysterical. I was impressed, and it kept me glued to the screen throughout the entire film!
Overall, I couldn't have been happier about this movie. This is what the cinema is all about. Taking a classic story, adding in some refreshing and powerful characters, and keeping your audiences guessing until the final moment. The Thin Man was one of those films where I didn't know who-did-it until it was revealed. Imagine a funny film with a great caper that gives nothing away until the final climactic moment. I know to some that seems imaginary, but friends, I witnessed it here with The Thin Man. So, go grab your favorite girl, your best martini, and expect to have an exceptional two hours of monumental cinema!
Grade: ***** out of *****
I will be perfectly honest, if anyone had approached me prior to my viewing of this film and asked if I knew who William Powell was, I would have given them the classic "stare into the darkness" look. Now, I cannot wait to revisit other pieces of his work. He defined and created the film version of the Thin Man better than I have witnessed any modern day actor do. He took a simple story, a murder mystery that would have been dull otherwise, and transformed it into this satiric comedy about sex, booze, and women. It was a transformation that I was not ready for, which only heightened my overall experience of this film. While some credit has to go to Van Dyke, I applaud William Powell. His sharp tongue, his irresistible charm and charisma, and his chemistry that he had with everyone in this film, especially his wife, Nora (Myrna Loy). The scenes that these two share show us how two people can have fun on a set, define themselves, as well as show us a new standard for the Hollywood married couple. They broke boundaries in cinema, while continuously showing us that no media is needed to expand their hype a la Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Powell and Loy carried this film and skyrocketed it past the average point and into one that will remain deeply rooted within your mind as you watch other films of the same genre.
The Thin Man is another perfect example of what happens when good actors create great characters in a film that could have just passed through the average shelves. After witnessing the power of Powell and Loy, you cannot help but also see that others in the film are trying to reach their excitement. There is just this aura of "fun" and a new level of quality that is nearly absent in so much of what Hollywood today has to offer. I am a true believer that if you have actors that want to be in the film, they give their full 100% and it shows through the screen, then the others will follow suit. It is those films where the key players only give 10%, or we rely heavily on special effects that ultimately the film suffers. That was not the case here at all.
Finally, I would like to say that this film doesn't suffer from aging at all. I thought that when I placed it into my player that I would be constantly reminded of how old this film was. Knowing that it was made in the late 1930s, I thought that the jokes and comments would be dated and, perhaps less funny. I couldn't have been more wrong. The jokes had me laughing, the circumstances had me roaring, and the fabulous connection between Nick and Nora had me glued to the screen. This film had everything in place and executed it correctly. While the era was dated, the jokes were not. The words from Powell's mouth seemed refreshing and utterly hysterical. I was impressed, and it kept me glued to the screen throughout the entire film!
Overall, I couldn't have been happier about this movie. This is what the cinema is all about. Taking a classic story, adding in some refreshing and powerful characters, and keeping your audiences guessing until the final moment. The Thin Man was one of those films where I didn't know who-did-it until it was revealed. Imagine a funny film with a great caper that gives nothing away until the final climactic moment. I know to some that seems imaginary, but friends, I witnessed it here with The Thin Man. So, go grab your favorite girl, your best martini, and expect to have an exceptional two hours of monumental cinema!
Grade: ***** out of *****