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) |  | Directors: Basil Wrangell, Tex Avery, Jules Dassin
Actors: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Clancy Cooper, Chick York, John Nesbitt
Studio: Warner Home Video
List Price: $59.98
Buy New: $28.99
as of 11/23/2009 21:47 CST details
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Seller: Amazon.com
Rating:  227 reviews
Sales Rank: 437
Format: Box set, Black & White, Digital Sound, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 7
Running Time: 666 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.5 x 4.3
MPN: 67399
ISBN: 1419807587
UPC: 012569673991
EAN: 9781419807589
ASIN: B0009GX1C4
Theatrical Release Date: September 1947
Release Date: August 2, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | The sparkling series featured the irresistible William Powell and Myrna Loy chemistry as husband and wife sleuths who solved murders with the aid of their wire-haired terrier, Asta. Set in the glamorous world of 1930s upper-class Manhattan, The Thin Man and its sequels established the standard for witty comedy, clever dialogue and urbane one upmanship.The 7-Disc set includes THE THIN MAN, AFTER TH |
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Product Description
The sparkling series featured the irresistible William Powell and Myrna Loy chemistry as husband and wife sleuths who solved murders with the aid of their wire-haired terrier Asta. Set in the glamorous world of 1930s upper-class Manhattan The Thin Man and its sequels established the standard for witty comedy clever dialogue and urbane one upmanship. The 7-Disc set includes THE THIN MAN AFTER THE THIN MAN ANOTHER THIN MAN SHADOW OF THE THIN MAN SONG OF THE THIN MAN THE THIN MAN GOES HOME and the ALIAS NICK & NORA bonus documentary disc.Running Time: 592 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/CLASSIC UPC: 012569673991 Manufacturer No: 67399
Amazon.com
Almost as welcome as a shaker full of martinis, The Complete Thin Man Collection represents an eagerly awaited DVD milestone for fans of the fizzy MGM movie series. The best film in the series came first: The Thin Man (1934), W.S. Van Dyke's marvelous adaptation of a Dashiell Hammet novel. The movie gods were in a generous mood when they paired William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, the upper-class sophisticates whose sleuthing escapades somehow joined the classic form of the whodunit with the giddyup of screwball comedy. Among the series' many attributes, one of its most radical notions was the idea that a married couple might find each other delightful and view life as a goofy adventure together. It is common wisdom that the Thin Man sequels adhere to the law of diminishing returns, and while none of the follow-ups reach the diamond level of the first film, all afford pleasures. There's the cocktail-swilling chemistry of Powell and Loy, for one thing, as well as the considerable satisfaction of average movies made during the studio system: the craftsmanship of studio hands, and a gallery of terrific character actors filling in supporting roles. First sequel After the Thin Man (1936) is very good, with the couple in San Francisco and a supporting part for rising player James Stewart. The scenery moves again, to Long Island, for the rather impudently-titled Another Thin Man (1939), which adds baby Nick, Jr., to the mix (a "bad idea," thought Pauline Kael, perhaps a sign of the domestication of the series). Shadow of the Thin Man (1941) sets the action around a racetrack, and is the last of the series to be directed by the fast-working Van Dyke. The Thin Man Goes Home (1944) finds Nick escorting family to his parents' house for a visit. Song of the Thin Man (1947) engagingly adds a jazz milieu to the Charles's detective work; at this point, Nick, Jr. was played by child star Dean Stockwell. The series stuck with certain staples: the unveiling of the guilty party, a wirehaired terrier named Asta (who became a star in its own right), and booze. When Nick opines, in the first film, that a dry martini should always be shaken to "waltz time," you know why audiences fell in love with these guilt-free comedies. --Robert Horton
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 227
One Of The Greatest Film Series In Cinema History October 26, 2009
Kerry J. Koenig
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
All classic-film lovers must own this wonderful set. Sparkling, sophisticated, witty. . . loads of fun!
Not thin on quality September 25, 2009
mrliteral
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Chemistry. In movies, it can be an essential element when two actors are paired together. It doesn't matter how good the actors are, if they don't click - make their pairing more than the sum of their parts - you are going to have a mediocre movie. Take the recent movie, Righteous Kill, with two Oscar-winning actors, Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino. With little chemistry between them, the movie suffered (although bad writing didn't help either). The characters don't even have to get along: look at Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs, or Clint Eastwood and Eli Wallach in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. In each case, the actors enhance each other other's performance.
