The Complete Thin Man Collection (The Thin Man / After the Thin Man / Another Thin Man / Shadow of the Thin Man / The Thin Man Goes Home / Song of the Thin Man / Alias Nick and Nora) Reviews

• Classic Comedy Gold Mine on DVD

  
  By AB2RWF0QAFNYK on 2005-05-18
  FINALLY!! One of the Premiere classic comedy series of films is finally making its way to DVD from Warner Brothers. Warner Brothers DVD sets have been an embarressment of riches lately and one hopes that this Powell-Loy series will have the full treatment it richly deserves. Powell and Loy's Nick and Nora Charles are one of the silver screens most memorable duos and these films stand up to repeated viewing. I cut my classic film buff teeth on these films and have worn out all VHS copies. Wow, first the Marx Brothers see two wonderful box sets and now this. Can Laurel and Hardy be far behind in a quality set?)
  Now - here is some details about features I was able to gather from various web sources:
  1. Each film DVD case features the studio film poster
  2. There are 7 DVDs in all- 6 for the films and a bonus 7th disc entitled "Alias Nick and Nora" which features two documentaries on William Powell and Myrna Loy.
  3. It appears that the "Warners Night at the Movies" feature is here also. All film DVDs feature comedy, musical, and mystery shorts as well as classic cartoons. Could not find out titles.
  4. Other features are to include: two radio adaptations of the series. I own a Lux theather radio adaptation of "The Thin Man" which had not only Powell and Loy reprising their rolls but features some narration and introdution by Van Dyke. Lux theater adaptations were common and excellent productions. To have both the main stars and the director was a first rate show. ALSO: the pilot episode of the TV series.
  IN short- if the informaton is correct this is a DVD set that should be on the shelf of every film buff... and another triumph in the recent exellent DVDs from Warner Brothers. BUY IT NOW! All I can say is the Classic film buffs motto:
  "Thank Goodness for Turner Classic Movies and thank goodness for Warner Brothers DVDs"
  
  

• Calling All Nick & Nora Fans! A Fabulous Boxed DVD Set!!!

  
  By A1RECBDKHVOJMW on 2005-06-25
  Warner Brothers' release of "The Complete Thin Man Collection" on DVD is a major windfall for fans of the legendry Nick and Nora Charles. Retired private eye Nick, and his ditzy, (I should be so smart), wife Nora, known for their witty repartee, ever-present cocktail in hand, and hang-over remedy at bedside, were originally created by author Dashiell Hammett. They are probably sleuthdom's most sophisticated couple - perhaps the most urbane pair in all of romantic comedy. Rumor has it, the characters were loosely based on Hammett and his longtime companion, Lillian Hellman. Played on the silver screen by William Powell & Myrna Loy, the chemistry and timing between the two is dynamite. Skippy, (the dog), plays Asta, their Wire-Haired Fox Terrier, who takes her job seriously as assistant PI.
  
  The series' six Thin Man films, ("The Thin Man / After the Thin Man / Another Thin Man / Shadow of the Thin Man / The Thin Man Goes Home / Song of the Thin Man"), revolve around the antics of Mr. and Mrs. Charles, their beloved terrier, and the mysteries they get finagled into solving, which usually involve at least one murder. Nora, a wealthy socialite married Nick, a PI who decided to give up his business to manage her financial affairs. They reside, temporarily, in a plush New York City apartment with a great view of the Manhattan skyline. Neither of them want to continue in the Private Investigation business, but trouble seems to find them, and they just cannot turn it away. Filmed smack in the middle of the Great Depression, Americans going through tough times seemed to love the frivolous Charles couple, and their slap-stick detecting style.
  
  The first, and I think best film is "The Thin Man," completed in 1934 and directed by W.S. Van Dyke. Here the mystery takes a back seat to the couple's loving relationship, with an emphasis on shenanigans, wisecracking, martini sipping followed by morning-after hang-overs, more banter, etc.. Bottom line - an eccentric, tall, thin, moneyed inventor, named Clyde Wynant (Edward Ellis), has disappeared. He is the "thin man" of the film title. Nora convinces Nick to take on the case because she wants to see how a murder is solved - if the inventor has been murdered. Or, he might, in fact, be the murderer! Straight-forward, no subplots - just dashing Nick, elegantly amusing Nora, Asta, the martinis, lots of panache and several corpses! Great supporting cast, which includes: Maureen O'Sullivan, Minna Gombell, William Henry, and Cesar Romero.
  
  "After The Thin Man," released in 1936 is a fine, fast-paced, fun sequel, and what it lacks in noir grit, it makes up for in verve. Again, the Depression is giving folks their fill of true grit in the real world. Humor, the opulence and luxury of the Charles' world, and lots of sexy, sophisticated banter between husband and wife are what brings weary people into movie theaters. This film has the debonair duo, looking into a blackmail turned murder case. The two have just returned to their beautiful California home, and find it inundated with Nora's relatives - all uninvited. Nora's cousin's husband has gone missing, and her upper crust family would rather he stay lost than cause a scandal. He was having an affair with a nightclub singer, and apparently extorting mega-bucks on the side. Oh, Nick and Norah find him all right! Dead! And, once again, Nora's finances are on the back burner. You'll never guess whodunit! A very young James Stewart is featured here...very briefly!
  
  "Another Thin Man," (1939), and another excellent movie - more complex plot-wise, and perhaps wackier than the first two films! Baby makes three here, four, of course, with Asta. One year old Nickie Jr., is the latest addition and he takes-up lots of his Mom's time, distracting her from distracting Dad. The Charleses have been invited to spend the weekend at the Long Island estate of Colonel Burr MacFay, (C. Aubrey Smith), a friend and former business associate of Nora's father. The wealthy munitions industrialist is afraid that an old business partner is going to kill him. Phil Church, who once worked with MacFay, has just been released after spending ten years behind bars for fraud. The man holds a huge grudge against MacFay and has threatened his life. The usual gang of martini drinkers are out on the Island, and when MacFay dies, predictably, no one is too shocked. However, Nick and Nora are on the suspect list! Nick drinks less and detects more with this one! Virginia Grey plays the Colonel's daughter Lois, and Ruth Hussey plays Nicky's nurse.
  
