FILM · 1934 · USA
The Thin Man
- Directed by
- W.S. Van Dyke
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Studio
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Cosmopolitan Productions
157 archived facts 6 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
Former detective Nick Charles has retired from police work, preferring a life of cocktails, parties, and relaxation with his wealthy wife, Nora. Their holiday is interrupted when the daughter of Nick’s former client asks for help finding her missing father, eccentric inventor Clyde Wynant. When Wynant’s body is discovered, Nick is drawn back into the investigation, with Nora eagerly joining him. As the couple…
157 Interesting Facts About The Thin Man
Interesting Facts (21)
- #001
- #002
- #003
- #004
- #005
- #006
- #007
- #008
- #009
- #010
- #011
- #012
- #013
- #014
The film flirted with the Hays Code in both dialogue and image. The final scenes point to a new marriage (the wedding bouquet), meaning both couples are married. Nevertheless, the shot in which Asta closes his eyes and the train compartment lights then go dark, indicating marital happiness, was about to appear whether or not there were separate beds (required by the code at the time). At the time this was considered just this side of scandal.
- #015
- #016
- #017
- #018
- #019
- #020
- #021
Production Story (70)
- #022
- #023
MGM was warned that some dialogue might be 'objectionable' — for example, William Powell's line "He didn't even get near my tabloids" and Myrna Loy's "What is that man doing in my drawers?" Despite this, the film received approval for release in 1934 and was granted a PCA certificate in August 1935. After its release, lines were censored in some regions; a Southern theater owner even complained about excessive drinking scenes that made his audiences uncomfortable.
- #024
- #025
W.S. Van Dyke completed the film, which had been allotted three weeks, in only 12 days and on a modest budget of $231,000. The production became a major box-office success that no one had expected, earning $1.4 million (equivalent to roughly $31 million in 2022). This success also paved the way for sequels in the series.
- #026
- #027
To prevent Myrna Loy from being cast, MGM told Van Dyke he could use the actress only if he finished shooting within three weeks and got her to Stamboul Quest (1934) in time. The studio had underestimated its fastest director. Van Dyke managed to bring Loy into the cast, even exceeding that deadline.
- #028
- #029
Louis B. Mayer, the head of MGM, initially opposed Myrna Loy's involvement in the film. But director Van Dyke insisted on using William Powell and Loy, the stars of Manhattan Melodrama (1934). Although Mayer said Powell was suitable because he had played detective roles before, Loy ultimately won the part and created an entirely new image for herself.
- #030
- #031
- #032
- #033
The film skirted the limits of the Hays Production Code with both its dialogue and its imagery. While the wedding bouquet in the final scenes signals a new marriage, Asta closing his eyes and the lights going out in the train compartment implied that marital happiness would be enjoyed despite the requirement of separate beds. For that era, this was a narrative quite close to scandal.
- #034
- #035
One difference from the original novel was that the story had been written during Prohibition; the drinking scenes generally took place in disreputable establishments, and the story had a relatively harsh tone. By 1934 Prohibition had ended, and alcohol's negative medical effects had for a time come to be seen as reactionary propaganda. For this reason, the story was deliberately turned into an escapist comedy for the film; the characters were written as heavy drinkers who become more cheerful the more they drink, and even hangovers were shown as fun.
- #036
- #037
When creating his detective characters, author Dashiell Hammett drew on his experiences as a Pinkerton detective in Butte, Montana, where he worked as a strikebreaker. As an interesting coincidence, the film's star, Myrna Loy, was also born and raised near Helena, Montana. This shared geographical connection added a further depth to the production.
- #038
- #039
For William Powell's first scene at the bar, W.S. Van Dyke asked the actor to take the cocktail shaker, walk to the bar and play the scene in its natural flow while the crew adjusted lighting and sound. As Powell performed the scene with lines and movements of his own, he suddenly heard Van Dyke say, "That's it! Roll it!" The director had decided to shoot the scene without Powell's knowledge so that he would be as relaxed and natural as possible.
