Genre	Comedy :: Crime :: Mystery
Date Released	23 May 1934
Production	Disney Channel
Distribution	Disney Channel
Related Links	1934 Movies May 1934 Movies
	1934 Comedy Movies 1934 Crime Movies 1934 Mystery Movies
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Trivia and Quotes

Quotes

Nick Charles: The murderer is right in this room. Sitting at this table. You may serve the fish.

Nora Charles: [suffering from a hang-over] What hit me? Nick Charles: The last martini.

Nora Charles: What`s that man doing in my drawers?

Reporter: Well, can`t you tell us anything about the case? Nick Charles: Yes, it`s putting me way behind in my drinking.

[Nick has revived Nora after knocking her out to keep her from being accidentally shot by Joe Morelli] Nora Charles: You darn fool! You didn`t have to knock me out. I knew you`d take him, but I wanted to see you do it. Lieutenant John Guild: [laughs] There`s a girl with hair on her chest.

Gil: Could I come down and see the body? I`ve never seen a dead body. Lieutenant John Guild: Why do you want to? Gil: Well, I`ve been studying psychopathic criminology and I have a theory. Perhaps this was the work of a sadist or a paranoiac. If I saw it I might be able to tell. Lieutenant John Guild: Yeah, that`s a good idea. But don`t you bother to come down - we`ll bring the body right up to you.

Nora Charles: How many drinks have you had? Nick Charles: This will make six Martinis. Nora Charles: [to the waiter] All right. Will you bring me five more Martinis, Leo? Line them right up here.

Nick Charles: Now how did you ever remember me? Dorothy: Oh, you used to fascinate me. A real live detective. You used to tell me the most wonderful stories. Were they true? Nick Charles: Probably not.

Nick Charles: Now my friends, if I may propose a little toast. Let us eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die. Nora Charles: You give such charming parties, Mr. Charles. Nick Charles: Thank you, Mrs. Charles.

Nick Charles: Hey, would you mind putting that gun away? My wife doesn`t care, but I`m a very timid fellow.

Tommy: Say, I`m getting out of here. Nick Charles: No, you stay here. Tommy: If I stay, I know I`m gonna take a poke at him. Nick Charles: Then I insist that you stay.

Nora Charles: You asleep? Nick Charles: Yes! Nora Charles: Good... I want to talk to you.

Nick Charles: Now don`t make a move or that dog will tear you to shreds.

Nick Charles: Say, how did you people happen to pop in here? Lieutenant John Guild: We hear this is getting to be sort of a meeting place for the Wynant family, so we figured we`ll stick around just in case the old boy himself should show up. Then we see this bird sneak in, we decide to come up. And lucky for you we did! Nick Charles: Yes, I might not have been shot.

Nora Charles: All right! Go ahead! Go on! See if I care! But I thinks it`s a dirty trick to bring me all the way to New York just to make a widow of me. Nick Charles: You wouldn`t be a widow long. Nora Charles: You bet I wouldn`t! Nick Charles: Not with all your money...

Nora Charles: Take care of yourself Nick Charles: Why, sure I will. Nora Charles: Don`t say it like that! Say it as if you meant it! Nick Charles: Well, I do believe the little woman cares. Nora Charles: I don`t care! It`s just that I`m used to you, that`s all.

[last lines] Nora Charles: Nicky... Nicky, put Asta in here with me tonight. Nick Charles: [chuckles] Oh, yeah? [throws Asta in the other bunk]

[first lines] Tanner: Your daughter`s here, Mr. Wynant. Mr. Wynant! Mr. Wynant! Clyde Wynant, the thin man: Haven`t you got any more sense than to shout at me like that?

[the guests are finding their places to sit at the dinner table] Mimi Jorgenson, the former Mrs. Wynant: I`m Mrs. Jorgenson! Mrs. Jorgenson: Put it over there, sister. I was Mrs. Jorgenson before you were.

Nora Charles: You know, that sounds like an interesting case. Why don`t you take it? Nick Charles: 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: Oh, it`s all right, Joe. It`s all right. It`s my dog. And, uh, my wife. Nora Charles: Well you might have mentioned me first on the billing.

Nick Charles: I`m a hero. I was shot twice in the Tribune. Nora Charles: I read where you were shot 5 times in the tabloids. Nick Charles: It`s not true. He didn`t come anywhere near my tabloids.

