The Complete Thin Man Movie Collection

Myrna Loy & William Powell

The film adaptation of The Thin Man was a resounding success. Although Hammett never wrote another
novel with Nick and Nora Charles, five movie sequels were produced, two of which were adapted by
Warner Brother's writers from two original Hammett works written after the success of the first film.

The film followed the plot of the novel quite closely, but the Nick Charles character, described in the
book as overweight and out of shape, was portrayed by the slim William Powell. Nora was portrayed
by Myrna Loy. The title of both the book and the film referred to the murder victim, Clyde Wynant, that
Nick is initially hired to find, but producers referred to "The Thin Man" in the titles of each of the
sequel films for branding purposes. As a consequence "The Thin Man" was eventually elided by the
public into an alias for the character of Nick Charles. So strongly were Powell and Loy identified with
the characters of the Charleses in the public mind that many mistakenly assumed the actors were a
couple in real life as well.

The on-screen chemistry between Powell and Loy, who often improvised on the set, was key to the
wild success of the series and quickly became a defining feature of the characters. The films
revolutionized the screen portrayal of marriage—previously earnest, virtuous, and staid—invigorating
it with youth, irreverence, and sex appeal. Taking their cue from Hammett's humorous dialogue and
comic elements, the movies moved even further from the traditional hard-boiled approach. In another
departure from Hammett, the dog Asta—an integral character in both the book and movies—was a
male wire fox terrier, rather than the novel's female schnauzer.

Over time a child, Nick, Jr., was also introduced, and elements of the Charleses' back story fleshed out.
Nick was revealed to be the son of a medical doctor from the fictional small town of Sycamore Springs
in upstate New York. The novel's references to his being the child of an immigrant from Greece were
ignored, and Nick was now the black sheep of a respectable WASP professional family who turned his
back on the family profession of medicine because of his passion for detective work. Detail was also
added to Nora's background. She is shown to be the sole child of a deceased mining magnate from
San Francisco modeled on the "kings" of the Comstock Lode. Now diversified into lumber, railroads,
etc., Nora's fortune is apparently vast and is managed for the couple by her father's former partner
who lives in an estate on Long Island's North Shore "Gold Coast". Nora is also shown to have a
network of blue-blood relatives and friends in San Francisco society, while Nick is a beloved celebrity
among the criminal classes and those who associate with them (such as police, athletes, nightclub
owners, etc.)

Hugely popular with audiences, the films employed the common murder mystery trope—familiar from
English detective stories such as Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express—of assembling all of
the characters for the climactic revelation of the culprit. The first film appeared the year after the repeal
of Prohibition, and the series is also notable for the extensive and casual use of alcohol by the main characters.

Titles
The Thin Man (1934)
After the Thin Man (1936)
Another Thin Man (1939)
Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)
The Thin Man Goes Home (1945)
Song of the Thin Man (1947)

Bonus: So Nice to Come Home to (1990) Myrna Loy

All Movies are in the Public Domain & from Film Copy

The Thin Man

The Thin Man is a 1934 American Pre-Code comedy-mystery film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and based on
the novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett. The film stars William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and
Nora Charles; Nick is a hard-drinking, retired private detective, and Nora is a wealthy heiress. Their wire-haired
fox terrier Asta is played by canine actor Skippy.

The film's screenplay was written by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich, a married couple. In 1934, the film
was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. The titular "Thin Man" is not Nick Charles, but the man
Charles is initially hired to find – Clyde Wynant (part way through the film, Charles describes Wynant as a
"thin man with white hair"). The "Thin Man" moniker was thought by many viewers to refer to Nick Charles and,
after a time, it was used in the titles of sequels as if referring to Charles.