- #040
- #041
According to Myrna Loy, the biggest problem during filming was the climactic dinner scene in which Nick reveals the killer. William Powell complained that he had too many lines to memorize and barely understood the complex plot he was trying to unravel. The scene required multiple takes, and as written the guests were served oysters, with the same plate of oysters brought under the hot lights for every take. Loy said, "The oysters began to rot," and added, "When we finished that scene, nobody wanted to see an oyster again."
- #042
When W.S. Van Dyke felt a scene was right on the first take, he generally would not bother shooting different angles, on the grounds that the actors "lost their fire." This put great pressure on the actors; they often had to learn new lines and movements just before filming, with no luxury of a retake. Even so, Myrna Loy attributed much of the film's charm to Van Dyke's pace and naturalness.
- #043
- #044
- #045
- #046
- #047
- #048
Nick punches Nora to get her out of the line of fire of Joe Morelli's (Edward Brophy) revolver. William Powell actually gave Myrna Loy an open-palmed push, as if swearing on a Bible, but the push missed her face. When the footage is sped up ten times, the movement looks more like a championship belt punch.
- #049
The film first aired on television on Sunday, November 4, 1956, on KING (Channel 5) in Seattle, WA; on Sunday, December 16, 1956, on WBBM (Channel 2) in Chicago, IL; on Thursday, January 10, 1957, on WCBS (Channel 2) in New York City, NY; and on Saturday, January 12, 1957, on WFBG (Channel 10) in Altoona, PA. First showings followed in Philadelphia, PA, on April 8, 1957, on WFIL (Channel 6); in Los Angeles, CA, on June 21, 1957, on KTTV (Channel 11); and in San Francisco, CA, on March 8, 1958, on KGO (Channel 7). In Minneapolis, MN, the earliest documented television showing was on November 4, 1960, on WTCN (Channel 11).
- #050
William Powell often expressed his satisfaction at working with Myrna Loy. Loy's naturalness, professionalism and lack of temperament brought the pair's on-set harmony to its peak. Powell said, "In our scenes we would forget technique and camera angles; we didn't act, we were simply two people in perfect harmony."
- #051
- #052
- #053
- #054
- #055
- #056
- #057
- #058
- #059
- #060
- #061
MGM was notified that some dialogue might be 'objectionable'; for example, William Powell's line "He didn't even come near my tabloids" and Myrna Loy's "What is that man doing in my drawers?" Nevertheless, the film received approval for release in 1934, and a PCA certificate was issued in August 1935. After its release, the lines were censored in some regions; a Southern theater owner even complained about excessive drinking scenes that made his audience uncomfortable.
- #062
- #063
W.S. Van Dyke completed the film, which was given three weeks, in only 12 days and with a modest budget of $231,000. The production, which achieved a great box office success that no one expected, grossed $1.4 million (equivalent to about $31 million in 2022). This success also paved the way for the sequel.
- #064
- #065
To prevent Myrna Loy from being cast, MGM told Van Dyke that he could only use the actress if he finished shooting within three weeks and got her to Stamboul Quest (1934) in time. The studio had underestimated its fastest director. Van Dyke managed to cast Loy by even exceeding this time.
- #066
- #067
Louis B. Mayer, the head of MGM, initially opposed Myrna Loy's involvement in this film. However, director Van Dyke insisted on using William Powell and Loy, the stars of Manhattan Melodrama (1934). Although Mayer said Powell was suitable because he had played detective roles before, Loy eventually got the role and created a brand-new image for herself.
- #068
- #069
- #070
- #071
The film walked the boundaries of the Hays Production Code with both its dialogue and its visuals. While the wedding bouquet in the final scenes signaled a new marriage, Asta closing his eyes and the lights going out in the train compartment implied that marital happiness would be experienced despite the requirement for separate beds. For that era, this was a narrative quite close to scandal.
