Sunday, August 26, 2012

Cinema Sunday: Nick and Nora

 
 
One of the cutest film couples ever is Nick and Nora Charles, of the "Thin Man" series.  Played by William Powell and Myrna Loy, Nick is a hard-drinking retired detective, and Nora, a wealthy heiress. On paper, they don't sound particularly cute. Or lovable.  But on screen, they are pure magic.
 
 
 
Powell's Nick is hilarious, sly and droll, and if he drinks a little too much, well, he can be forgiven, because he's just so likeable. And Loy is absolutely darling, equally as funny as her screen counterpart, well playing a ditz who really isn't quite a ditz.  The two flirt outrageously and banter wittily, all while solving crimes, drinking, dancing, and keeping track of their wire-haired fox terrier, Asta. Oh, and they even manage to have a baby, Nick, Jr.
 
The first title in the series, "The Thin Man" was based upon a book of the same name by Dashiell Hammett, supposedly based upon his relationship with the playwright, Lillian Hellman.  I read the book long after I had seen the movie for the first time.  Usually, movies based upon books are very loosely based; I was surprised that there are long stretches of dialogue taken directly from the book.  And what dialogue it is!  I can quote much of it verbatim, and still laugh out loud at many of the conversations between our witty couple, even though I've heard them dozens of times.
 
 
The mystery in these movies, although entertaining, is secondary to the wonderful chemistry between Powell and Loy.  Although the quality of the films diminished with each successive movie, Nick and Nora remained funny and charming, absolutely delightful from beginning to end.
 
So, if you're having a bad day, if you need a pick-me-up, pick up the "Thin Man" series.  If you only have time for one, the first one in the series is the best, but they're all fun and entertaining - great for a lazy Sunday afternoon!
 
Thank you for stopping by, and for leaving your comment.  I love to hear from you.

6 comments:

  1. This sounds very interesting, thanks for letting us know about it! There are so many good movies I haven't seen, sometimes the thought stresses me out! I enjoyed your review! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Julie,
    I agree LOVE these movies!And the too of them together is a stitch!
    xx
    Anne

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love 1940s movies and base my tv service provider on who has Turner Classic Movies! I love these and many of the series movies. Have you seen Dear Ruth? Dear Wife and Dear Brat followed that with Wm Holden and Mona Freeman; classic lines to say over and over again!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Plz consider turning off word verification. It's a pain for readers and you won't get spam if you get rid of it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm, I thought it was already off. Thank you for letting me know that it wasn't.

      Delete
  5. Julie,
    Thank you for visiting and leaving the nice comment about my new little pink bundle of joy. She is so sweet. I can't wait to see her again, I've only seen her once since her birthday! I hate to go over there and bug them since they are probably up all night! I remember being very tired and wishing people would stop calling!!
    Hugs,
    Julie

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comment. I look forward to reading it!