  "Shadow Of The Thin Man," (1941), takes Nick and Nora to the races, literally, when murder, racketeering and mayhem win, place and show-up at the track. Nick had absolutely decided against involving himself with any more sleuth work. He definitely wants to spend more time with Nora and Nicky, Jr.,...and Asta, too. Unfortunately, he cannot say no to the head of the New York Athletic Commission, who asks him personally to take the case when a jockey is murdered. There's a hilarious episode on a department-store merry-go-round in this one, and a huge brawl, started by Asta, at an elegant sea food restaurant. Great cast and characters, including famous acting teacher Stella Adler as Claire Porter, somebody's girlfriend. And young Donna Reed makes an appearance here as well.
  
  "The Thin Man Goes Home," (1944), is the penultimate series' offering and the movie never fails to crack me up! They say "you can never go home again." This old adage is probably true because no matter how grown-up, sophisticated and capable one might be, you can be sure to be taken down several notches when returning to the old homestead. The Charleses pay a visit to Nick's home town of Sycamore Springs. And his parents browbeat the poor retired PI, (how undignified!). They so wanted him to be a doctor, just like his father! And he cannot find a stiff drink anywhere!! When a man drops dead on the front porch, however, Nick's folks are grateful for his chosen vocation. Excellent cast: Gloria DeHaven, Edward Brophy, Lloyd Corrigan, Leon Ames, and Ann Revere as the eccentric "Crazy Mary."
  
  "Song Of The Thin Man," released in 1947 is the sixth and last film, and finds the Charleses looking into the mysterious murder of bandleader Tommy Drake. Sultry Gloria Graham sings "You're Not So Easy to Forget," by Herb Magidson and Ben Oakland. A fine supporting cast includes: Jayne Meadows, Keenan Wynn, Dean Stockwell, Ralph Morgan, William Bishop and Marie Windsor
  
  This outstanding boxed-set comes with some great features, including a bonus 7th disc, entitled, "Alias Nick and Nora," with two documentaries on William Powell and Myrna Loy. Other highlights are two radio adaptations of the series, as well as comedy, musical and mystery shorts, and cartoons. How can you go wrong??
  JANA
  
  

• Truly Memorable Film Series, But Box Set Offers Little Bonus Material

  
  By ACIBQ6BQ6AWEV on 2005-10-29
  MGM was not entirely enthusiastic about 1934's THE THIN MAN and even less so about the casting of Myrna Loy as Nora Charles--and director W.S. "Woody" Van Dyke was determined to have her the studio gave in with poor grace.
  
  But Van Dyke knew what he was doing. With a wickedly witty script by Goodrich and Hackett, proto-noir cinematography by James Wong Howe, and remarkable chemistry between the stars, MGM had a major and unexpected hit. Powell and Loy would become the public's favorite screen team overnight and would go on to make a host of films together, including five more that chronicled the further adventures of Nick and Nora, sophisticated, high-living, and solving one crime after another.
  
  The original film was a landmark in so many ways that it still sets standards to this day. The 1934 AFTER THE THIN MAN is equally fine and the 1939 ANOTHER THIN MAN and 1941 SHADOW OF THE THIN MAN only slight less so.
  
  With Van Dyke's death in 1944 direction passed to other hands. Directed by Richard Thorpe, the 1945 THE THIN MAN GOES HOME suffered from an incredibly weak script; although the film is amusing in its way it is a clinker in comparison with the other films in the series. Directed by Edward Buzzell, the 1947 SONG OF THE THIN MAN was a great improvement--but although the script was quite good Buzzell's handling of the material lacked energy.
  
  Whatever the case, in each instance we are treated to the truly legendary Powell-Loy flash and dazzle, always enjoyable, and a series of remarkable supporting casts that included such names as Maureen O'Sullivan, James Stewart, Ruth Hussey, Stella Adler, Lucille Watson, and Keenan Wynn. Even the lackluster THE THIN MAN GOES HOME is quite amusing and entirely watchable!
  
  Film quality is near-pristine, and these prints are clearly the best available short of a full digital restoration. Even so, the box set leaves something to be desired. Although it lays claim to considerable bonus material, in truth it offers very little worth while.
  
  The 1934 THE THIN MAN was released to DVD several years ago and the DVD in this set is that release: the only bonus offered is a package of trailers for the series. The other disks include programs of various MGM cartoons and shorts--but there is not a single cast biography to be found, much less an audio commentary on any of the titles. Given the quality of the casts, the landmark status of the original, and the tremendous following the series has... well, it seems a tremendous pity.
  
  The seventh DVD consists entirely of bonus material, but it proves a mixed bag. MYRNA LOY: SO NICE TO COME HOME TO is very good; WILLIAM POWELL: A TRUE GENTLEMAN is nice enough but it hardly does justice to its subject. A Lux Radio version of THE THIN MAN is entertaining, but it needs a significant remaster, and an episode from the later television series based on the films can only be described as fairly dire.
  
  Fans of the film series--and I'm among them--will be overjoyed to have all six of the titles on DVD at long last, and I give the set a full five stars for that alone. But that joy will be tempered by the inadequate treatment the films receive in terms of bonuses. It seems an opportunity lost.
  
  GFT, Amazon Reviewer
  
  
  

• A mixed bag as films vary widely in quality

  
  By A11K83SZ0W14CE on 2005-08-05
  Some of the Thin Man movies - the early ones - are delightful, 5-star romps, full of witty repartee and an irreverant disregard for the gossamer plots. Adding to the fun is an unexpected (for that time) and a blatantly risque marriage between Nick, a private detective with a checkered past, and Nora Charles, a lady welcome in the finest homes.
  