- #072
- #073
One difference from the original novel was that the story had been written during the Prohibition era; drinking scenes generally took place in notorious venues, and the story had a relatively harsh tone. By 1934, Prohibition had ended, and the negative medical effects of alcohol had for a time been seen as reactionary propaganda. Therefore, for the film, the story was deliberately turned into an escapist comedy; the characters were written as heavy drinkers who became more enjoyable the more they drank, and even hangovers were shown as fun.
- #074
- #075
When creating his detective characters, author Dashiell Hammett drew on his experience as a Pinkerton detective in Butte, Montana, where he worked as a strikebreaker. In an interesting coincidence, the film's star, Myrna Loy, was born and raised near Helena, Montana. This shared geographical connection gave the production an added depth.
- #076
When Lieutenant Guild asks Nick whether he has heard of the Sullivan Law, he is referring to the 1911 New York state gun control law. Nora's reply, "it's all right, we're married," is a nod to the 1910 federal Mann Act, which prohibited transporting women across state lines for 'immoral purposes.' As of 2022, both laws are still in effect.
- #077
- #078
- #079
- #080
- #081
- #082
- #083
- #084
- #085
As Joe Morelli (Edward Brophy) leafs through a magazine that runs from corsets to stockings, he looks at a full-length photo of two women. Opposite the headline 'For Slim Figures. A Lastex Story' are detailed illustrations of two women in their underwear. Silent films had brought impressive special effects to cinema in its early years, but most 21st-century viewers have not seen these lost and restored films. Overlaying this image, which lasts no more than three seconds in a 90-minute black-and-white film, onto an existing frame was quite cool work for its era.
- #086
At the time this film was made, the telephone industry was very different from today's. Telephones were rotary-dial only, single-colored (black) and made from materials such as Bakelite. When the receiver was lifted, operators stood ready to place the call. As shown at the Christmas party, a long-distance call to San Francisco was both time-consuming and quite expensive.
- #087
At the start of the meal, Nora says, “Waiter, will you serve the nuts?” A formal dinner like this consists of several courses, sometimes as many as seven to eleven. The first course is soup. The nuts are served with the fruit and cheese in the final course. The phrase ‘from soup to nuts’ comes from this.
- #088
- #089
- #090
- #091
Behind the Scenes (19)
- #092
Director W. S. Van Dyke, aware of William Powell and Myrna Loy's relaxed banter between takes and their obvious enjoyment of each other's company, worked with both of them on the film. Van Dyke frequently encouraged improvisation and included improvised and exaggerated details in the picture.
- #093
- #094
- #095
Director W.S. Van Dyke noticed the natural banter between William Powell and Myrna Loy during breaks in filming and the pleasure they took in each other's company, and brought that energy into the film. Van Dyke frequently encouraged the actors' improvisations and spontaneous details and worked them into scenes.
- #096
- #097
For William Powell's first scene at the bar, W.S. Van Dyke asked the actor to pick up the cocktail shaker and walk to the bar while the crew was checking the lighting and sound, and to play the scene in its natural flow. As Powell performed the scene with lines and movements he added himself, he suddenly heard Van Dyke say, "That's it! Roll it!" The director had decided to shoot the scene without Powell's knowledge so that he would be as relaxed and natural as possible.
- #098
- #099
According to Myrna Loy, the biggest problem during filming was the climactic dinner scene in which Nick reveals the killer. William Powell complained that he had too many lines to memorize and that he barely understood the complex plot he was trying to unravel. In this scene, which required multiple takes, oysters were served to the guests as the script demanded, and the same plate of oysters was brought under the hot lights for every take. Loy said, "The oysters began to rot," and added, "When we finished that scene, nobody wanted to see an oyster again."
- #100
When W.S. Van Dyke felt a scene was right on the first take, he generally would not bother with shooting different angles, on the grounds that the actors "lost their fire." This put great pressure on the actors; they often had to learn new lines and movements just before filming, with no luxury of a retake. Even so, Myrna Loy attributed much of the film's charm to Van Dyke's pace and naturalness.
