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The Thin Man
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The Thin Man (1934) More at IMDbPro »

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The Thin Man -- Comedy-mystery featuring Nick and Nora Charles: a former detective and his rich, playful wife. They solve a murder case mostly for the fun of it.

Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   15,354 votes »
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Up 43% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
W.S. Van Dyke
Writers:
Albert Hackett (screen play) and
Frances Goodrich (screen play) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Thin Man on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
25 May 1934 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Comedy | Crime | Mystery See more »
Tagline:
A laugh tops every thrilling moment!
Plot:
Nick and Nora Charles, a former detective and his rich, playful wife, investigate a murder case mostly for the fun of it. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
Awards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 2 wins See more »
NewsDesk:
(222 articles)
Observer film critic steps down
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 4 May 2013, 4:20 PM, PDT)
How Many of the Movies from Roger Ebert's List of Great Movies Have You Seen?
 (From Rope Of Silicon. 10 April 2013, 4:28 PM, PDT)
How Many of the Movies from Roger Ebert's List of Great Movies Have You Seen?
 (From Rope Of Silicon. 10 April 2013, 4:28 PM, PDT)
User Reviews:
One of the funniest films ever made... See more (113 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

William Powell ... Nick Charles

Myrna Loy ... Nora Charles

Maureen O'Sullivan ... Dorothy Wynant
Nat Pendleton ... Inspector John Guild
Minna Gombell ... Mimi Wynant
Porter Hall ... Herbert MacCaulay
Henry Wadsworth ... Tommy
William Henry ... Gilbert Wynant
Harold Huber ... Arthur Nunheim

Cesar Romero ... Chris Jorgenson
Natalie Moorhead ... Julia Wolf
Edward Brophy ... Joe Morelli
Edward Ellis ... Clyde Wynant
Cyril Thornton ... Tanner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Asta ... Asta (uncredited)
Will Aubrey ... Minor Role (uncredited)
William Augustin ... Wynant's Butler (uncredited)
Polly Bailey ... Janitress (uncredited)
Arthur Belasco ... Detective (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict ... Dance Extra (uncredited)
Tui Bow ... Stenographer (uncredited)
Raymond Brown ... Dr. Walton (uncredited)
Ruth Channing ... Mrs. Jorgenson (uncredited)
Jack Cheatham ... Detective (uncredited)
Clay Clement ... Quinn (uncredited)
Nick Copeland ... Reporter (uncredited)

Pat Flaherty ... Fighter at Party (uncredited)

Douglas Fowley ... Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Christian J. Frank ... Plainclothesman (uncredited)
Kenneth Gibson ... Apartment Clerk (uncredited)
Creighton Hale ... Reporter (uncredited)
Sherry Hall ... Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Edward Hearn ... Detective (uncredited)
Robert Homans ... Billy the Detective (uncredited)
John Irwin ... 'Face' Tefler (uncredited)
Thomas E. Jackson ... Reporter (uncredited)
Sydney Jarvis ... Witness (uncredited)
Tiny Jones ... Woman Buying Newspaper (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp ... Restaurant Table Extra (uncredited)
John Larkin ... Porter (uncredited)
Dixie Laughton ... Janitress (uncredited)
Walter Long ... Stutsy Burke (uncredited)
Fred Malatesta ... Joe - Headwaiter (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien ... Bartender (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor ... Detective Waiter (uncredited)
Henry Otho ... Detective Waiter (uncredited)
Garry Owen ... Detective (uncredited)
Lee Phelps ... Detective (uncredited)
Alexander Pollard ... Waiter Hired for Dinner (uncredited)
Albert Pollet ... Waiter Hired for Dinner (uncredited)
Bob Reeves ... Cop (uncredited)
Bert Roach ... Foster (uncredited)
Rolfe Sedan ... Waiter (uncredited)
Gertrude Short ... Marion (uncredited)
Lee Shumway ... Plainclothesman (uncredited)
Pietro Sosso ... Butler (uncredited)
Ben Taggart ... Police Captain (uncredited)
Phil Tead ... Reporter (uncredited)
George Templeton ... Reporter (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook ... Guest at Nick's Party (uncredited)
Huey White ... Bit part (uncredited)
Leo White ... Leo - Waiter (uncredited)
Charles Williams ... Fighter Manager (uncredited)
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Directed by
W.S. Van Dyke 
 
