The Thin Man (1934)

 

Genre: Drama/ Mystery 

Time: 1h 33mins

Director: W. S. Van Dyke

Quick Summary: Former detective Nick Charles and his wealthy wife Nora investigate a murder case, mostly for the fun of it.

Why isn't this listed as a comedy, it's hilarious. 

A lot of the comedy is down to the couple that this film follows, who are one of the greatest couples I've seen on screen ever. They're a lively, fun, loving couple who are ever so unique. Together they have a lot of fun, just being silly and perfectly relaxed in each other's company, unafraid to be themselves. The wife's entrance into this film is when she's dragged by their dog into a bar while she's balancing Christmas gifts and ends up flat on her face. The husband is pretty much smashed through most of the movie, but it's not obnoxious nor is he loud or vulgar. He is just more silly and unfiltered with his words. They both manage to be elegant, funny, smart, warm and do slapstick - sometimes all at the same time. 

Thinking about it, I really didn't care much for the actual plot of this. A murder. I just wanted to watch more of those two. Even the scenes with just the dog were more interesting than the murder. There's this one small moment where the dog is chasing a balloon and it's honestly adorable. One thing I did like about the story is that the murder isn't that obvious, so by the end, it is actually a reasonable surprise that isn't just pulled out of nowhere. 

The script is comedy gold. Absolutely hilarious to me, it relies heavily on witty and smart remarks. Quickly people banter back and forth, a mix of dry and dark humour that isn't really used so much anymore. What I liked is that the jokes didn't feel forced, they felt natural.

I really don't have much to say about this, as honestly this is quite a simple film with few elements to it. BUT those elements are incredibly strong, so much so that they hold the film up by themselves. It's ever so charming and such an entertaining watch. I urge you to watch this for an old classic that really needs to be spoken about more. I can't really fault this, it's not an amazing groundbreaking experience, but it is a fun one. 

5/10

"Nick Charles: Oh, it's all right, Joe. It's all right. It's my dog. And, uh, my wife.

Nora Charles: Well you might have mentioned me first on the billing."

"Nora Charles: Nick? Nicky?

Nick Charles: What?

Nora Charles: You asleep?

Nick Charles: Yes!

Nora Charles: Good. I want to talk to you."

"Nora Charles: If that knife's missing, I'll look for it in your back."