TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: The Thin Man Vol. 1 (The Thin Man / After the Thin Man / Another Thin Man / Shadow of the Thin Man)

There are 6 films in the Thin Man series, each starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. This DVD contains the first 4 in the series! They are all remastered to a high quality and the sound is excellent! I first saw thw original films in the cinema in the late 40s early 50s and enjoyed the banter between the hero and heroine, Nick and Norah Charles, and the antics od Asta, their dog. The supporting cast was always good. Well worth a watch, and well worth the purchase price

Received promptly and in perfect condition.

There is something special about William Powell and Myrna Loy acting together. They were perfect as a pair. They are the Abbott/Costello, Burns/Allen, Laurel/Hardy, etc. Their timing and words are pitch perfect. As stated, most all reviews agree these are the Best of the Thin Man Series. The two movies of the Thin Man not included, are The Thin Man Goes Home and Song of the Thin Man, these are two dogs. The Thin Man Goes Home played off as the son solves the case and makes his dad proud. Frankly, none of the actors jell, the storyline is weak and stupid. The bad guy/villain is not believable at all. Song of the Thin Man is ruined by Keenan Wynn in his worst performance ever. This is all "Jazzed Up" and just plain annoying. What is missing most in these two films is Nick's buddies and a good story. The neatest thing of all about the movie set is the Extras. I would buy it over again again, just for the Dramatic Short "The Tell Tail Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe played starring Joseph Schildkraut, who was a great Villain/Scroundel. Each movie has a Short Movie and a Cartoon, just like the old days in the Movie Theater. Also worth the price of admission is Jimmy Stewart, as a "Bad Guy" and he plays it to a tee, just as he did "Good Guys". My personal favorite is Another Thin Man, as it shows why Sheldon Leonard as Phil Church became one of the most successful TV producer/directors of the 1950s and 1960s. Four of his productions (all on CBS)--"Make Room for Daddy" (1953), "Gomer Pyle: USMC" (1964), "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961) (which won 21 Emmy Awards) and "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960)--were rated in the Top Ten. He had a further success with "I Spy" (1965), championing the cause of racial equality over the (initial) objections of the network by being the first series to have an African-American (Bill Cosby) in an equal co-starring dramatic role with a white actor. Leonard is also regarded as having invented the television spin-off.

"THE THIN MAN" movies are FUN. They're pure vintage gems of wit and humor. The original movie premiered in May 1934. The great depression was still raging, but prohibition had recently ended, and people needed something to lift their spirits. Luckily, Hollywood was still pre-code, so movies were uncensored and un-rated. Perfect timing! Along comes the Thin Man movie with detective Nick Charles and his never-empty cocktail glass and witty sexual quips; accompanied by his beautiful wife Nora, and their scene-stealing little terrier, Asta. On screen, the lavishly furnished homes, the millionaires’ attire and exquisite ambiance were in stark contrast to the poor moviegoers who could barely afford the dime for a theater ticket. But at least for a little while they were transported into the opulence and splendor of Hollywood's fantasy world. The series was based on an eloquently written novel by Dashiell Hammett (of Maltese Falcon fame). Not unlike his fictional detective, the author himself was no stranger to frequent hangovers. He and his girlfriend Lillian Hellman were the real-life prototypes on which his fictional characters of Nick and Nora Charles were formed. The two actors, William Powell and Myrna Loy remain today, after nearly a century, as the two stars who are yet unrivaled as THE FIRST AND COOLEST MAN-WIFE DETECTIVE TEAM IN MOVIE HISTORY. I was always a bit puzzled by the title "The Thin Man" because Mr. Powell didn't seem to be thin or malnourished. And I recently discovered that the "Thin Man" was actually a character in the original novel, and not the detective! Evidently the author had decided to use the minor character's nickname as the book's title. I suppose he assumed that idiots like myself would assume the title refers to the book's detective and not question it. Anyway, here's one more little piece of trivia,,, Nick Charles beat James Bond to the punch (bowl) by several decades in the "shaken or stirred" cocktail controversy. Mr. Charles prefers it shaken. Cheers! (If this review was helpful in any way, please click on the ‘helpful’ key below, or write a comment. Thanks).

The movies are very well done. The acting is superior. William Powell is terrific. On a scale of 1-5 it’s a 10!!

The first four (of six) THIN MAN movies are gathered into this one set. While successive entries got a little more formulaic, all are still enjoyable. The original THIN MAN (1934) had the happy coincidence of being post-Repeal yet pre-Code, and the chemistry between Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) was something to behold and generally maintained through the series. Their arch interplay, Nick's knowledge of the underworld and Nora's sense of fun and fashion were all a tonic to the generally moralizing tone of early-Thirties films. Most people who invest in a set like this will find themselves just as beguiled as the audiences of eighty years ago.

Reliving my childhood black and white murder mysteries - including Asta the dog

My hubby loves The Thin Man series. There's about 5 movies in the series, but getting these four will give you most of a day's worth of viewing. No problems with picture, or DVDs. It's great for the person in your life who loves the old movies with great, snappy dialogue. Seeing the couple and their child doing some great mysteries makes these movies a great addition to any moviephile's collection.

An excellent collection of a classic series of films

I love "The Thin Man" series - so funny and entertaining. Myrna Loy is hilarious!!

These were good films in there day and still provide a laugh