the thin man

I love the Thin Man movies.  There is something just so ultra-cool about Nick and Nora... it's almost hypnotic. The chemistry between William Powell and Myna Loy was believable and though there were only 6 Thin Man movies, the pair ultimately went on to star in 14 movies together.  I love their easy, sassy banter and their love of cocktails.  They make life look so easy (of course, being wealthy and glamorous helps).

 The Thin Man (1934)

After the Thin Man (1936)

Another Thin Man (1939)

Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)

The Thin Man Goes Home (1945)

Song of the Thin Man (1947)

I always romantically think of these movies representing an era that was long, long ago. After all, the first film debuted over 75 years ago. Another Thin Man was filmed in 1939 and Shadow of the Thin Man in 1941, the years my father and mother were born. This fascinates me and gives me a small window into what the world was like when they were born. This fact somehow makes that time more in my grasp... it makes me feel like I can almost touch that era, even though the world itself seems to have changed so much since then.

It amuses me to no end that the original Thin Man movie was released just a year after Prohibition was repealed. Nick and Nora's love of all thing alcohol is a major component of the movies and you have to wonder if it was some kind of commentary. Me? I don't like it when I find myself somewhere that still has Sunday Blue Laws, I can't imagine not being able to (legally) have a drink for 13 years! Noble Experiment, my hiney!

The following clip highlights some of Nick and Nora's classic cocktail moments.  My favorite is probably the scene from the first movie where Nora and Nick are having martinis. It is obvious that Nick has been drinking heavily and Nora wants to keep up with him:

Nora: Say, how many drinks have you had?
Nick: This will make six martinis.
Nora (to waiter): All right. Will you bring me five more martinis, Leo? And line them right up here.

She never misses a beat!  That's my girl.