Perfect Couple, Perfect Movie

I was raised on classic movies, so I'll be reviewing a lot of them as DVD releases here at Blogcritics.

Watching all those movies at such an impressionable age, I always wanted to grow up to be Cary Grant. It never happened. My shoulders never got broad enough, my chin never developed that famous cleft, my hair was always too wavy, and—try as I might—I could never nail down that not-quite-English, not-quite-Boston accent.

But how about William Powell? He might not have been as good looking or as sauve as Cary, but he was certainly as funny—and he got to spend quality time with the delicious Myrna Loy in her pajamas.

I've spent my entire adult lift trying to be as cool as Powell was in The Thin Man, newly available on DVD.

The first time we meet William Powell's detective Nick Charles, he's demonstrating to a bartender how to properly shake a martini to waltz time. Nick, it should be noted, is too soused to walk properly, much less have another drink.

Moments later, we meet Nora Charles (Myrna Loy), his wife. As she quickly downs six martinis to catch up with Nick, we're treated to some of the funniest, snappiest dialogue since... well, since before anything. The Thin Man created the Sexy Funny Couple In Danger genre, and nearly seventy years later, it still sets the (Cuervo) gold standard.

I could do the typical critic's job and rehash some other great scenes, to entice you into buying the movie. Instead, allow me to introduce you to The Thin Man Drinking Game.

Start with a pitcher of martinis and your favorite spouse.

Whenever Nick takes a drink on the screen, the husband takes a drink on the sofa. When Nora drinks, the wife drinks.

You'll both have a very happy glow, long before you find out whodunnit.

And since The Thin Man is, at all-too-long last, available on disc, you won't even have to rewind a tape during your hangover.

[This is adapted from a review orginally published on Amazon.com]

Article Author: Stephen Green

Visit Stephen Green's author page