The Thin Man | Teen Ink

The Thin Man

September 29, 2019
By MovieReviewer_18 ELITE, Short Hills, New Jersey
MovieReviewer_18 ELITE, Short Hills, New Jersey
678 articles 0 photos 8 comments

 The Thin Man is a classic mystery that is infused with romantic qualities and took place right before the implementation of the Hays Code. The movie revolves around Nick Charles, a retired detective that now spends the majority of his time drinking and spending the massive fortune that his wife has acquired. However, Nick must put aside the fact that he's no longer working when he gets placed on a special case. A talented and intelligent inventor goes missing, and once he goes missing, plenty of other strange events soon follow, including challenges for his wealth and inventions, leading many to believe that he may be murdered or a murderer himself. Although Nick is far from eager to stop doing what he loves in Manhattan, which is taking a holiday vacation in Manhattan and includes plenty of drinking, his eager wife, Nora Charles, wants to see Nick solve a real case and tries to convince him to do such. While still unsure if it's a smart decision, Nick soon finds himself swept up by a wild case that will take all of his skills to solve. There's deception, deaths and a whole lot of trickery, and it seems that Nick, Nora, and their fan-favorite dog, Asta, will only be able to trust each other. 
 The Thin Man is famous for being a popular adventure that helped to act as an escape for audiences all across the world. Because the movie took place during the thick of the Great Depression, and just after Prohibition, the film acts as a happy getaway to please audiences. Nick and Nora Charles, the main characters, are both incredibly wealthy and neither actually have to work for a living. They both drink an enormous amount, which is a direct result of the movie coming after Prohibition, so now not only does alcohol play a fundamental role in their carefree lives, but the duo are also able to practically celebrate a holiday every day. Their typical day is like a vacation day for the rest of the world, and this charming positivity was something that many went to the movie theater for back when the film was first released. 

 The Thin Man may have a bunch of minor characters that haven't aged the best, but at the heart of the movie is a group of strong main characters that shine through. Nick and Nora Charles have a lovable relationship that is sweet, likable and they truly click on all levels. Their characters are definitely the most memorable, and while some of the others lack a grand amount of personality, both of them are able to grow into their own. Additionally, Asta, the dog, is quite lovable and certainly a fan-favorite character that has actually probably aged the best, going as far as to be a popular answer in crossword puzzles. 

 The Thin Man may be a mystery, but that doesn't mean that it has a good one. Although the movie tries to create an elaborate mystery that tries to give plenty of hints as to who is actually behind everything, when everything is finally unraveled, audiences don't actually really care about who did it. While Nick and Nora certainly have their charm, as does Asta, the other characters are quite generic and don't really stand out. In fact, many of the characters actually look similar to one another, especially because the film is in black and white. Thus, it becomes increasingly difficult to remember everyone's name and what their context is to the disappearance of the innovator, Professor Wynant. 

 The Thin Man may not have as aged as well as other classic films, but it still has two relatable characters in Nick and Nora Charles. It's easy to see why the movie was used as an escape for people all across the world to immerse themselves in a world of drinking and riches, which greatly differed from the horrific Depression. Rotten Tomatoes did in fact give the movie an impressive 97%, so there definitely are enough strengths to warrant people watching it. While the film may no longer be considered an absolute must-see, it is still considered by many to be a classic worth seeing. 


The author's comments:

"I haven't the time. I'm much too busy seeing that you don't lose any of the money I married you for." - Nick Charles


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