The Thin Man movies have achieved universal appeal, and there are very movie buffs that are not familiar with this depiction of the debonair married couple who can drink hard, play hard, and solve crimes while they are at it. The movies are based on Dashiell Hammett’s 1933 mystery novel about a more or less successful private detective – Nick Charles – who is married to a wealthy socialite – Nora - and who decide to sleuth a crime because the lady thinks it would be a “ducky time.” It is noteworthy that Dashiell Hammett is also the creator of the hard-boiled Sam Spade character, and the “The Thin Man” is in many ways a departure from this persona which became the staple for Hollywood’s depiction of private detectives for many decades.

The movie version of this book was released in 1934.  The director, W.S. Van Dyke, chose to give the leading roles to William Powell and Myrna Loy. Because of the movie’s resounding success – it received an academy award nomination – five other movies were made so that the original novel by Hammett was soon eclipsed by the characters whose sequels were loosely based on his ideas.  In 1936 the movie “After the Thin Man” was released, only to be followed in 1939 by “Another Thin Man,” in 1941 by “Shadow of the Thin Man,” in 1944 by “The Thin Man Goes Home,” and in 1947 by “Song of the Thin Man.”

The popularity of the Thin Man phenomenon does not end there, however.  As a matter of fact, it carried over to the radio where a series with the Nick and Nora characters were broadcast. Thereafter the television studios also filmed a series starring the dynamic duo sleuthing their way through bad guys and tough men. A musical based on these characters, however, was less successful and actually closed down almost as soon as it opened.

The universal appeal of the Thin Man movies may be the very relationship between Nick and Nora. In a setting where money does not matter, the couple is able to do what it loves to do and to do it together.  Social conventions are thrown to the winds when the characters are flirting heavily and also drinking heavily. The underlying sexual tension makes the film work, whereas the sleuthing almost happens as an afterthought.  For comic relief, the pet dog adds a lot of humor to the mix, and it is not surprising that this setup has been exploited by mystery writers and television producers alike in what can only be described as a gaggle of books, scripts, and shows that feature a wealthy husband and wife team.  As the years wore on, the frivolous lifestyle of the socialite and her private detective was toned down, and when drinking on television was frowned upon, the free-flowing gin quickly dried up.

As a matter of fact, even the sequels to the original movie were toned down a bit.  For example, in the second Thin Man movie, the couple is getting ready to welcome a baby to the family. The child is seen growing up in subsequent movies, and the family becomes more grounded, though the easy banter still continues between the couple, yet a lot of the frivolity is lost. Exploring the various setting for the sleuthing couple was a hard task for the film producers, yet one they did with great skill and finesse. 

It became obvious that almost like an early soap opera the audience was addicted to Nick and Nora Charles and wanted more information about their lives together, their relationship and everything that had to do with them. It is therefore not surprising that more and more family twists and turns were worked into the scripts, such as the murder that takes place in Nora’s family, as well as the family disagreements and problems that are brewing with Nick’s extended clan.  The process of watching Nick, Jr. grow up during the making of the movies was also a stroke of genius. Many members of the female audience dreamed of having this kind of carefree yet devoted relationship with their husbands, where they could share in a common interest that would bring them closer together rather than cause them to drift further apart. It is said that Nick Charles became every woman’s husband, while the male audience looked on Nora Charles as the strong support and clever mom they wishes their wives could be. Instead of dreading her independence and intelligence, the male audience favorably responded to the character, especially because family and home were such an integral part of the films.  While the die hard detective fans loved the first Thin Man movie for the hard-drinking frivolity, subsequent audiences fell in love with the characters’ devotion and persistence.