  The newlyweds are just embarking on passionate wedded bliss as the series begins, and the normal timeline of married life (baby arrives, they buy a house, etc.) is carried throughout. In the first movie, The Thin Man, Nick, who occasionally works, is called upon to help although it significantly disrupts his honeymoon. (Note to today's movie-makers: See how sexy and erotic innuendo can be?)
  
  As the series progresses, the plots become more leaden, the cast visibly tires and grows bored (both Powell and Loy took advantage of the fame "Thin Man" gave them and secured better roles elsewhere, yet were bound to the series by contracts with the studios) and the wit smells of burlesque.
  
  It's a perfect example of milking the cow too long, for by the last 1-star movie you begin to wonder whatever it was that made you like the first movie.
  
  

• We've been waiting years for this!

  
  By AEZ4VJ8C7LQ44 on 2005-07-26
  I won't repeat the film summaries (they've been so well done by other reviewers that it'd be pointless :-) but I will agree with the 5 star ratings. My dad saw these in the theater when he was young and, years later, he still remembered how much he enjoyed them *and* what a cult figure Asta was :-) He introduced me to them and I've carried on the tradition. They are the kind of films the whole family can enjoy, but that the adults will be especially charmed by. We've worn out our VHS copies (hard to find in any case) and are thrilled to see the pending dvd release. (Ok, thrilled is an understatement)
  
  The Thin Man series is truly in a league of its own...it portrays the ultimate 30s couple: great looking, incredibly chic & cool, happily married, the best of friends, and equal partners in life's trials and pleasures. Powell & Loy show that marriage can be fun, and the chemistry between them is truly magical.
  
  The humor holds up well (even 60+ years later) and there are great opportunities to see young actors (James Stewart, etc.) and the roles they played before becoming famous. (Jimmy Stewart as an angst-ridden ex-boyfriend is worth the price of admission.) We hold movie nights for friends and our biggest turnout was for a showing of The Thin Man and After the Thin Man... the crowd loved it, although there was a certain astonishment over the amount of drinking in the flicks (Nick, Nora & friends pack away booze on an epic scale).
  
  To close I'll point out that this series (and these stars) have charmed audiences for over 70 years. There *is* a reason for that, and once you've seen the series you'll understand the phrase "They just don't make them like that anymore" (We named our son "Nick" in Nick Charles' honor... can't get a better tribute than that ;-)
  
  
• "The Thin Man" from the Martini Era to Family Life to WWII and Beyond.
  By A3UPYGJKZ0XTU4 on 2006-04-07
  "The Thin Man" is one of Hollywood's most enduring films from the 1930s starring its most enduring screen duo of stars Myrna Loy and William Powell, who made a record 16 films together including 6 for the "Thin Man" franchise. "The Complete Thin Man Collection" brings all 6 "Thin Man" films together, originally released 1934-1947, allowing the viewer to enjoy these delightful comedic mysteries and the great Loy-Powell chemistry while we watch the franchise evolve with the times. "The Thin Man" (1934) was released on the heels of the best-selling Dashiell Hammett novel on which it is based and introduced moviegoers to retired private detective Nick Charles (William Powell), formerly of the working class, who married blue-blooded San Francisco heiress, Nora (Myra Loy). Nick intends to stay clear of the dirty business of solving crimes now that he has a comfortable life, but while he and Nora spend the holidays in New York, the daughter of an old acquaintance begs Nick to help her locate her missing father. Try as he might, Nick cannot avoid being caught up in the case.
  
  In contrast to Dashiell Hammett's novel, "The Thin Man" film cleans up the characters, dispenses with Hammett's cynicism, and makes light of Nick and Nora's alcoholism. This genial tone persists throughout the 6 "Thin Man" films. The first of the series retains Hammett's terrifically entertaining witty banter. The film is good-natured, while Hammett's novel is anything but. But "The Thin Man" is a great adaptation. Nothing could be more pleasantly amusing than Nick and Nora's revolving-door Christmas party. And cute pooch Asta is so silly that he's charming. William Powell and Myrna Loy's quirky chemistry make the film -and make lines like, "I'm much too busy seeing that you don't lose any of the money I married you for" sound funny. Shot in only 12 days because MGM wanted Myrna Loy for another film, "The Thin Man" is one of the best films of the 1930s, and it's as much fun now as it was 70 years ago. It was director W. S. Van Dyke's idea to cast Loy, who tended to play exotic women and vamps, in a role more like herself: sassy, witty, modern, and self-assured. It was the beginning of nearly two decades of roles for Loy as "the ideal wife". William Powell came to "The Thin Man" having starred in 4 "Philo Vance" detective pictures, and Nick Charles gave him the opportunity to loosen up onscreen.
  
  Dashiell Hammett contributed stories (unpublished) for 2 more "Thin Man" movies, on which he collaborated with screenwriters Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. W. S. Van Dyke would direct 4 "Thin Man" films before his death in 1943. Impressively, the quality of the "Thin Man" movies did not take a nosedive as the series progressed. The films vary in quality, but all are entertaining. To say they are formulaic might be an understatement, but these movies gave the audience what it wanted: a labyrinthine mystery, a long list of colorful suspects, a funny and attractive pair of sleuths, and a scene in which Nick brings everyone together to sweat the solution out of them. The best is, of course, the first: 1934's "The Thin Man". The second-best is its sequel, 1936's "After the Thin Man", which doesn't match the wit of the first film, but does match, and possibly exceeds, the mystery and cast of suspects. Third-best is the last film of the series, 1947's "Song of the Thin Man", which finds a middle-aged Nick and Nora investigating a murder aboard a friend's gambling ship. It's notable that this film doesn't try to fudge the Charleses ages or pretend that they are young, as a modern film might. It treats age with good humor, not denial, poking fun at the generation gap.
  
