At least once a
year, I watch all six Thin Man movies. It is my own little
festival. I have a comfortable chair and a relatively large flat screen
TV in my small apartment in San Francisco. I am the only festival attendee, so
it’s just me, an orange and a bowl of popcorn.
I don’t come to
this subject with any particular expertise, no deep knowledge of Dashiell
Hammett. It’s as much nostalgic as anything else. When I was young
these films were on the late-night movies that followed the local news. A
shamelessly self-promoting Indianapolis used car salesman who called himself
“The King” hosted the program. He stood in front of a blackboard (as
high-tech as it got in those days) slashing prices on various automobiles as he
yelled, “The King don’t care.” Then we would go back to a grainy but
charming Nick and Nora Charles and that wonderful blend of suspense and comedy,
bright wit and dark shadows, the high life and the low life. If that wasn’t
the birth of my love for private eye stories, it certainly enhanced it. Such
was the life of the young me in a hide-a-bed, with the black and white
television flashing noirish shadows
on the wall.
If you want to
have your own holiday festival, here are the Nick and Nora Charles films in the
order they were made, noting that Hammett had decreasing influence on the final
cut and virtually none for the last couple of movies.
 |
| Nora, Asta, Nick |
The Thin
Man — This is the one
that started them all, the one based on an actual Dashiell Hammett novel and
made William Powell as Nick Charles and Myrna Loy as Nora Charles
one of America’s favorite film couples. The film has a Christmas-New
Year’s holiday theme, though I’m happy to say, it’s nothing sappy. Maureen
O’Sullivan plays the only sane member of a crazy family and a young and
debonair Cesar Romero plays a gigolo. What else? The film is a
fantastic reflection of the times. We get a glimpse of post-depression,
post-prohibition 1934.
After The
Thin Man — This is one
of my favorites. One of the reasons is that the lovely couple return to
San Francisco and also because it takes place on New Years Eve. Jimmy
Stewart co-stars. Look for the usual brawls, a few red herrings, a great
nightclub in Chinatown, and glimpse of the city’s bustling Market Street of
1936.
Another
Thin Man — Baby makes
three. Sheldon Leonard plays the heavy in this film set in
Manhattan and Long Island. A creaky old mansion and creaky old people, says the
creaky blogger, as well an elaborately designed murder and a slew of petty ante
gangsters inhabit the whodunit. Watch for the big production number.
Shadow Of
The Thin Man — We’re
back in San Francisco and off to the races. Donna Reed, Stella Adler
and Barry Nelson are in the cast of this mystery featuring such
characters as Spider Web and Rainbow Benny (they may be the same person, I’m
not sure). Pay attention to the wrestling match scene. Nice twist at the
end. This time the big brawl is at an Italian restaurant at
Fisherman’s Wharf.
The Thin Man
Goes Home — Maybe
because it’s the small town backdrop. Maybe it’s because Nick has given
up his martinis for apple cider and it seems to have turned him into Ozzie
Nelson. Whatever the cause, this is my least favorite. While all
the films offer some wonderful silliness, this one just seems contrived without
redemption of a knowing wink. If you had to cut one from this list, this
would be it. Otherwise, it’s worthwhile just to know you saw them
all.
Song Of The
Thin Man — It’s nice
the series didn’t end on a sour note. This one bounces back. New producers,
directors and writers. Though the last couple of films were only based on
“characters created by Dashiell Hammett,” this one finds the formula. The film
also benefits from a great supporting cast that includes one of my favorites
from the “B” picture cast of characters, Gloria Grahame, plus Keenan
Wynn, Jane Meadows, and a very young Dean Stockwell as Nick
and Nora’s son. We are treated with ‘40s jazz, a floating casino and
nightclub (Shades of Mr. Lucky), wet, foggy nights, and a telltale
necklace. One of the pleasures is to see the stylish couple thirteen
years after the first film, still elegant, still funny.
If you are so
inclined, think about a Thin Man Holiday Festival. Light-hearted, celebratory
and certainly auld lang syne. Because
it is a festival and especially because it is The Thin Man, martinis and champagne are nearly mandatory
accompaniments. Chances are Nick and Nora will be drinking with you. Not to
insult my hard drinking friends, but if you want something non-alcoholic,
follow Nick’s lead, maybe Martinelli’s sparkling cider. A Wonderful Life and Miracle
on 34th Street step aside.
Note: This is a
repost, revised to be more timely.
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