Perhaps you’ve heard of Nick and Nora Charles, the husband-and-wife sleuthing team of The Thin Man movies.
On the face of it, they’re an unlikely pair. Nick (William Powell) is a retired gumshoe, a sleek, witty man with an unparalleled track record of putting criminals in the Clink.
He’s married to Nora (Myrna Loy), a sleek, witty woman with an unparalleled bank account.
But Nick is no gold digger and Nora is no hot-house orchid. They love solving mysteries as much as they love (A) each other, and (B) cocktails.
There’s plenty of mystery and cocktails in the third installment of this series, Another Thin Man (1939), wherein Nick and Nora – along with their new baby – visit a friend’s estate on Long Island for the weekend, and a murder ensues.
Make that three murders, which is alarming considering they take place on the same weekend, but never fear! The Charleses have things Well In Hand as they work their way through Clues and libations.
Indeed, the pair make the business of solving murders seem like an easy bit of fun. A murder would ruin anyone’s holiday weekend, but the Charles couple marié never let a murder get in the way of a good time.
This is evidenced by their clever lines. For example, an acquaintance studies the Charles’ new baby. Acquaintance: “I’m trying to figure out who he [the baby] looks like.” Nick: “Anyone I know?”
With lines like that, and an unexpected murderer, this film is a heckuva Good Time.
Is a murderer among us? Image: thethinman1934.com
AND NOW, A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR
This review of Another Thin Man is brought to you by the Pick My Movie Tag challenge from Rebecca at Taking Up Room. She challenged us to review a movie about a Vacation Gone Wrong.
We felt Nick and Nora going on a holiday weekend and bumping into a murderer fit this category, but we forgot how much fun these two are.
But something really did go wrong with Another Thin Man, in the pre-production stage, which was not referenced in the free-wheeling script.
It concerned star William Powell.
William Powell and Skippy (a.k.a. Asta). Image: Pinterest
Another Thin Man was set to begin filming in 1938, less than a year after the death of Powell’s financé, actress Jean Harlow. She died at the age of 26 from uremic poisoning.
If that weren’t difficult enough, Powell was diagnosed with cancer, and he underwent surgery in March, 1938, and again in January, 1939.
MGM delayed production of Another Thin Man until the fall of 1939, when doctors gave Powell the Go-Ahead to return to work. Even so, the studio did not ask him to work more than six hours per day due to his condition.
TCM quotes the biography, Gentleman: The William Powell Story by Charles Francisco, when describing Powell’s return to the studio on the first day of filming:
“Powell, looking remarkably fit and tanned, seemed embarrassed by the attention. He held up his hands and the familiar grin began to play at the corners of his mouth as he tried to think of something funny to say. The applause stopped, and Bill found that he couldn’t speak. Myrna Loy rushed over to him and gave him a kiss and a big hug. [Director] Woody Van Dyke supplied the proper ending to the emotionally charged scene. ‘All right,’ he bellowed, ‘what are we wasting time for? Let’s get to work.'”
It seems to us that Nick Charles, a man beloved by active and retired criminals alike, closely resembles Powell himself.
In watching this film, you would never know the trials Powell faced. On screen, he’s relaxed, debonair, amusing, and you marvel at the way he Pulls It Off.
In spite of Powell’s personal turmoil, Another Thin Man is a frothy movie, and we mean it in the best way possible. It shows us that when things go wrong, a lot of things can still go right.
Another Thin Man: starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, Virginia Grey. Directed by W. S. Van Dyke. Written by Frances Goodrich & Albert Hackett. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1939, B&W, 103 mins.
Loved this informative and entertaining review, Ruth — I never knew that William Powell had cancer. I only saw the original Thin Man movie for the first time earlier this year, and hadn’t really planned to work my way through the series, but I have to admit that you make me want to, at the very least, check this one out.
This film series is wonderful, I love this couple. How sad, what happened to William Powell, but indeed, his grief and past hard times don’t show at all in the movie. I’ve had a rewatch of these movies on my want-to-do list for a while now, coincidentally 🙂
Thanks, Karen! I like this Thin Man (#3 in the series) more than the 2nd one. But it’s the last movie with the original writers, so I’m not as enthralled with some of the later films. I hope you get the chance to see this one – definitely worth a look!
William P. does sound like a great guy to work with, doesn’t he? Professional, not a prima donna, and genuinely liked by so many he worked with. I can’t imagine getting out of bed with what he went through, never mind going to work and making it look easy!