  The films go back-and-forth, from East Coast to West Coast, as the series progresses, with Police Lieutenant Guild (Nat Pendleton) returning as the New York cop and Lieutenant Abrams (Sam Levene) making repeat appearances as San Francisco's police detective. After the first 2 films, in which the police detectives are hard-boiled, they begin to be played for laughs -something which, I note, Dashiell Hammett would not have put in a book. 1939's "Another Thin Man" takes place on the Long Island Estate of Nora's father's old business partner, who is convinced that a former employee is out to kill him. 1941's "Shadow of the Thin Man" is back in San Francisco where Nick investigates the apparent murder of an unscrupulous jockey and equally corrupt reporter. 1945's "The Thin Man Goes Home" is the worst of the series, but it occupies a special place. It was made during World War II in the spirit of supporting the war effort by presenting an idealized vision of middle class Americans. So the wealthy Charleses visit Nick's parents and childhood home in small town U.S.A.. The glamour is temporarily sucked out of the franchise. Nora is done up in a frizzy hairdo, horrible house dresses, and the ugliest suits imaginable. There are no criminal underworld characters but, instead, international espionage and a silly debutante.
  
  The DVDs (Warner Brothers 2005 7-disc set): Each film is on a separate disc, accompanied by a short film, a cartoon, and a theatrical trailer, so that you watch the films as moviegoers did at the time of their original release. The films have minor flaws (some specks) and good sound. Short films of particular note are: "How to Be a Detective" on Disc 2 and "Why Daddy?" on Disc 5, both written by and starring humorist Robert Benchley. An adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's "A Tell-Tale Heart" directed by Jules Dessin on Disc 4. A children's film called "A Really Important Person", starring Dean Stockwell, on Disc 6. Selective filmographies/bibliographies for Myrna Loy, William Powell, Dashiell Hammett, Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich, and director W. S. Van Dyke are on Disc 1. A 1940 "Lux Radio Theater" broadcast (audio) of "After the Thin Man" is found on the disc with the film, as is "Leo Is on the Air Radio Promo" (audio), a "cavalcade of musical hits" from 1936 movies. Disc 7 is all bonus features: "William Powell: A True Gentleman" (30 min), a documentary about Powell's life and incredibly varied 30-year+ career in movies. "Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To" (45 min), a documentary from the 1980s, hosted by Kathleen Turner, about Myrna Loy's career and onscreen persona. There is one episode from the 1958 television series "The Thin Man" (25 min), starring Peter Lawford and Phyllis Kirk, which I guess was hip and progressive at the time. And there is a "Lux Radio Theater Broadcast" (audio) of "The Thin Man" from 1936, which needs to be cleaned up. The features on Disc 7 really should have just been added to the other discs in the interest of space. Subtitles are available for the films in English, Spanish, French (& Portuguese for "The Thin Man"). Dubbing is available in French on some discs.
  
  
• He was nowhere near my tabloids
  By A3G6V756NP65PB on 2005-07-24
  I don't have much to add to the fine things said by the fine people who've already reviewed this DVD box set, which is sure to be one of the great sets ever since it's putting together the greatest single movie series of all time. William Powell and Myrna Loy were the greatest movie couple ever, they really were, and I say that with tremendous respect for the great Hepburn and Tracy, Astaire and Rogers, and Newman and Redford.
  
  These 6 movies (particularly the first 3) offer much of the best of the Powell-Loy teamwork, but for those interested in delving deeper, these two fantastic stars made 13 films together and all are worth watching. Their first pairing was NOT this movie, as is often mistakenly believed: they teamed with Clark Gable for a 1934 melodrama appropriately titled "Manhattan Melodrama," which is now most famous as being the movie gangster John Dillinger saw just before the FBI ambushed and killed him outside the theater. It's cheesy, but GREAT cheesy, a lot of fun; you could do worse than having this be the last movie you see. As a result of the obvious chemistry between Powell and Loy, they were immediately cast as Nick and Nora Charles in "The Thin Man," made the same year. Dillinger would have loved it.
  
  Other Powell and Loy films you should see: "Love Crazy" (1941), "The Great Ziegfeld" (1936), "The Senator Was Indiscreet" (1947), and "I Love You Again" (1940), probably their out-and-out funniest movie. You HAVE to see that one. Finally there is the wonderful "Libeled Lady" (1936?), one of the 2 or 3 greatest screwball comedies of all time, featuring Powell, Loy, Spencer Tracy, and the inimitable Jean Harlow in probably her best role. If you see just one Powell-Loy movie, I feel sorry for you. See them all.
  
  Meantime, snap up this fantastic box set and settle back for 6 movies that feature pretty much the first and the last word on screen chemistry. William Powell and Myrna Loy are simply the best. Check them out and discover for yourself.
  
  
• Thank you Warner Bros.!!!! The Thin Man has arrived!!!
  By A2S4ECMT9TWG7T on 2005-04-27
  Finally, the excellent Thin Man series is coming in a definitive set!!! I have been waiting for this release for a very long time. William Powell and Myrna Loy are absolutely fantastic in these films and in my opinion, are one of the greatest of the onscreen duos (right up at the very top with Hepburn and Tracy). Their chemistry together is pitch perfect and these films are a delight to behold. The best, I think, is the second entry in the series: After The Thin Man. This is an excellent sequel and probably the best of all of them (though each is great in its own right).
  Well, enough said, order this great box set right now and treasure these classic films for years to come!!
  (Also, Thank you to Warner Brothers for realizing the importance of releasing classic films on DVD. You're doing a great job with your releases and are catching up to Criterion quite quickly).
  
  
• The Thin Man...Classic, a must own.
  By A1ON0E69ZWM5ZE on 2005-11-27
  The Thin Man movies are perhaps the greatest collection of films from this era or any other. Nick and Nora (William Powell and Myrna Loy) have such great chemistry it is a joy to watch these classics again and again. These films are the yardstick that every other comedy are judged against. It is tough to decide which is my favorite, the 1st or 2nd. Now, with this box set I can watch them all any time I want. This is a gift that will be enjoyed by anybody who gets it and you will be remembered for giving such a wonderful present. Get it now and get out the Martini shaker...
  