Nick Charles (William Powell), a retired detective, and his wife Nora (Myrna Loy) are attempting to settle down.
They are based in San Francisco but decide to spend the Christmas holidays in New York. There Nick is pressed
back into service by Dorothy Wynant (Maureen O'Sullivan), a young woman whose father was an old client of
Nick's. The man, Clyde Wynant (the title's "thin man"), was supposed to be on a secret business trip and promised
to be home before his daughter's wedding, but has mysteriously vanished. She convinces Nick to take the case,
much to the amusement of his socialite wife. It starts out as a missing person case, but when Wynant's former
secretary and love interest, Julia Wolf, is found dead, evidence points to Wynant as the prime suspect. Dorothy
refuses to believe that her father is guilty. The detective uncovers clues and eventually solves the mystery of the
disappearance.

Cast
William Powell as Nick Charles
Myrna Loy as Nora Charles
Skippy as Asta, their dog
Maureen O'Sullivan as Dorothy Wynant
Nat Pendleton as Lt. John Guild
Minna Gombell as Mimi Wynant Jorgenson
Porter Hall as Herbert MacCaulay
Henry Wadsworth as Tommy
William Henry as Gilbert Wynant
Harold Huber as Arthur Nunheim
Cesar Romero as Chris Jorgenson
Natalie Moorhead as Julia Wolf
Edward Brophy as Joe Morelli
Edward Ellis as Clyde Wynant

 

After the Thin Man

After the Thin Man is a 1936 American film, starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, and James Stewart, that is
the sequel to the film The Thin Man. The movie presents Powell and Loy as Dashiell Hammett's characters
Nick and Nora Charles. The film was directed by W. S. Van Dyke and also featured Elissa Landi, Joseph Calleia,
Jessie Ralph, Alan Marshal, and Penny Singleton.

This was actually the sixth pairing for Myrna Loy and William Powell. The two made 14 pictures together, six of
them in the Thin Man series.

Nick and Nora Charles return from vacation to their home in San Francisco on New Year's Eve, where Nora's stuffy
family expect the couple to join them for a formal dinner. Nick is despised by Nora's Aunt Katherine, the family
matriarch, as his immigrant heritage and experience as a "flat foot" are considered below Nora. The true reason
for their invitation is that Nora's cousin Selma's ne'er-do-well husband Robert has been missing. Nick is coerced
into a little quiet detective work for the family.

Cast

William Powell as Nick Charles
Myrna Loy as Nora Charles
James Stewart as David Graham
Elissa Landi as Selma Landis
Joseph Calleia as "Dancer"
Jessie Ralph as Aunt Katherine Forrest
Alan Marshal as Robert Landis
Teddy Hart as Casper
Sam Levene as Lieutenant Abrams
Dorothy McNulty (AKA-Penny Singleton) as Polly Byrn

 

Another Thin Man

Another Thin Man is a 1939 American film, the third of six in the Thin Man series. It again stars William Powell
and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, and is based on the writings of Dashiell Hammett. Their son,
Nicky Jr., is also introduced in the film. The cast includes their terrier Asta, Virginia Grey, Otto Kruger,
C. Aubrey Smith, Ruth Hussey, Nat Pendleton, Patric Knowles, Sheldon Leonard, Tom Neal, Phyllis Gordon
and Marjorie Main. Shemp Howard appears in an uncredited role as "Wacky".

The film was originally promoted in the United States under the title of Return of the Thin Man, and was followed
by Shadow of the Thin Man (1941).

In this adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's "The Farewell Murder", Nick (William Powell) and Nora (Myrna Loy)
Charles are back in New York with Asta and a new arrival - Nicky Jr. They are invited by Colonel Burr MacFay
(C. Aubrey Smith) to spend the weekend at his house on Long Island. McFay, the former business partner of
Nora's father, and the administrator of her fortune, desperately wants Nick to put his well-known detective
skills to work, as he has been receiving threats from Phil Church (Sheldon Leonard), a very shady character.
When MacFay is killed, Church seems to be the obvious suspect. However, Nick is skeptical. He suspects
there is something far more complicated going on. MacFay's housekeeper, his adopted daughter, and
various hangers-on all may have had an interest in seeking the old man's demise.