Nora Charles: Pretty girl. Nick Charles: Yes. She`s a very nice type. Nora Charles: You got types? Nick Charles: Only you, darling. Lanky brunettes with wicked jaws.

Nick Charles: How`d you like Grant`s tomb? Nora Charles: It`s lovely. I`m having a copy made for you.

Nick Charles: The important thing is the rhythm. Always have rhythm in your shaking. Now a Manhattan you shake to fox-trot time, a Bronx to two-step time, a dry martini you always shake to waltz time.

Nora Charles: Waiter, will you serve the nuts? I mean, will you serve the guests the nuts?

[On the motley group of guests present] Nora Charles: Oh, Nicky, I love you because you know such lovely people.

Lieutenant John Guild: You got a pistol permit? Nick Charles: No. Lieutenant John Guild: Ever heard of the Sullivan Act? Nora Charles: Oh, that`s all right, we`re married.

Marion: I don`t like crooks. And if I did like `em, I wouldn`t like crooks that are stool pigeons. And if I did like crooks that are stool pigeons, I still wouldn`t like you.

Reporter: Say listen, is he working on a case? Nora Charles: Yes, he is. Reporter: What case? Nora Charles: A case of scotch. Pitch in and help him.

Trivia

While Powell, Loy, Gombell, Hall, and Henry recreated their roles in the June 8, 1936 Lux Radio Theater broadcast, Thomas Jackson was promoted from an uncredited bit as a reporter to the major supporting role of Lt. Guild. Even though Cecil B. DeMille had begun his 9 year run as Lux Theater host on June 1, only one week before, he was missing from this broadcast. Taking his place was THE THIN MAN`s director Woody Van Dyke. Legendary silent star Theda Bara made an appearance and reminisced with him about silent film acting and the research she had to do to play Cleopatra in 1917. The washed-up Bara, who hadn`t made a film in years, talked about making a comeback in films and strongly suggests Norma Desmond. One wonders if either Billy Wilder or Charles Brackett was listening that night. Bara`s unusual appearance suggests that Van Dyke was doing it as a favor to Charles Brabin, Bara`s husband, who was a director colleague of his at MGM and whose career was ostensibly over too.

In "The Thin Man" while serving guests at a Christmas Party, and in My Man Godfrey (1936) when he comes home "intoxicated" William Powell sings the same line to a song, "For tomorrow may bring sorrow, so tonight let us be gay"

Reportedly, Dashiell Hammett based Nick and Nora`s banter upon his rocky relationship with playwright Lillian Hellman.

Skippy, who played Asta the dog, bit Myrna Loy during filming.

Given three weeks to shoot the film, W.S. van Dyke managed it all in 12 days for the paltry budget of $231,000. The film surprised everyone by becoming a major box office hit, ranking in $1.4 million.

In the original novel, Jorgensen was Rosewater. For some reason, this was later changed or filmed and cut to get the movie the Hays seal.

While the "Thin Man" in the movie refers to character Clyde Wynant, in the opening credits of the film the cover of the novel "The Thin Man" is shown. On the dust jacket of the book we see a thin man who`s not just a model for the photo but who is also author Dashiell Hammett.

"The Thin Man" author Dashiell Hammett drew on his experiences as a union-busting Pinkerton detective in Butte, Montana, in creating his detective characters. Meanwhile, "The Thin Man" star Myrna Loy was born near and raised in Helena, Montana.

The title does not refer to Nick Charles (William Powell), but to the murder victim (Edward Ellis). Audiences and critics alike kept referring to Nick Charles as "the Thin Man", so subsequent films kept the name.

Film was shot only in about two weeks. Was originally said to be a "B" picture. First of six in The Thin Man series.

Lux Radio Theatre version starring Myrna Loy, William Powell, Porter Hall aired June 8, 1936.

Louis B. Mayer, head of MGM, originally was against the idea of Myrna Loy being cast in this picture but director W.S. Van Dyke wanted to use the stars of the movie Manhattan Melodrama (1934), William Powell and Myrna Loy. Mayer said that Powell was OK for the part since he had already played detectives in other films. Loy eventually got the part and made new image for herself.

See also Trivia Index (T) :: Quotes Index (T) :: Connections Index (T)

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