Let me preface this post by stating that due to these movies, Topher and I have agreed on the name of our (first?) daughter: Nora. That alone tells you how much I love these movies and I'm ashamed that I only first viewed them in 2010. That being said, don't make me cry like Charlotte and take my baby name that I won't be using for at least five years, mmkay? ;)
Please, please rent/stream/buy The Thin Man. I've been watching classic films for my entire life. I grew up with The Maltese Falcon (and, of course, Casablanca), The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer, and other amazing black and white films from the 1940's. I'm ashamed that my parents have been watching the six films that make up the Thin Man series for years, and they just now shared them with me!
The best way to describe them is exactly how my father first sold me on them: chemistry, especially comedic, between William Powell (Nick) and Myrna Loy (Nora), classic detective story that defines classic- all of the bits and wits we now see in mysteries BEGAN with these films. The old gather-them-in-the-room to confess bit? Originated here.
The storyline in this series was created by Dashiell Hammett (the same man who wrote The Maltese Falcon), and started as a radio series. When it was so successful, MGM decided to try the movies with it. Thank goodness for us they took the chance!
The humor and wit flung back and forth between Nick and Nora, a husband and wife duo, is incomparable- best of all, Nora is just as witty, if not more so, than Nick. The banter is, above all, what defines these movies. Nick is a "retired" detective and Nora is a high society woman who loves her "retired" husband taking on new cases. There are some definite man-is-smarter-than-wife scenes (to my dismay) but there are also MANY cases where Nora puts Nick in his places with her intelligence and sharp tongue.
Nick and Nora, as we call it, is now a standby for Topher and I on a lazy Friday night, or even on a Sunday night, like now, as I write this in bed. We are now making our way through for the second round and it's every bit as wonderful, funny and fantastic as the first time.
Do you have a favorite 1940's film? Do share!
I love the name Nora! Don't worry though, you're safe from me stealing it because Dave's BFF is Nora so it would be a little weird for us to name a daughter that :)
ReplyDeleteAlso I think I might have to go watch these movies! One summer in high school, my mom made us watch all the classic musicals, and then we moved on to 'classic films' but I think our interest had petered out by then. Thanks for the rec!
OOH! i'm going to have to check that one out! i've seen casablanca about a million times but my husband is seriously addicted to old westerns, so we usually watch those instead. i'm sad to say my favorite is probably josey wales, which was made in '76, because clint eastwood is a total badass.
ReplyDeletefor some reason, probably because of the two names, when i read your post i thought of nick and norah's infinite playlist. love michael cera in that one...almost as much as juno...almost.
I'm going to have to check this out! As for faves, I'm a big fan of the Hitchcock films :)
ReplyDeleteI love old films as well- especially the 40's and I can't believe I've never seen The Thin Man or The Maltese Falcon- gah! You'd think with TCM always on I would have by now lol (gigantic nerd here). We're trying to see everything on AMC's top 100 list right now- just watched Citizen Kane the other night. I'd have to say my favorites are the musicals though- I love Meet Me in St Louis and Singin in the Rain and... I could keep going but I think this comment is way too long :)
ReplyDeleteone of my college friends was a huge fan of these movies--with your endorsement as well, i totally want to see them now! nora is a great name.
ReplyDelete@notes: oh shite, I forgot about that. sorry!
ReplyDelete@catie: i actually think infinite playlist is centered around the comedic humor/relationship from these movies. :)
@BigAppleNosh: I love hitchcock too! he's an original.
@Brandi- what a brilliant idea, watching the top 100. Did you like Citizen Kane? I've never sat down to watch it because I know the ending...and it seems strange...
@lavenderpug- you really ought to!