Cast

William Powell as Nick Charles
Myrna Loy as Nora Charles
Virginia Grey as Lois MacFay
Otto Kruger as Assistant District Attorney Van Slack
C. Aubrey Smith as Colonel Burr MacFay
Ruth Hussey as Dorothy Walters, Charles' nanny
Nat Pendleton as Lieutenant Guild
Patric Knowles as Dudley Horn, Lois's fiancé
Tom Neal as Freddie Coleman, MacFay's secretary
Phyllis Gordon as Mrs. Isabella Bellam, MacFay's housekeeper
Sheldon Leonard as Phil Church

 

Shadow of the Thin Man

Shadow of the Thin Man is the fourth of the six The Thin Man films. It was released in 1941 and was directed
by W. S. Van Dyke. It stars William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles. Also, in this film their
son Nick Jr. (Dickie Hall) is old enough to figure in the comic subplot. Other cast members include Donna Reed
and Barry Nelson. This was one of three films in which Stella Adler appeared.

Nick and Nora Charles are looking forward to a relaxing day at a racetrack, but when a jockey accused of
throwing a race is found shot to death, Police Lieutenant Abrams requests Nick's help. The trail leads to a
gambling syndicate that operates out of a wrestling arena, a murdered reporter, and a pretty secretary whose
boyfriend has been framed. Along the way, Nick and Nora must contend with a wild wrestling match, a
dizzying day at a merry-go-round (accompanied by Nick, Jr.), and a table-clearing restaurant brawl.

Cast
William Powell as Nick Charles
Myrna Loy as Nora Charles
Barry Nelson as Paul Clarke
Donna Reed as Molly
Sam Levene as Lieutenant Abrams
Alan Baxter as "Whitey" Barrow
Henry O'Neill as Major Jason I. Sculley
Stella Adler as Claire Porter (aka Clara Peters)
Loring Smith as "Link" Stephens
Joseph Anthony as Fred Macy
 

The Thin Man Goes Home

The Thin Man Goes Home is a 1945 motion picture directed by Richard Thorpe. It is the fifth of the six
Thin Man films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy as Dashiell Hammett's dapper ex-private detective
Nick Charles and his wife Nora. This entry in "The Thin Man" series was the first not directed by
W.S. Van Dyke, who had died in 1943. Nick and Nora visit Nick's parents (Lucile Watson and Harry Davenport)
in Nick's hometown, Sycamore Springs, in New England. The residents are convinced that Nick is in town on
an investigation, despite Nick's repeated denials. However, when aircraft factory employee Peter Berton
(Ralph Brooks) seeks out Nick and is shot dead before he can reveal anything, Nick is on the case.

Cast
William Powell as Nick Charles
Myrna Loy as Nora Charles, Nick's wife
Lucile Watson as Mrs. Charles, Nick's mother
Gloria DeHaven as Laurabelle "Laura" Ronson
Anne Revere as Crazy Mary
Helen Vinson as Helena Draque
Harry Davenport as Dr. Bertram Charles
Leon Ames as Edgar Draque
Donald Meek as Willie Crump
 

Song of the Thin Man

Song of the Thin Man is a 1947 comedy-crime film directed by Edward Buzzell, the last of the six Thin Man films.
Like the others, it stars William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, characters created by
Dashiell Hammett. Nick Jr. is played by Dean Stockwell. Patricia Morison, Keenan Wynn, Gloria Grahame and
Jayne Meadows are featured in this story set in the world of nightclub musicians.

Cast
William Powell as Nick Charles
Myrna Loy as Nora Charles
Keenan Wynn as Clarence "Clinker" Krause
Dean Stockwell as Nick Charles Jr.
Phillip Reed as Tommy Edlon Drake (as Philip Reed)
Patricia Morison as Phyllis Talbin
Leon Ames as Mitchell Talbin
Gloria Grahame as Fran Ledue Page (singing voice was dubbed by Carol Arden)
Jayne Meadows as Janet Thayar