Nick Charles (William Powell) is a former detective who returns to NYC with his new wife Nora (Myrna Loy) and their dog Asta after 4 years in California. He's happily retired after Nora's father left them a fortune. His friend inventor Clyde Wynant has mysteriously disappeared after he confronts his secretary Julia Wolf about $50k in missing bonds. Clyde's ex-wife Mimi (Minna Gombell) is looking for more money but finds a dead Julia Wolf instead. Clyde becomes the prime suspect. Clyde's daughter Dorothy (Maureen O'Sullivan) refuses to believe it. Nora convinces Nick to take the case after gangster Joe Morelli barges in on them.

William Powell and Myrna Loy are terrific together. Their dialog is quick and snappy. It's loads of fun. If anything, this movie needs more of them. That's my only complaint. The movie takes too long to get to them as it concentrates on Wynant and the murder. The murder mystery works well but not necessarily anything original. This is simply a fun couple and the movie is best with both of them on the screen.

"The Thin Man" introduces film audiences to the Dashiell Hammett characters Nick and Nora Charles, portrayed by one of the great screen couples, William Powell and Myrna Loy. MGM was very surprised when the film, for which they had no ambitious plans, became a huge hit and even garnered four Oscar nominations.

This Nick and Nora have very little to do with Hammett's Nick and Nora, and it's just as well. William Powell and Myrna Loy created a lively, fun, loving couple that's all their own. The two actors worked better together than probably any other team - they're the non-dancing Astaire and Rogers. Loy's entrance into this film - she's dragged by Asta into a bar while she's balancing Christmas gifts and ends up flat on her face - is one of the best. Nick is pretty much smashed through most of the movie - people drank a lot more in those days. Powell manages to be elegant, funny, smart, warm, and do slapstick - sometimes all at the same time. Asta has a helluva time keeping up with them.

A very pretty Maureen O'Sullivan costars as a young woman whose father is missing and then is suspected of killing his ex-wife - that's for starters. He seems to be on a killing spree. Though Charles hasn't been involved in detective work in four years, she begs him to help her. After a visit from the police in the middle of the night, Nora asks Nick, "Are you going to take her case?" "Take it?" Nick asks, reaching for the booze. "I'm in it!"

Highly recommended for first-class chemistry, wit, humor, a good mystery, and overall enjoyment.

1934 was a super-important year. That's because up until then, Myrna Loy's rise to fame was very slow. While her parts had improved, she still was a second-tier actress (at best) until this great film catapulted her to fame. It was also an important year because it marked the premier of the best romantic-comedy-mystery films of all time--all thanks to the movie THE THIN MAN.

So why is this such a special film? Well, the writing and chemistry are just perfect here. William Powell and Myrna Loy were absolutely perfect together--with amazingly witty and fast dialog. The only other film that might be better in this regard is HIS GIRL Friday. Asta the dog also provided some welcome comedy relief as did the supporting characters--they were just great. Never before or sense did Hollywood get it so right. Even with the wonderful follow-up Thin Man films, they never quite reached the same pinnacle of success.

On top of all these positives, the mystery itself was excellent--something that, unfortunately, often gets lost in these style films.

Give yourself a treat and watch this film. If you are hooked, and I assume you will be, then try watching the entire series. Too bad they didn't make even more of these wonderful films.