‎The Thin Man (1934) directed by W.S. Van Dyke • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

The Thin Man

1934 Directed by W.S. Van Dyke

A laugh tops every thrilling moment!

After a four year absence, one time detective Nick Charles returns to New York with his new wife Nora and their dog, Asta. Nick re-connects with many of his old cronies, several of whom are eccentric characters, to say the least. He's also approached by Dorothy Wynant whose inventor father Clyde Wynant is suspected of murdering her step-mother. Her father had left on a planned trip some months before and she has had no contact with him. Nick isn't all that keen on resuming his former profession but egged-on by wife Nora, who thinks this all very exciting, he agrees to help out. He solves the case, announcing the identity of the killer at a dinner party for all of the suspects.

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 Pat Flaherty William H. O'Brien Polly Bailey William Augustin Arthur Belasco Jack Cheatham Edward Hearn Garry Owen Lee Phelps Frank O'Connor Henry Otho Robert Homans Brooks Benedict Dick Gordon Kenner G. Kemp Show All…

93 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Timcop ★★★★★ 2

Murder, romance, high society, disturbing levels of alcoholism, an abundance of dog reaction shots: this is cinema.
Review by Sally Jane Black 2

It might be impossible to hate this. It oozes charm. Actually, it must be possible to hate this, but you have to really, really hate this sort of charm. It's a bit boojy, so I get it, but man, they're such a charming pair. The plot, well, the plot is a bit... thin (I can't help myself), with its central mystery not being so much obvious as it is unimportant. The process of investigation isn't the focus so much as the fun had in investigating. There are crack jokes and dialogue, some fun visual moments, and a lot of great interplay between the Charleses. The humor is the focus. It's light, but it's not utterly insubstantial.

It's nice to see…
Review by Thomas Ringdal ★★★★ 6

Takes it's time to introduce the plot and leads, but after Loy and Powell are introduced (in a wonderful scene) I'm hooked. A laid back detective mystery, where the journey is all the fun, and the reveal just another punch line. Hard to believe it's actually based on a Dashiell Hammett story. Still can't figure out what the title means...

In The Thin Man's world, no one but Nick and Nora, and the dog of course, know what the hell they're doing. I haven't seen a more incompetent group of people in my life. Still very funny to watch Powell run rings around them all, including the cops. The pre-code naughtiness is a treat as well.

Woody Van Dyke was…
Review by TajLV ★★★½ 6

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Letterboxd Season Challenge 2015-16
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Week 22: February 14th-20th
Screwball Week

Based on the 1933 Redbook story by Dashiell Hammett, this crime comedy from director W.S. Van Dyke was the kick-off to a series of six "Thin Man" mysteries released between 1934 and 1947, They all star William Powell as the dapper, droll, semi-retired detective Nick Charles and Myrna Loy as his wealthy and witty wife Nora. The chemistry between the two is undeniable as they banter and treat the events around them with quasi-comic detachment, often with highballs in their hands.

Here, the case centers on an eccentric absent-minded scientist named Clyde Wynant (Edward Ellis), who disappears from his New York laboratory one day and hasn't been seen…
Review by shoshone ★★★★★

Aaaaaw, what a surprise, what a movie.
I'm into the golden age of Hollywood, but I always snubbed this gem not seeing any 'triple A' people involved... boy was I wrong.
I just put it on because I needed something to go to sleep with, and I discovered one of my favorite movies of the 30's, if not ever.

I have not seen many movies of the genre, but the mistery-comedy always left me satisfied. 'The Thin Man' is on the level of excellence that will be later reached by Billy Wilder in 'Witness for the Prosecution', and probably I have to thank W.S. Van Dyke also for that.

Funny dialogues are perfectly interlaced with an intruiguing detective story, with…
Review by Evan ★★★½ 4

I am taking a film class this semester. I needed to fulfill an elective requirement, and this certain class just so happened to be an option. Being a huge fan of movies, it was a no brainer for me to take. I'd certainly rater take this than a public speaking course. Anyway this movie was the first film we had to watch!

The Thin Man was a lot better than I expected it to be! I've never really watched any movies made before 1950. Yes, I know that's bad haha. This was pretty humorous and entertaining, so I cannot complain!

Recent reviews

Review by Felipe Machado ★★★★

TORRENT

A CEIA DOS ACUSADOS
Review by opulentfilm ★★★★½

myrna Loy and william powell at their wittiest
Review by Pi ★★★½

Funny and intriguing crime movie.
"A laugh tops every thrilling moment!"
Review by Jim Sager ★★★★

Classic. It's worth watching for The on-screen chemistry between William Powell and Myrna Loy.
Review by Jess ★★★½

Slow start, but Nick and Nora are relationship goals
Review by Ryan ★★★½

I like William Powell, and the final scene is a thing of beauty, but outside of the beautiful interplay between the leads, I was mostly unimpressed by the revolving cast of characters. The plot doesn't do anything surprising. I'd hazard a guess that it's intentionally convoluted because no one should be able to guess whodunnit before Powell gets to command the screen.
Review by Gabe Leibowitz ★★★

(NOTE: this review covers both The Thin Man and After the Thin Man, which I watched back-to-back.)

W.S. Van Dyke’s After the Thin Man is the rare sequel that actually improves on the original (1934′s The Thin Man), and the primary reason can be found in the story’s energy. The original manages to be a breezy, enjoyable time—despite several soft spots—due almost entirely to the outstanding chemistry between leads William Powell (as witty detective Nick Charles) and Myrna Loy (as Nick’s smarmy-and-cute-as-a-button wife Nora). Their banter feels entirely natural, as if they’re truly, madly in love: the mushy stuff is always accompanied by a, “my husband snores” sort of moment that disarms the crowd, both on and off screen. They’re…
Review by Calib McBolts ★★★★★ 5

Classy, sassy, funny, sunny, stylish, and sexy; The Thin Man is just as great as it ever was, with a spectacular final act, often duplicated but never surpassed.

Hijinks and high-society! The Thin Man is still one of the most fun films ever created. Murder, mystery, intrigue, romance and dialogue, William Powell and Myrna Loy star in this caper as Nick and Nora Charles, a retired detective and his rich wife, playfully in love and both always a little drunk. It is a landmark film that it is difficult to over-estimate either its impact or its brilliance.

The plot is so preposterous that no reasonable viewer can follow it, and the movie makes little effort to require that it be…
Review by Ashley ★★★½ 3

Relationship goals: Nick and Nora Charles.