Dashiell Hammett's "The Thin Man" Movies Series Page at BlackHat Mystery Bookstore

Nick Charles has given up his career as a detective since marrying socialite Nora. They spend their days getting cheerfully drunk in hotels and speakeasies – the story takes place during the Prohibition Era. They have a schnauzer dog named Asta. In the novel, Charles is reluctantly drawn into investigating a murder, one connected with the Wynant family, whose patriarch, the inventor Clyde Wynant, has gone missing. Clyde Wynant is the actual 'thin man' of the title.

History of The Films All of the 'Thin Man' movies were made at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. The first "Thin Man" movie (1934) was based directly on the novel; it was extremely popular and was Oscar-nominated for Best Picture, Best Director (W.S. VanDyke), Best Script & Best Actor (Powell). The second film, "After The Thin Man" [1936], was based on a novella by Hammett, as was "Another Thin Man" [1939]; both stories were finally published in 2012 {see below}. The story of "Shadow of The Thin Man" [1941] is credited to scriptwriter Harry Kurnitz.
The long delay before "The Thin Man Goes Home" [late 1944] was partly because of World War II, but also because Myrna Loy moved to New York and assisted with Red Cross war relief there, and also went thru a divorce and was remarried. The last two films had different directors (W.S. VanDyke had been diagnosed with cancer in early 1943 and committed suicide).

"The Complete Thin Man Collection" DVD boxed set
Warner b&w DVD [8/2005] 7 disks for $39.93
includes all six 'Thin Man' feature films, plus radio show episode, tv series
episode, cartoons & shorts (including Robert Benchley's "How To Be A
Detective") and other extras

· ·

"The Thin Man" [M.G.M. May 1934]

Nick Charles, a detective, has just retired but is pulled back into service by the disappearance of a friend, Clyde Wynant (the actual 'thin man') just after Wynant's girlfriend is found dead. Nick and his wife Nora consume martinis and exchange witticisms; the martini glasses pile up as do the dead bodies, until the murderer is revealed at a dinner-party gathering of all the suspects. Directed by W.S. VanDyke; script by Albert Hackett & Frances Goodrich, based on Dashiell Hammett's novel; cinematography by James Wong Howe; starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, Maureen O'Sullivan, Nat Pendleton, Minna Gombell, Asta & Cesar Romero; Oscar noms for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Script & Best Actor (WP); listed on the National Film Registry (1997)
Warner b&w DVD keepcase [8/2005] for $17.99
Warner b&w DVD snapcase [10/2002] out of prodn/used
Warner b&w VHS [7/2001] out of prodn/used
M.G.M./Warner b&w VHS [6/94] out of prodn/many used
full credits from IMDb • movie entry at Wikipedia

Announced 10/2010: Warner Bros. "The Thin Man" remake starring Johnny Depp {see below}; shelved 6/2012

"After The Thin Man" [M.G.M. Dec 1936]

Nora's socialite family think that Nick is unworthy of her, but when David, the husband of a cousin, goes missing, they are only too eager for Nick to look into the matter. David returns home for some clothes and is shot; the wife's lover finds her standing over the body and disposes of her gun, but she is the prime suspect anyway. Two more murders occur before Nick nails the killer at a gathering of all the suspects. Directed by W.S. VanDyke; script by Frances Goodrich & Albert Hackett based on an unpublished novella by Dashiell Hammett; starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, James Stewart, Elissa Landi, Asta, Sam Levene, Penny Singleton, Joseph Calleia, Jessie Ralph, Alan Marshal, Teddy Hart, William Law, George Zucco & Paul Fix; Oscar nomination for Best Script
Warner b&w DVD [8/2007] for $13.49
Turner Home Video b&w VHS [4/91] out of prodn/many used
full credits from IMDb • movie entry at Wikipedia

"Another Thin Man" [M.G.M. Nov 1939]

A wealthy old friend invites Nick & Nora and their new baby out to Long Island for the weekend, where he reveals that he has been threatened by someone from his past. When the old man is killed, the police pursue the obvious suspect, but Nick thinks that the problem is much more complex. Directed by W.S. VanDyke; script by Frances Goodrich & Albert Hackett, based on unpublished novella "The Farewell Murder" by Dashiell Hammett; starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, C. Aubrey Smith, Virginia Grey, Otto Kruger, Ruth Hussey, Nat Pendleton, Patric Knowles, Tom Neal, Phyllis Gordon, Sheldon Leonard, Don Costello, Harry Bellaver, Marjorie Main & Asta
Warner b&w DVD [8/2007] for $13.49
Warner b&w VHS [4/91] out of prodn/many used
full credits from IMDb • movie entry at Wikipedia

"Shadow of The Thin Man" [M.G.M. Nov 1941]

Shadow of The Thin Man 1941 movie poster

Nick and Nora expect a relaxing day at the race track, but a jockey accused of throwing a race gets murdered, and Nick is drawn into the case. Directed by W.S. VanDyke; written by Irving Beecher & Harry Kurnitz; starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, Barry Nelson, Donna Reed, Sam Levene, Alan Baxter, Henry O'Neill, Richard Hall (as Nick, Jr.), Stella Adler, Loring Smith, Joseph Anthony, Lou Lubin, Louise Beavers & Asta
Warner b&w DVD [8/2007] for $13.49
Warner b&w VHS [10/89] out of prodn/many used
full credits from IMDb • movie entry at Wikipedia

