The Thin Man (1934)

Directed by: WS Van Dyke | 93 minutes | comedy, crime | Actors: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Maureen O’Sullivan, Nat Pendleton, Minna Gombell, Porter Hall, Henry Wadsworth, William Henry, Harold Huber, Cesar Romero, Natalie Moorhead, Edward Brophy, Edward Ellis, Cyril Thornton

‘The Thin Man’ begins with inventor Clide Wynant (Edward Ellis) voluntarily disappearing from view. But, he promises his daughter, he would come back for Christmas because then she will get married. When he doesn’t show up for Christmas, the family begins to worry about him. When an employee of his is also murdered, the film degenerates into a true ‘whodunit’.

As a detective, ‘The Thin Man’ isn’t very strong. Although the film has some moments that are very exciting, it is still a bit on the cliché-like side. Just about every stereotype you can think of of an old detective is covered. We have of course the gruff police inspector, the mysterious and cunning stranger, the ex-criminal who was locked up by the detective and of course the newspaper edition montage including screaming newsboys and spinning presses.

No, ‘The Thin Man’ really has to have its humor, and the film does that very well. The bickering between detective Nick Charles (William Powell) and his wife Nora (Myrna Loy) is especially entertaining. So don’t expect slapstick or laugh-or-I-shoot humor. The humor can be very cringe-inducing, but is generally fun and not always as highlighted as in contemporary films. In addition, the rest of the characters, no matter how cliché, are nicely written. A good example is Clide Wyant’s son, Gilbert (William Henry), who in a slightly creepy way tries to do his own criminological research while terrifying others.

The only real downside to the film is that the acting comes across as odd. It’s a bit wooden and the actors tend to act very like their characters. Yet it is certainly not the case that the actors play badly because their playing does not disturb. It therefore seems to have more to do with the way of playing from that time than the quality. It is also advisable not to compare this film with contemporary films, while the speed of the plot still feels very modern.

It is also remarkable that the title of the film does not refer to Nick Charles but to the inventor Wynant. But because the press and visitors assumed it referred to the detective, they subsequently kept that name.

‘The Thin Man’ is a highly entertaining movie that is definitely worth renting if you’re up for an evening of innocent fun. The film may be seventy years old, but it still stands as a rock.