  
• the template for sophisticated mystery-comedies
  By A1L220BNTP6WYZ on 2006-05-19
  For movies made in the 1930s, the delightfully entertaining "Thin Man" series of comedic whodunits have a remarkably modern sensibility. Just consider the first film, The Thin Man:
  Nick and Nora drink constantly, usually martinis. Is it just coincidence that Prohibition was repealed in 1933 and this glorification of steady-state inebriation came out in 1934?
  The chief suspect, a crusty eccentric inventor, left his wife for his platinum-blond secretary
  The secretary is a two-timing floozy who filched $50K of bonds from the clueless inventor to fund one of her shady "acquaintances"
  The inventor's ex-wife hooked up with a sleazy no-goodnik who turns out to have a first wife he forgot to divorce
  The inventor's son is a borderline sociopath who has a psycho-babble explanation for everything
  The daughter has a standard-issue "nice guy" in love with her, but when her father is suspected of murdering his two-timing ex-secretary/lover, she concludes her family is doomed to madness. Having reached this abundantly well-supported conclusion, she ditches her upstanding fiance and runs off to the train station with an unctuous seducer.
  Did I mention that a stiff drink is always close at hand when Nick Charles in onscreen?
  
  Sounds like a script from Oprah's show, doesn't it? Dysfunction, corruption, heavy drinking--it's all here. But the appeal is all in what's not present in today's America.
  
  The charmingly natural chemistry between William Powell and Myrna Loy and the sparkling dialog have endeared viewers for decades (as have the antics of their irrepressibly cute dog, Asta) but I have a soft spot for the wonderfully rough-around-the-edges (if not outright seamy) slice of life the films portray: if a suspect mouths off shortly after being collared, he's quickly silenced by a fist in the face (here's yer Miranda rights right here!), and the movies abound with two-bit grifters, gamblers, floozies, shifty characters and ex-cons.
  
  Nick Charles has the enviable (and let's face it, wildly improbable) gift of being at ease in both this underworld of human greed, passion and cupidity, and the glittery high-society life the couple inherited from Nora's rich father. One highlight (at least for me) in each film is some accented (Bronx or Brooklyn? I need some guidance here from a New-Yawka) ex-con, who good-naturedly reminds Nick, "Hey, Nick, doncha remember me? Two-bit Charley? Ya sent me up the river, remember? But hey, no hard feelings, you're alright!" Nick, ever so slightly taken aback, nonetheless greets the proletarian ex-con with bonhomie and makes a point of introducing Nora to the ex-con, who inevitably makes a wisecrack along the lines of, "Hey, she's a looker!", allowing Nora to look askance at her all-too-chummy-with-smalltime-hoods husband.
  
  The films sport an abundance of class-conscious Depression subtexts. While they enable the audience the escapist pleasures of vicariously sharing the high life of parties, discreet gambling boats and hot jazz clubs, Nick's breezy comfort with lower-class crooks simultaneously inoculates the couple from underclass resentment. You just gotta love Nick, who in classic anti-hero fashion, staves off pressure from both the police and media while giving the hoods who are wrongfully suspected a straight deal. He is, in other words, the personification of noblesse oblige: the embodiment of all the noble characteristics that the nation sought in the privileged class. (The role of film is, after all, to make fantasy real.)
  
  Most amazingly, the film takes the old, hackeyed gambit of assembling all the suspects into one room for the hero-detective to pick apart and makes it work, both as drama and as comedy. Beefy cops don ill-fitting waiters outfits and roughly shove recalcitrant suspects into their dining chairs ("You're not gonna pin this on me, copper!" etc.) The fancy dinner-party mis-en-scene sets up one of Nora's best lines: "Waiter, serve the nuts. (pregnant pause). I mean, serve the nuts to the guests."
  
  The Thin Man is both the epitome of and the template for sophisticated mystery-comedies, a lighter-than-air souffle of class pretensions deflated, seamy villany exposed and a constantly inebriated anti-hero who nonetheless is sharp as a tack when it comes to nailing the evil-doer or countering his adorable mate's witty barbs.
  
  
  
• Seriously...
  By AUFD25CO09X70 on 2005-07-25
  I am seriously in love with these movies. It completely has me under the same spell that people had when these movies came out during the depression. I love every single on of them!!!
  
  
• Amazing Collection
  By A2AX9SMJM1VU3W on 2006-05-02
  This is an amazing collection. The transfers are terrific, the menu screens are all a little different and cute, and you could mute the sound and just enjoy the terrific costumes, vintage autos, furniture, and like that in all the movies.
  
  The extras are a little hit or miss. I love that the film shorts and cartoons on the last 5 movies are of the same year so that you could imagine them playing with your movie--but they aren't well chosen. A couple of the cartoons are less than enthralling, and the Tell Tale Heart is just too long at over 20 minutes to really be enjoyed with the movie--doesn't match the tone, either. The pilot for the television show is just awful--Nick and Nora don't belong in the 50s!
  
  But...I enjoyed the extras one time, through--all of them. It really is a little bit of history and it's fun to see the shorts and cartoons evolve over 13 years. The two documentaries are pretty good. And to have a mix of radio, movies, trailers, cartoons, shorts, documentaries, and a tv pilot--how can you beat that? It really does give you the feel of the life and times of the Thin Man like nothing else could. The artwork for each case is excellent and vintage, and the artwork on the discs themselves is great, too. The Thin Man Trailer from 1934 has Powell stepping out of a man-sized book to talk about the film--Powell as Nick talks to Powell as Philo Vance from the Kennel Murder Case.
  
  The movies are so wonderful, that they hardly need extras anyway. The Thin Man just can't be beat for it's humor--so many memorable lines. After the Thin Man features Jimmy Stewart when he was still known as James--it's a great role for him, nice to see his early career. I didn't see the end of the Another Thin Man coming, and the Shadow of the Thin Man has a good mystery, too. The Thin Man Goes Home isn't nearly as good as the rest--but I still enjoy the Powell/Loy chemistry, and that's what it's all about anyway. Song of the Thin Man is another home run.
  
