1934 – William Powell
The Thin Man
This was a fun movie. It was mainly a who-done-it, but it was also a light comedy with a touch or romance, with just a hint of drama sprinkled on top. This was the first in a franchise of six Thin Man movies. What came next was After the Thin Man in 1936, followed by Another Thin Man in 1939, Shadow of the Thin Man in 1941, The Thin Man Goes Home in 1945, and finally, Song of the Thin Man in 1947. The trick is that William Powell played the lead, Detective Nick Charles, but the actual Thin Man was the man who was murdered. So naming the following five films using the same moniker doesn’t really make sense unless they all have stories that revolve around the original murdered man.
Powell was both handsome and charming, and seemed completely at ease in front of the camera. He was paired with Myrna Loy throughout the entire franchise, and it isn’t hard to see why. Their on-screen chemistry was plain to see. There was a cute little interaction between them where he pointed to her chest, and when she looked down, he booped her nose, and had an adorable little chuckle to himself. Powell really took the part and had fun with it.
Nick Charles was a functional alcoholic, and true to the character, Powell was rarely seen without a drink in his hand. The guy drank like a fish. But despite his constant state of inebriation, he was a happy-go-lucky guy who had a fantastic relationship with his wealthy wife. I liked how his character was written in that he would frequently joke with her that he married her for her money, but the love behind the jest was real.
And there was no denying his skills as a detective. After all, the movie was a murder mystery, and by the climax, the good guy was able to expose the bad guy, giving us a happy, romantic ending to the delightful narrative. Powell did a great job, and I’ll be honest. If I had been a voting member of the Academy in 1934, I might have voted for him instead of that year’s winner, Clark Gable. Powell was just so darn charming and playful in the role, and despite playing a smiling drunk, he made the character of Nick Charles incredibly likeable and truly memorable.