Chemistry is what makes The Complete Thin Man Collection so great. In fact, the stories themselves are relatively lightweight, but each one is sustained by the byplay between William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles. The general premise of the series of movies is that Nora is an heiress who has recently married retired detective Nick. They adore each other and would like nothing more than to live a pleasantly idle life (with lots of drinking); unfortunately, murders always pop up and Nick is recruited to discover the killer.
There are six movies total. The Thin Man is the original and best of the sextet, introducing the pair as well their faithful (if a bit cowardly) dog Asta. The framework for the whole series can be seen in this film. Nick, against his will, is brought in to assist on a murder case. Nora will prod him to do so and usually will want to assist. Between martinis (and other drinks), Nick will slowly piece things together, leading to a climactic scene where all the suspects are gathered and the killer (usually the least likely suspect) is revealed. Maureen O'Sullivan is also in this original movie as the daughter of the victim, an inventor with a duplicitous lover.
After The Thin Man has Nick and Nora looking into the murder of a wayward husband. Among the other actors is a young Jimmy Stewart. The title to Another Thin Man refers to Nick, Jr., who appears for the first time as an infant. The victim in this case is also the man who oversees Nora's estate. Shadow of the Thin Man has the couple going to the races and looking into shady goings-on. The Thin Man Goes Home gives us a look at Nick's family, while Song of the Thin Man deals with murder in the world of music.
If I'm gliding over the plots, that's because they're almost not important. Sure, there's enough story in each one to be interesting, but it's the characters, particularly Nick and Nora that make things entertaining. They may not be true classics, but they're all fun (and safe for kids to view as well).
Extras include various short subjects and cartoons as well as a supplemental disc. This extra disc has biographies of both Loy and Powell and also an episode of The Thin Man TV series from the 1950s. The TV episode is pretty weak, but it'll make you appreciate the movies even more. With all the movies being four-stars or better, the collection overall rates five stars and shows that humor and entertainment can be timeless.
Great Movies September 7, 2009
Sharon (Nevada)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Bought this set for my brother, who is extremely happy to have these movies. Besides being shipped quickly, the quality of the set is great and makes for great movie nights.
Great Entertainment August 31, 2009
Moesmimi (Houston, TX)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a set of classic movies from long ago. They are all enjoyable - fun to watch. If you enjoy old movies (and who doesn't) you will love this set.
 Fun, Witty Mysteries August 27, 2009
Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
During the 30's and 40's, MGM made six movies based on Dashiell Hammett characters. While I am not normally a fan of old movies, I've found these films to be delightful.
The movies star William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles. Nick is a former detective who has retired now that he's married socialite Nora. Unfortunately, he can't quite shake his old life as the couple seem to be drawn into mysteries.
THE THIN MAN is the only film actually based on a Dashiell Hammett book. In this one, Nick and Nora investigate when a man vanishes a few months before his daughter's wedding. AFTER THE THIN MAN finds the couple looking for the missing husband of Nora's cousin. ANOTHER THIN MAN involves an industrialist who thinks someone is trying to kill him. A murder at the race track is the subject of SHADOW OF THE THIN MAN, while THE THIN MAN GOES HOME finds the duo visiting Nick's parents and getting involved in a murder in the seemingly quiet suburb. Finally, SONG OF THE THIN MAN finds the couple investigating a murder in the world of 1940's Jazz.
As a mystery fan, I must admit the mysteries can be weak. Often, we don't seem to get the clues we need or Nick pulls the solution out of thin air. However, the comedy more than makes up for the problems with the plot. Nick and Nora have a wonderful relationship. Obviously in love, the two banter, and their lines are quite funny. Even the jokes about Nick's constant drinking are funny, and I don't usually find that appealing. Obviously, a big part of the credit for that goes to William Powell and Myrna Loy. They are obviously having fun in these movies, and that comes through for us.
The only truly weak movie in the bunch is THE THIN MAN GOES HOME. The first one made after the death of original director W. S. van Dyke, this movie relies more on physical comedy than wit. It's still funny, but not nearly as good as the others.
If you want these movies, this is certainly the way to get them. All six movies get their own disc, and, while they may not look perfect, they certainly look sharp and clean for movies of their age. Special features are light, usually just some slightly related shorts from MGM from the era. The seventh disc includes biographies of William Powell and Myrna Loy as well as an episode of the THIN MAN TV show from the 50's (trust me, these movies are better), and a radio drama version of the first story.
Don't let the black and white scare you away from these movies. Whether you buy this set or find another way to view them first, you'll enjoy the wit and mystery of the series.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 227
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