Writing credits
Albert Hackett (screen play) and
Frances Goodrich (screen play)

Dashiell Hammett (from the novel by)

Produced by
Hunt Stromberg .... producer
 
Original Music by
William Axt  (as Dr. William Axt)
 
Cinematography by
James Wong Howe (photographed by)
 
Film Editing by
Robert Kern (film editor) (as Robert J. Kern)
 
Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons 
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lesley Selander .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
David Townsend .... associate art director
Edwin B. Willis .... associate art director
 
Sound Department
Douglas Shearer .... recording director
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Ted Allan .... still photographer (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dolly Tree .... wardrobe
Eugene Joseff .... costume jeweller (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Wayne Allen .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Maurice De Packh .... orchestrator (uncredited)
David Snell .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Jack Virgil .... orchestrator (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Howard Dietz .... press agent (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
91 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Certification:
Argentina:13 | Finland:(Banned) (1934-1938) | Finland:K-16 (1938) | USA:Approved (PCA #1304-R: 26 August 1935) | Germany:6 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:U | UK:A (original rating) | Netherlands:AL (DVD rating) | Canada:PG (video rating) | South Korea:12 (2003) | Sweden:15 | Netherlands:18 (original rating) (1934) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Australia:G | USA:Not Rated | Australia:PG (TV rating)
Filming Locations:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
Company:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)See more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
The Thin Man (1934) author Dashiell Hammett drew on his experiences as a union-busting Pinkerton detective in Butte, Montana, in creating his detective characters. Meanwhile, "The Thin Man" star Myrna Loy was born near and raised in Helena, Montana.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: At Nick and Nora's apartment, Nora folds her arms in front of her. In the next shot, she's holding her hands behind her back.See more »
Quotes:
[first lines]
Tanner:Your daughter's here, Mr. Wynant. Mr. Wynant! Mr. Wynant!
Clyde Wynant, the thin man:Haven't you got any more sense than to shout at me like that?
See more »
Movie Connections:
Spoofed in Murder by Death (1976)See more »
Soundtrack:
Jingle BellsSee more »

FAQ

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User Reviews

   (Review this title)
45 out of 60 people found the following review useful.
One of the funniest films ever made..., 14 July 2000
Author: A-Ron-2 from Storrs, CT

I am not really a fan of comedies, but I can definitely appreciate a good one when it comes along. Often times comedies only really work when they are combined with another genre (in the case of this film, the 'hard-boiled detective' film)... and sometimes they achieve brilliance.

In what might have otherwise been a sort of mediocre movie, Bill Powell and Myrna Loy breath a phenomenal life into the roles of Nick and Nora Charles, a rich woman and her dandyish (but dangerous) lush of a detective husband. This film entertains on so many levels and establishes (not exploits) so many cliches that it should be mandatory viewing in any introductory film class.

The plot of The Thin Man is pretty much peripheral to the performances by Low and Powell, but it is involving in its own way. Murder, loose women, police brutality (fun police brutality), adultery, polygamy, science, swindles, two dinner parties and drinking... lots and lots of drinking... all combine into one hell of fun movie. There is even a fair amount of tension in the film and all kinds of great one-liners and set-ups.

This is quite simply a phenomenal film, lots of fun (even for Gen Xers like myself), and well worth watching.

Was the above review useful to you?
See more (113 total) »

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Thin Man (1934)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
William Powell carried it technikov
THE SONG NICK SHAKES HIS MARTINI TO!!! chelle-bell71289
Johnny Depp wants to remake, starring himself! thegr8defender
Who was that guy with Dorothy? lewis-51
Stop the remakes, Hollywood! thegr8defender
any other movies like this?? deadparrotsoc
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