William Powell & Myrna Loy both bring to the screen an unsurpassable wit, coupled with elegance.
I’m only too glad W.S. Van Dyke (Thin Man Director) pushed Loy into that swimming pool, nobody could pair so perfectly in poise alongside Powell.
Though with all that being said.. Skippy was the real scene-stealer within the Thin Man franchise hahah!
Ah, how we enjoy the Thin Man movies at my house! We found the entire collection on DVD for a song at a local thrift shop a couple years ago, and it’s been a comfort watch ever since. Pure escapist fun. 🙂
Silver Screenings 
Loved this informative and entertaining review, Ruth — I never knew that William Powell had cancer. I only saw the original Thin Man movie for the first time earlier this year, and hadn’t really planned to work my way through the series, but I have to admit that you make me want to, at the very least, check this one out.
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This film series is wonderful, I love this couple. How sad, what happened to William Powell, but indeed, his grief and past hard times don’t show at all in the movie. I’ve had a rewatch of these movies on my want-to-do list for a while now, coincidentally 🙂
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A re-watch of the Thin Man movies is always a good item for the want-to-do list. Without realizing it, I think I’ve been doing the same thing.
As for William Powell, you just can’t tell the tragedies he’s suffered when you see him on screen, can you? A true professional.
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Thanks, Karen! I like this Thin Man (#3 in the series) more than the 2nd one. But it’s the last movie with the original writers, so I’m not as enthralled with some of the later films. I hope you get the chance to see this one – definitely worth a look!
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Love these movies; Loy and Powell are magic on screen 🙂
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Aren’t they, though? They were very good friends in real llife.
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I really like his performance in Life With Father. He stopped acting while in his early 60s. Maybe he had become tired of the profession.
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That could be the case. He was terrific in everything, wasn’t he? I need to see Life With Father again – it’s been far too long!
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Wow – to be filming with all of that going on in his personal life!!
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Yeah, can you imagine? That would be so difficult. It shows what a brilliant actor he really was.
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Just amazing!!
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That is such a cool story about William Powell. Not the cancer part! 🙂
He sounds like he was a great guy to work with.
I must have a thing for Powells. William and Dick. 🙂
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I’d say you have very good taste in Powells!
William P. does sound like a great guy to work with, doesn’t he? Professional, not a prima donna, and genuinely liked by so many he worked with. I can’t imagine getting out of bed with what he went through, never mind going to work and making it look easy!
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I love this anecdote. Didn’t think I could like William Powell even more, but now I do. Is it true he tried to adopt Skippy (Asta) too?
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He tried to adopt Skippy? I didn’t know this. I need to do a bit o’ research.
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William Powell & Myrna Loy both bring to the screen an unsurpassable wit, coupled with elegance.
I’m only too glad W.S. Van Dyke (Thin Man Director) pushed Loy into that swimming pool, nobody could pair so perfectly in poise alongside Powell.
Though with all that being said.. Skippy was the real scene-stealer within the Thin Man franchise hahah!
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Haha! I agree Skippy is a terrific scene-stealer. He’s a good foil, in his way, for the ultra-poised Powell and Loy, wasn’t he?
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Ah, how we enjoy the Thin Man movies at my house! We found the entire collection on DVD for a song at a local thrift shop a couple years ago, and it’s been a comfort watch ever since. Pure escapist fun. 🙂
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The whole set? Awesome! That is a rare and special find. Well done, you! Is there a particular favourite in your house?
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Sounds a fab movie, though I haven’t seen any of the series. Sounds like Skippy ( from comments above) maybe a bit of a star too.
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Skippy is so cute, and he’s sometimes the one with the most common sense. He absolutely is a Star, dah-ling.
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I love couple crime duos and they were one of the best!
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Such chemistry between Powell and Loy, hey? A pleasure to watch.
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I have not heard of this one but I do love crime shows!
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This is a really fun film, although it’s less about crime than it is about the jokes and the fabulous husband-wife relationship.
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Not seen this film couple but it seems like a good watch…
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It’s a lot of fun. And a lot of drinking!
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I have just seen Johnny Depp is hoping to remake it..
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Really? That could be interesting, and I mean it in a good way.
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I was thinking that after reading about Depp after reading your post.
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Hi there and Congrats
Just nominated you in my much belated award post … https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2023/08/17/news-for-sunshine-awards-and-a-blogging-recognition-award-read-on/
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Aw, thanks! I’ll drop by later to check it out!
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Anytime, its so well deserved Ruth… always lovely to nominate a real blogging star.
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