  Buy this set--you won't regret it. A really great value for the price. A week's worth of movies and extras to enjoy once through, and then you can dip into repeat viewing of the movies over the years. These movies will never get old--a great look and feel, great dialog, great stories--what more could you want?
  
  
• I'd help you, but then who would spend my wifes money?
  By A3PMJPRQ0UFTDJ on 2005-08-09
  Tyrone Powers and Myrna Loy play Nick and Nora Charles. Nick Charles is a former Detective, Nora a very wealthy heiress and new wife of Nick Charles. Her need for adventure nudges Nick to assist the local cops in solving various murders.
  Nick splits his time between his loving wife, catching bad guys, and a bottle of scotch. The clever patter between Nick and Nora keep the movies light hearted, the mysteries keep the movies engaging.
  No cussing, No nudity, No real violence (gun shots, dead people, but no blood or gore) No racial slurs, No agendas. This is what movies were meant to be. Just fun. Children would probably be bored, but you wouldn't worry about them being in the same room while you watch.
  If you like mysteries, are a big fan of light hearted entertainment, and you want to spend Friday night with a movie, then this is the box set to own. I highly recommend this set movies.
  
  
• One of my best birthday presents
  By A26J91SU2P38FB on 2005-11-22
  I asked my boyfriend to buy this for me for my birthday. He's not much into old movies but after watching the first one we spent the entire week watching the rest and we've already started watching them again. He loves them as much as I do.
  It's great to be able to watch a good old fashioned comedy together without a lot of swearing and disgusting humour.
  The chemistry of these two characters is so inspiring we are planning an all out dress up martini night and hope that we have a fun-loving relationship like they do.
  I'm am now in search of more movies with these two fantastic comedians.
  
  
• A Gem of a Masterpeice
  By A34RO0B2Z892WD on 2005-06-30
  It has finally happened. The entire Thin Man series will be released on DVD. This will truly be a boon for any collector out there who appreciates fine classic films.
  
  William Powell and Myrna Loy are extraordinary as Nick and Nora Charles. And this collection will be the gem of anyone's classic movie collection. There is a panache in these films that movies today just don't have. And a class that is rare in film making today.
  
  W.S. Van Dyke directed these fine films for MGM. And if you love film making at it's absolute best, you will love this collection. It is top drawer from the first to the last film in the series.
  
  
• Complete Thin Man Collection - quality product
  By A2SUMKX4NTEBC3 on 2007-01-21
  Bought this collection for my wife, who has always enjoyed seeing the Thin Man movies when she happened to catch one on cable.
  The quality of the movies is excellent. There is no noticeable noise or other indication that you are watching a very old movie, other than the fact they are in B&W of course.
  I recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys comedies of this time period.
  
  
• IF I COULD GIVE IT 10 STARS I WOULD...
  By A2JP0URFHXP6DO on 2005-06-09
  I have owned these on VHS for years now and enjoy watching them over and over. My wife, who is no big fan of old movies, simply loves them too. The pairing of Powell and Loy was genius and the pair would make 14 films together in all. Such was their incredible chemistry that people actually believed they were married.
  
  Powell is Nick Charles a detective who marries wealthy socialite Nora with the goal of getting out of the detective business and managing Nora's various investment concerns. But no matter how hard he tries, murders have a way of happening around them and Nick has to save the day and solve the crimes.
  
  The first film, "The Thin Man" is the best in the series as Nick and Nora spend a good part of the film drinking, drunk, or hungover while Nick tries to solve the murder of an Inventor. Soon other murders pop up and Nick finds himself under scrutiny by the local cops. This film has a lot of risque jokes such as when the cops are searching Nora's dresser and she asks with a straight face, "What's that man doing in my drawers!" causing Nick to choke on his drink. Classic Stuff. Fun and fast paced and a great mystery to boot.
  
  In "Another Thin Man" The story begins just days after the first movie. Nick and Nora have returned to their very luxurious home in California from New York. They arrive home to find a house full of (uninvited) guests who are there to welcome the couple back home. They attend a Dinner party at Nora's very uptight socialite Aunt. Hilarious watching Nick interact with these old, wealthy step-relatives.
  
  Soon, though, Nora's cousin Selma is accused of murdering her estranged husband and Nick and Nora have to step in to investigate. This time the Charles celebrate New Years Eve with plenty of drinks at the night club of a small-time hood named Dancer. Nick is joined by a table full of his old friends and ne'er-do-wells in the club all drinking and having a great time.
  
  Sam Levine is very funny making his first of two appearances as Lt. Abrahms. A young Jimmy Stewart is also along as the unrequited love of Selma. As with the first, the drinks flow freely, particularly in the night club scenes where Nick finds himself the object of affection of a drunken young lady, much to the chagrin of her boyfriend. Fantastic banter between the two stars as usual. Their chemistry was second to none. Asta is along too.
  
  "Another Thin Man" was one of the weaker entries into the series as nick and Nora along with their baby head out to the country to the estate of a wealthy family friend of Nora's, Colonel MacFay played by C. Aubrey Smith. When the Colonel is killed we are left with no shortage of suspects including screen tough Sheldon Leonard who plays a crook named Phil Church who dreams about murders that come true. The comedic elements (and the drinking) are toned down in this one which makes it not nearly as funny as the first two.
  
  "Shadow of the Thin Man" is the 4th in the series and far superior to Another Thin Man. This time the Charles' are back in California and little Nick is young boy now. The Charles' take a trip to the local race track only to find that a jockey has been murdered. Their old pal Lt. Abrahms (played by Sam Levine) is there investigating. Soon, a newspaper reporter is killed and another reported, played by Barry Nelson is accused.
  
  As they are friends, Nick and Nora jump in to solve the crime. Donna Reed is also along as Nelson's girlfriend and the secretary of a crooked arena owner. As usual, the cast includes many fine character actors. The scene in a seafood restaurant where Nick tries (in vain) to get lobster while everyone else wants Sea Bass is priceless.
  
  Also great is a scene where Nick takes Nora to see pro wrestling and Nora really gets into the match. Not quite as strong as the first two movies, Shadow is still one of the better Thin Man movies.
  
