The Thin Man Collection

When mystery writer Dashiell Hammett dreamed up sophisticated sleuths Nick and Nora Charles, he created idealized versions of himself and playwright Lillian Hellman, his lover. Cynical, urbane, and inordinately fond of alcohol, the Charleses romped through The Thin Man, a 1934 novel that hit bestseller lists within days of its hardcover publication. MGM immediately bought screen rights to the story and had writers Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett dash off a screenplay, with contract players William Powell and Myrna Loy drafted to play Nick and Nora. Released before year's end, the filmed version of Hammett's novel wowed critics and audiences alike with its mystery about a missing inventor taking a backseat to the antics of the perpetually pickled Charleses, whose playful banter delighted viewers. A 1936 sequel, After the Thin Man, which cast young James Stewart as a murder suspect, was nearly as good as the series opener and also enjoyed great success. Another Thin Man (1939) began a gradual trend toward domestication with the introduction of Nick Jr. as an infant and more footage devoted to the Charles' home life and scene-stealing pooch, Asta. Shadow of the Thin Man (1941) found the couple solving a murder at the racetrack, but lacked the edge of the earlier films, while The Thin Man Goes Home (1944), which had Nick bringing Nora and Junior to visit his parents in their small town, was almost intolerably folksy, calling to mind one of MGM's Andy Hardy movies. The series perked up with its final episode, Song of the Thin Man (1947), a borderline noir film that unfolded in smoky jazz clubs and underworld dives. Even at its weakest, the Thin Man series benefited from the Powell-Loy chemistry (one of the silver screen's best teams), and while this boxed set offers two classics, two better-than-average whodunits, one mediocre effort, and one outright turkey, even the worst effort here is not without merit. In addition to bonus short films, cartoon shorts, and some radio promos, the set comes with a bonus disc called Alias Nick and Nora, which includes two documentary profiles “William Powell: A True Gentleman” and “Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To,” along with “Darling, I Loathe You” (an episode from The Thin Man TV series). Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)