"The Thin Man Goes Home" [M.G.M. Dec 1944]

Nick & Nora visit his home town of Sycamore Springs on a vacation; Nick's father is displeased with his son's choice of career, so Nora circulates a rumor that Nick is secretly working on a case, in hope of impressing her father-in-law. When a stranger is shot dead by a sniper on Nick's father's doorstep, Nick has work to do whether he likes it or not. In support of wartime liquor rationing, Nick is shown as sober, but everyone still assumes that he is drunk (a source of much comedy). Directed by Richard Thorpe; written by Harry Kurnitz, Robert Riskin & Dwight Taylor; starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, Lucile Watson, Harry Davenport, Gloria DeHaven, Lucile Watson, Anne Revere, Helen Vinson, Leon Ames, Edward Brophy & Asta
Warner b&w DVD [8/2007] for $13.49
Warner b&w VHS [4/91] out of prodn/many used
full credits from IMDb • movie entry at Wikipedia

"Song of The Thin Man" [M.G.M. Aug 1947]

Nick & Nora attend a charity benefit aboard an offshore gambling ship, where the obnoxious bandleader is murdered. The prime suspect acts for Nick's help, but Nick refuses until shots are fired outside his own apartment. Directed by Edward Buzzell; story by Stanley Roberts, script by Steve Fisher & Nat Perrin; starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, Keenan Wynn, Dean Stockwell (as Nick, Jr.), Gloria Grahame, Patricia Morison, Phillip Reed, Leon Ames, Jayne Meadows, Ralph Morgan, Bess Flowers, Don Taylor, Warner Anderson, Marie Windsor & Asta, Jr.
Warner b&w DVD [8/2007] for $13.49
Warner b&w VHS [4/91] out of prodn/many used
full credits from IMDb • movie entry at Wikipedia

"Murder By Death" [Rastar/Columbia June 1976]

Murder By Death murder mystery spoof movie by Neil Simon

Detective spoof written by playwright Neil Simon: Five famous literary detectives and their sidekicks are invited by an eccentric millionaire for dinner and a 'murder at midnight' performance; but before midnight, the butler is found dead, and then other murders follow. David Niven & Maggie Smith portray the Nick & Nora spoofs 'Dick & Dora Charleston'; DVD extras include trailers & Neil Simon interview. Co-produced by Ray Stark; directed by Robert Moore; starring Eileen Brennan, Truman Capote, James Coco, Peter Falk, Alec Guinness, David Niven, Maggie Smith, Peter Sellers & Richard Narita; W.G.A. nom for Best Original Script
Sony widescreen color DVD [12/2001] for $8.99
Sony color VHS [6/94] out of prodn/many used
full credits at IMDb • movie entry at Wikipedia

"The Thin Man" remake [project shelved]
Announced 10/2010: Warner Bros. is planning a remake of 1934 "The Thin Man" movie; Rob Marshall is signed
to direct the script by Jerry Stahl; Johnny Depp is attached to star; producers include Depp, Christi Dembrowski,
Kevin McCormick; new writer David Koepp hired 9/2011. Added 6/2012: The Depp "Thin Man" project is shelved.
latest info at IMDb

"The Thin Man" [1934] retail source unknown	"The Thin Man" [1934] 11"x17" poster from AllPosters.com 11"x17" poster from Amazon	"The Thin Man" [1934] orange/green 22"x28" poster no longer available via AllPosters.com
"The Thin Man" [1934] 14"x11" poster for $9.99 at Amazon	"The Thin Man" [1934] 27"x40" poster from Amazon 11"x17" poster from Amazon	"After The Thin Man" [1936] 11"x17" poster from AllPosters.com 27"x40" poster from Amazon 11"x17" poster from Amazon
"Another Thin Man" [1939] 27"x40" poster from Amazon 11"x17" poster from Amazon	"Shadow of The Thin Man" [1941] 11"x17" poster from AllPosters.com 27"x40" poster from Amazon 11"x17" poster from Amazon	"Nick, Gentleman Detective" 11"x17" poster from AllPosters.com 11"x17" poster from Amazon

	"The Real Nick and Nora: Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, Writers of Stage and Screen Classics" [2001] by David L Goodrich Southern Illinois Univ Press 8¾x5¾ pb [10/2004] out of print/used Southern Illinois Univ Press 9¼x6¼ hardcover [12/2001] for $30.00
	"The Thin Man Films: Murder Over Cocktails" [2008] by Charles Tranberg BearManor Media 8¾x6 pb [11/2008] for $22.45
	"Return of The Thin Man: Two Never-Before-Published Novellas Featuring Nick & Nora Charles" [2012] With the huge success of the 'Thin Man' novel and movie [both 1934], Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios asked Hammett to write new stories; two movies were made but the novellas weren't published until 78 years later. Kindle Edition from Mysterious Press [11/2012] for $13.75 Mysterious Press hardcover [11/2012] for $15.51

BlackHat Mystery BookstoreDashiell Hammett's"The Thin Man"Movie Series Page

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Dashiell Hammett's
"The Thin Man"
Movie Series Page