  "The Thin Man Goes Home" is also a great movie although different from the rest in it's country setting of Nick's hometown of Sycamore Springs. Nick and Nora decide to visit Nick's parents. During the train ride there, they smuggle Asta aboard in Nora's fur coat but leave little Nicky Jr. at home!
  
  Nick's father (Harry Davenport) is a well-respected Doctor who is trying to get a new hospital built. He never liked Nick becoming a detective and always looked down on his son because of his career choice and lifestyle. Naturally, the first time they meet...Nick is lying on the floor after bumping his head on a table, but dad thinks he's drunk again.
  
  Of course, everyone in town knows Nick Charles and they all think he's there on a case. Soon he is, as a series of murders takes place as well as a phony painting con and of course Nick has to step in and solve the murders. In the end his dad finally says how proud he is of Nick.
  
  Still the humor is quite sharp. At one point Nick Gives Nora a spanking since she shot her mouth off to the newspapers about Nicks involvement in the case. Very funny there and his dad takes glee in Nora getting smacked on the behind.
  
  The movie still has some of its great character actors such as Edward Brophy (who appeared in the first Thin Man film as a gangster) as Brogan...a con man friend of Nicks, and Donald Meek as art store owner Willie Crump. Also look for a young Gloria DeHaven as a teenager smitten with Nick.
  
  "Song of the Thin Man" is the final and weakest entry in the series as Loy and Powell were showing their age by 1947. The pair travel in Jazz circles, investigating the death of a band leader. Keenan Wynn is a co-star in an early role. The Jazz lingo and music just isn't a good fit for Nick and Nora who we remember for big band sounds and tough street talk of the earlier films. Not bad but for sure the weakest in the series.
  
  If you've never seen these films this is the perfect time with them on DVD now with some nice special features including featurettes on the stars and much more. This has been a long time coming!
  
  
  
  
• I will be all over this
  By A2D5L9Q3OFVTLP on 2005-06-16
  I just found out about the near future release of The Thin Man DVD box set and I am THRILLED!!!! I've been waiting for this one for quite some time, and it's LONG overdue! As far as I'm concerned, William Powell & Myrna Loy are THE silver screen duo to beat. They had a chemistry no other screen couple ever had. As great as they were individually (and they were GREAT), whenever I see them separately in other films, something is missing. If I watch a Myrna Loy picture, I'm like,"Where is William Powell?" and vice versa. Now I'm not putting them down by any means. Simply put, it's just not the same seeing one without the other. That's how great they were together. Theirs was a partnership that will never be matched.
  So, if you want a chemistry lesson, put down your science books, pop in these wonderful movies and get ready to be educated. You'll be glad you did.
  
  
• Cosy, intriuging and charming...
  By A13STKDYQO5DQ8 on 2005-07-21
  ...Powell and Loy were great audience pulls in their day, rivalled only by Astaire and Rogers.
  The genre they present could not be anymore different from the dancing duo however, the thin man series combines the best of sharp eyed sleuthing in a manner which rivals Christie creations, Poirot and Marple, for there is always a near imperceptible clue that is essential to the unravelling of the dhastidly plot. The two players add a touch of essential Americanism from the period to the on screen play. Both are sweet, charming sophistocates with razor sharp brains and wits. Add a touch of that special 30's magic comedy in the style of "Bringing up Baby" and you have this series to a tee. Marvellous and completely classic, you will go on enjoying this for years and it is a long overdue addition to DVD of a great and historically important Movie genre.
  
  
• GREAT
  By A1LMIV3FZULTST on 2005-08-14
  HOW CAN YOU NOT GET A GREAT PAIRING OF WILLIAM POWELL & MYRNA LOY(NOT TYRONE POWERS).
  AFTER SEEING RERUNS ON TURNER CLASSIC MOVIE CHANNEL, THEY NEVER GROW OLD.
  THANK YOU TED FOR GIVING US THE COLLECTION..
  
  
• The Complete Thin Man Collection
  By A20EEWWSFMZ1PN on 2005-08-30
  This is it, the only way to purchase a great set of Thin Man movies. The set has the five Thin Man movies and a bonus disk:
  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)
  Alias Nick & Nora (Bonus disk)
  
  There is some space left on each DVD so they added some extras on each DVD in addition to the Bonus DVD. However the fillers sometimes relate and at other times are just fillers.
  
  The documentary of Nick, on the Bonus DVD, at first looks like a lot of sound bites of people parsing William Powel. Later it settles down to be a good Biography of William Powel and shows some movies that need to be added to the collection.
  
  The documentary of Nora on the Bonus DVD is narrated by Kathleen Turner and is not nearly as well put together.
  
  There is also an episode of the TV series of "The Thin Man" (1957-1959) Nick (Peter Lawford), Nora (Phyllis Kirk), which explains why it is off the air.
  
  The movies themselves are quite crisp; which leads me to thing they did a little cleaning up. A couple of places the sound seems to drop off, however it is not drastic.
  
  
  
• I have been waiting for this!
  By A10JSDW6S82JZW on 2005-06-21
  I have always loved the thin man series. My husband and I have never tired of watching these hilarious "mysteries". I have been keeping my eyes open for this to arrive so we would have the entire series. If you're looking for a great stocking stuffer for an old movie buff this is it. It will be in one of ours this Christmas!
  
  
• At last
  By A205ETW0DZAARB on 2005-08-05
  I have watched these movies each time they have been on TV and cable. They never grow old. I sent an email two years ago to the studios begging for a DVD release. I am glad they listened - I could not wait to pop these in and have my own mini movie marathon.
  
  Yes, the last two movies seem to drag, but the chemistry between Nick & Nora and the dialog make it worthwhile
  
  
• Finally, a most wanted DVD set
  By A14SRE8YHVHC0H on 2005-08-08
  The all-famous Thin Man Detective movies are finally on DVD! Funny, witty: William Powell and Myrna Loy are one of the best if not the best acting-pair there ever was. You most certainly will not regret buying this wonderful set.
  
