William Powell and Myrna Loy search for “The Thin Man” one martini at a time!

Based on the classic Dashiell Hammett novel, The Thin Man (1934), directed by W.S. Van Dyke, introduces audiences to Nick and Nora Charles, cinema’s most sophisticated and spirited detective duo. Nick Charles (William Powell) is a former ace detective who has happily traded his badge for a life of leisure, managing his wife’s fortune and consuming a steady stream of martinis. His retirement is interrupted during a Christmas visit to New York City when the daughter of an eccentric, missing inventor—Clyde Wynant, the titular "Thin Man"—pleads with Nick to locate her father before his impending daughter’s wedding.

Despite Nick’s insistence that he is strictly retired, his curiosity is piqued when Wynant’s secretary is found murdered, and the police, led by Lieutenant Guild, name the missing inventor as the prime suspect. Encouraged by his wealthy and adventurous wife Nora (Myrna Loy)—who views the investigation as a thrilling diversion from their social calendar—and accompanied by their wire-haired fox terrier, Asta, Nick reluctantly steps back into the underworld. The couple navigates a labyrinth of suspects that includes shady nightclub owners, deceitful family members, and local gangsters, all while maintaining a relentless flow of witty banter.

The film distinguishes itself not just through its intricate whodunit plot but through the electrifying chemistry between Powell and Loy, who blend screwball comedy with the murder mystery genre.

 

Woodbridge Strong “W.S.” Van Dyke II (1889–1943), affectionately known in Hollywood as “One-Take Woody” for his legendary efficiency and speed, was a versatile and prolific American director who became one of MGM’s most reliable hit-makers during the 1930s. Born in San Diego and raised in the vaudeville tradition, Van Dyke honed his craft as an assistant to D.W. Griffith before successfully transitioning to sound films, where his loose, improvisational style coaxed natural performances from actors and helped propel stars like William Powell, Myrna Loy, and Johnny Weissmuller to fame. His directorial portfolio was incredibly diverse, ranging from the jungle adventure Tarzan the Ape Man (1932) and the disaster epic San Francisco (1936) to the sophisticated screwball mystery The Thin Man (1934), the latter two earning him Academy Award nominations for Best Director. Despite his shortened life—he committed suicide at age 53 while battling cancer and heart disease—Van Dyke left an indelible mark on the Golden Age of Hollywood as a craftsman who prioritized entertainment, pace, and spontaneity over meticulous perfectionism.

William Powell (1892 – 1984) was an American actor who was most famous for the Thin Man series, in which he costarred with Myrna Loy. Loy and Powell made 14 films together. Powell was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor three times: The Thin Man (1934), My Man Godfrey (1936), and Life With Father (1947). Powell was under contract to Paramount, Warner Bros., and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he had his greatest success. Some of Powell’s popular films include Manhattan Melodrama (1934), The Great Ziegfeld (1936), Libeled Lady (1936), The Last of Mrs. Cheney (1937), Love Crazy (1941), Life with Father (1947), The Senator Was Indiscreet (1947), Dancing in the Dark (1949), How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), and Mister Roberts (1955).

Myrna Loy (1905 - 1993) was an American film, television, and stage actress. Loy was a trained dancer but decided to concentrate on acting, appearing in silent films before becoming a major star with the advent of sound. Perhaps Loy is most famous for playing Nora Charles opposite William Powell in The Thin Man (1934) and its subsequent sequels. Loy and Powell were one of the screen’s most popular acting teams; they appeared in 14 films together. Loy starred opposite the top leading men of the day, including Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Tyrone Power, and Cary Grant. Some of her films include Wife vs. Secretary (1936), Libeled Lady (1936), The Great Ziegfeld (1936), Test Pilot (1938), Too Hot to Handle (1938), The Rains Came (1939), Love Crazy  (1941), The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947), and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948).

 

The Thin Man trivia

1. The Title is a Misnomer

The most famous piece of trivia concerning the film is that Nick Charles (William Powell) is not the “Thin Man.”

• The title actually refers to the murder victim, Clyde Wynant (played by Edward Ellis), who is described as a “thin man” with white hair.
• However, because the film was such a massive hit, the studio (MGM) branded the sequels with the same name (After the Thin Man, Another Thin Man, etc.). Audiences eventually just assumed the nickname referred to the slender William Powell.

2. The Studio Didn't Want the Stars

It is hard to imagine anyone else in the roles now, but MGM executives originally fought against casting both leads:

• William Powell was considered too old and "stiff" to play a lighthearted comedic lead. He had mostly played villains and straight-laced detectives in silent films.
• Myrna Loy was typecast as an "exotic femme fatale" (often playing Asian or vamp characters) and was not seen as "wife material."
• Director W.S. Van Dyke fought for them after seeing their chemistry in a previous film, Manhattan Melodrama. He allegedly proved Loy could play the role by pushing her into a swimming pool at a party to test her reaction—she handled it with grace and humor, convincing him she was Nora.

3. Filmed in Record Time

True to his nickname, W.S. "One-Take Woody" Van Dyke shot the entire movie in roughly 12 to 16 days.

• MGM viewed the project as a "B-picture" (a low-budget filler movie) and gave it a budget of roughly $230,000.
• Van Dyke encouraged improvisation and spontaneity to keep things moving. This loose shooting style is largely credited for the natural, overlapping dialogue that makes the film feel modern even today.

 

4. Asta Earned More Than the Actors (Sort of)

The dog, a Wire Fox Terrier named Skippy, was a major star in his own right.

• Because he was highly trained (he also starred in Bringing Up Baby and The Awful Truth), Skippy earned $250 per week.
• While this wasn't more than the lead stars, it was significantly more than many human background actors and set hands were making during the Depression.
• Trivia Twist: In Dashiell Hammett's original novel, Asta was a female Schnauzer. The movie changed the breed to a Wire Fox Terrier, sparking a massive craze for the breed in America.

 

Click HERE to watch the film on the Internet Archive.

Click HERE to join the online discussion on Monday, December 1, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation with a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. Genre Blending and Tone: The Thin Man is famous for successfully blending the gritty, hardboiled detective genre (inherited from Dashiell Hammett's novel) with the lighthearted, screwball comedy popular in the 1930s. How does director W.S. Van Dyke maintain a balance between the serious elements of murder and the nearly constant stream of witty banter, drinking, and slapstick? Do you feel one genre dominates the other, or does the fusion create a unique tone?
2. The Nick and Nora Dynamic: Analyze the marriage of Nick and Nora Charles. In what ways does Nora subvert the traditional role of a female lead in 1930s cinema (especially her wealth, agency, and casual comfort with crime and danger)? How does their dynamic—equal parts mutual respect, teasing, and affection—act as the emotional core of the film, and how does it influence Nick’s decision to solve the case?
3. Historical and Cultural Context: Released shortly after the end of Prohibition (1933), the film showcases a pervasive and casual culture of drinking. What role does alcohol—specifically the martini—play in the film? Does it function merely as a character trait, a symbol of post-Prohibition celebration, a plot device, or does it serve a deeper function in establishing the film’s sophisticated, devil-may-care tone?
4. Style and Influence: W.S. Van Dyke earned the nickname “One-Take Woody” for his rapid, improvisational shooting style, which encouraged actors like William Powell and Myrna Loy to overlap dialogue and rely on natural chemistry. How did this production style contribute to the film’s signature rhythm and enduring charm, and how did it influence the development of the detective or screwball comedy genres that followed?