- #101
- #102
- #103
- #104
- #105
- #106
- #107
- #108
- #109
Nick punched Nora to get her out of the line of fire of Joe Morelli's (Edward Brophy) revolver. William Powell actually gave Myrna Loy an open-palmed push, as if swearing on a Bible, but the push missed her face. When the footage is sped up ten times, the movement looks more like a championship belt punch.
- #110
The film first aired on television on Sunday, November 4, 1956, on KING (Channel 5) in Seattle, WA; on Sunday, December 16, 1956, on WBBM (Channel 2) in Chicago, IL; on Thursday, January 10, 1957, on WCBS (Channel 2) in New York City, NY; and on Saturday, January 12, 1957, on WFBG (Channel 10) in Altoona, PA. Its first showings in Philadelphia, PA took place on April 8, 1957, on WFIL (Channel 6); in Los Angeles, CA on June 21, 1957, on KTTV (Channel 11); and in San Francisco, CA on March 8, 1958, on KGO (Channel 7). In Minneapolis, MN, the earliest documented television showing took place on November 4, 1960, on WTCN (Channel 11).
Characters & Cast (13)
- #111
William Powell spoke about how much he loved working with Myrna Loy because of her naturalness, professionalism and lack of any "diva" temperament. "When we did a scene together, we forgot about technique, camera angles and microphones. We weren't acting. We were just two people in perfect harmony," he said. "Myrna, unlike some actresses who think only of themselves, has the happy faculty of being able to listen while the other fellow says his lines. She has the give and take that brings out the best in acting."
- #112
MGM president Louis B. Mayer was initially opposed to the idea of Myrna Loy appearing in the film, but director W. S. Van Dyke wanted to use William Powell and Loy, the stars of Manhattan Melodrama (1934). Mayer said Powell was suitable for the role because he had previously played detectives in other films. Loy ultimately got the part and created a new image for herself.
- #113
William Powell often spoke of how much he enjoyed working with Myrna Loy. Her naturalness, professionalism and unfussy manner took the pair's on-set rapport to its peak. Powell said, 'In our scenes we would forget technique and camera angles; we wouldn't act, we would simply be two people in perfect harmony.'
- #114
- #115
- #116
- #117
- #118
- #119
- #120
- #121
- #122
- #123
Easter Eggs & References (2)
Deeper Meaning (32)
- #126
When Lieutenant Guild asks Nick whether he has heard of the Sullivan Law, he is referring to the 1911 New York state gun control law. Nora's reply, "it's all right, we're married," is a nod to the 1910 federal Mann Act, which prohibited transporting women across state lines for 'immoral purposes.' Both laws were still in force as of 2022.
- #127
- #128
- #129
- #130
- #131
- #132
- #133
- #134
- #135
- #136
- #137
- #138
- #139
- #140
- #141
- #142
- #143
- #144
- #145
- #146
- #147
As Joe Morelli (Edward Brophy) leafs through a magazine that runs from corsets to stockings, he looks at a full-length photo of two women in clothing. Opposite the headline 'For Slim Figures. A Lastex Story' are detailed illustrations of two women in underwear. Silent films had brought impressive special effects to cinema in its early years, but most 21st-century viewers have not seen these lost and restored films. Overlaying this image, which lasts no more than three seconds in a 90-minute black-and-white film, onto an existing frame was quite a cool feat for its era.
- #148
At the time this film was made, the telephone industry was very different from today. Telephones were rotary-dial only, single-color (black) and made from materials such as Bakelite. When the receiver was lifted, operators stood ready to place the call. As shown at the Christmas party, a long-distance call to San Francisco was both time-consuming and quite expensive.
- #149
- #150
- #151
- #152
- #153
At the start of the meal, Nora says, "Waiter, will you serve the nuts?" Such a formal dinner consists of several courses, sometimes ranging from seven to eleven plates. The first course is soup. Nuts, meanwhile, are served with the fruits and cheeses at the final course. The phrase 'from soup to nuts' comes from this.
- #154
- #155
- #156
- #157
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
Information from external sources is independently selected, consolidated and edited by Arka Evren. Sources are listed for verification and further reading. Encyclopedia text is used under its licence (CC BY-SA). How we work