  
• The movies are great, but DON'T ORDER FROM AMAZON!!
  By AZ8HJ7U6KKPIB on 2005-08-15
  I've been a fan of these movies for years and have even got my boyfriend hooked! I've been waiting for this box set for quite sometime and unfortunately, I'm still waiting! Don't believe the 5-10 day estimate. I placed my order nearly 2 weeks ago and am now told that it *might* ship sometime in September. If you actually want to get this boxset I suggest buying from someone else, perhaps Warner Bros., directly.
  
  
• Great films, plus superb extras
  By A2V7EO331SFUF6 on 2006-01-18
  I've waited for eons for AFTER THE THIN MAN, arguably the finest of these six great comedy-mysteries. We all know that the THIN MAN series innovated a concept thought unusual and unmarketable in cinema in 1932: the loving, flirtatious married couple who are as funny (and have fun) together as the day they fell in love ... the marriage as one long romance. We all know that William Powell and Myrna Loy had instant on-the-set chemistry that practically overpowered their films together. (A fine example is the scene in THE THIN MAN in which MacCauley takes a phone call in their hotel room, and a hungover Nora and playful Nick goof around behind him. It's quick, it's inspired, and if you examine carefully it appears that Loy could barely contain very real laughter.)
  
  What you might NOT have noticed about these DVDs (expand the detailed information bullets) is that each contains a full night at the movie, circa the time of the feature film. One-reels, cartoons ... six DVDs with rareties and gems that make sitting down with Nick and Nora an evening's entertainment. You have two of Robert Benchley's superb comedy shorts ("Why Daddy?", "How To Be A Detective"), a handful of Tex Avery, Fritz Freleng, and Hanna/Barbera cartoons, a music melodrama, and a rather gothic adaptation of Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart," among others.
  
  In all, this set is more than one could hope for. You have the movies ... you have shorts and extras ... and you have two superb bio-pics from TCM on Powell and Loy. This boxed set is a steal at the current retail price.
  
  
• Gloria Glasgow, devoted old movie watcher (Bladensburg, MD USA)
  By AJVQR42O5Y6P on 2006-11-06
  At last, I was finally able to pass my VHS tapes to a friend who also loved The Thin Man series when I got my DVDs. This is a classic series. No couple has ever been as charming and witty as Nick and Nora, in my mind. Nick is so suave and debonair. Nora is an enviable fashion plate. Even Nick's constant guzzling of martinis and other alcoholic beverages is not a deterrent to the pleasure of watching him operate as an erstwhile detective. Nora is comical as she tries to keep up with him, always failing or being tricked by Nick. It's hard to choose a favorite, but the first Thin Man, followed closely by The Thin Man Goes Home, reigns supreme. Having been a life-long railroad fan myself, Nick and Nora's constant railroad travel may be a contributing factor to my love of this series. Once I start the first one, I must go all the way to the last. The series of full of fun and laughter.
  
  
• Nick and Nora and Asta too!
  By A2A6GWP1ADFEQ7 on 2007-05-29
  This is a perfect box set containing all six movies of the popular Thin Man series. The first movie was based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett and teamed the great William Powell and wonderful Myrna Loy for the second time. Their first feature, also released in 1934, was "Manhatten Melodrama." To say that the pair exuded chemistry is an understatement. Though the best of friends, Powell and Loy, were never romantically linked. This did not stop fans from believing that they were. And why not, Powell and Loy managed to create an image of marriage that is as sexy as any courtship. In many romantic comedies,the dramatic tension ebbs when the romantic pair gets together. Powell and Loy manage to transcend this limitation, not only in these films, but also in seven others which run the gamut from comedy to melodrama.
  
  The Thin Man films also owe a great deal to the writing, Hammett continued to be somewhat involved in the early spin offs from the original, but the series also benefited from the scripts produced by Albert Hacket and Francis Goodrich, who were married in real life. This point of view probably contributed to the success of series as a whole.
  
  This boxed set contains all of the movies in the series along with biographies of Powell and Loy. There is also an episode of the 1950s TV series which only goes to show just how well the original film series was executed.
  
  The films range from excellent to good. The sixth film in the series probably is the weakest of the lot, It appears that the producers were attempting to inject elements of film noir into the light hearted detective series and this just does not work. However, Powell and Loy managed to turn in excellent performances which rise above the problems with the script and its execution.
  
  Probably the only thing that would make this boxed set better would be if it included the other seven films which starred Powell and Loy since they are always interesting, no matter what the subject matter.
  
  
• Wow! this is a great series..finally in a dvd set! Bravo!!
  By A2Q73PS5TJHSYU on 2005-05-06
  I am so happy that warner decided to release this dvd box set..I suppose writing to them to release a boxed set pays off! Now the dreaded wait for the release begins =)
  
  
• Buying this set for our Nora
  By A2UYM4PB23CKR on 2005-08-02
  My husband and I both love old movies, and the Thin Man series is right near the top of the list, due to the witty and fun dialogue, great characters, and the fun relationship between Nick and Nora. In fact, we like Nora Charles' quick-witted, stylish yet down-to-earth character so much that we named our daughter after her! We put off buying the individual releases in the hopes that a set would show up, and we are thrilled - our Nora just turned 3, but I hope she likes these movies half as much as we do.
  
  

• Myrna Loy and William Powell Collection (Manhattan Melodrama / Evelyn Prentice / Double Wedding / I Love You Again / Love Crazy)
• Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 1 (Charlie Chan in London / Charlie Chan in Paris / Charlie Chan in Egypt / Charlie Chan in Shanghai / Eran Trece)
• My Man Godfrey
• Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 2 (Charlie Chan at the Circus / Charlie Chan at the Olympics / Charlie Chan at the Opera / Charlie Chan at the Race Track)
• Classic Comedies Collection (Bringing Up Baby / The Philadelphia Story Two-Disc Special Edition / Dinner at Eight / Libeled Lady / Stage Door / To Be or Not to Be)