Good-Bye Song of the Thin Man
This 1947 movie is the last of the Thin Man movies. It’s the next to last pairing of Myrna Loy and William Powell in movies as well.
I did some research reaction to Thin Man Goes Home. The movie was successful, but it's not listed as one of the best movies. I’m guessing people thought like I did when I saw it. The Thin Man movies are swank and glamour. Nick solves a murder in "Goes Home," but the glamour wasn't there. This time we go to a cruise ship where a big band musician is murdered. There are debts owed to gangsters, shootings to cover up secrets, lies to protect spouses. It's like a return to the original formula.
This is the only movie not written by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich (sometimes help of Dashiell Hammett).
The cast is powerful too. Naturally William Powell and Myrna Loy are back.
This time they tried to go back to what once worked, but after binge watching the series, I have to say this movie was almost unneeded.
William Powell is 57 years old. Myrna Loy is 42. He’s getting paunchy. She has lines around her eyes. Nick and Nora aren’t a young flirty couple that are in love with each other. Their lives of glamour aren't fashionable and extravagant. Nick is ready to really really really retire. She has a son and a wealthy family to watch out for.
It wasn't part of the movie, but I had feelings about the characters by now.
I didn’t want to see them age. I knew they would age because the movie producers didn't change out the actors for younger actors, just to keep the series going. William Powell was Nick Charles and no one else could play him. To see them age took a lot of the fun out. Did they really enjoy those late night parties anymore? Their prime time of the early 1930's were over and they had to know it.
On one thought, we can infer that Nick and Nora will stay together and lead happy long lives. They don't need to go back and solve a mystery for old time's sake. They’ll tell others about their exploits at smaller gatherings, but they won’t dwell on the past. They had this last go around and solved the mystery.
He will find joy in the backyard. She will find joy in one glass of wine. They’ll be there when Nick Jr. graduates a university. With Nora’s background, Nick Jr. will probably go to Yale or Harvard.
On the other hand, they won’t go to big galas anymore. They won’t outsmart the police and the criminals and joke about it with each other anymore. Asta will want to lay down on a big pillow in his final years.
Part of me feels the age change of these characters and we are at the end of the series. It would seem ridiculous that they never age, but they did age and so do we as people. Nick and Nora aren’t timeless like Sherlock Holmes or James Bond. They were the hit of the swanky 1930-1940s crowd. As the 1950s came, they were passe and they stayed home.
So do we when we get older.
So good bye Nick and Nora. The series and binge watch has been fun. Later when the first Thin Man is on TCM again we’ll watch like it’s reminiscing.
Happy retirement Nick!
Next week: Dream Dancing