FILM 1658: THE THIN MAN
TRIVIA: Given three weeks to shoot
the film, W.S. Van Dyke
managed it all in 12 days for the paltry budget of $231,000 (April 9-mid May).
The film surprised everyone by becoming a major box office hit, raking in $1.4
million.
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.
Reportedly, Dashiell Hammett
based Nick and Nora's banter upon his rocky on-again, off-again relationship
with playwright Lillian Hellman .
William Powell spoke
of how much he loved working with Myrna Loy because of her naturalness, her professionalism, and
her lack of any kind of "diva" temperament. "When we did a scene
together, we forgot about technique, camera angles, and microphones. We weren't
acting. We were just two people in perfect harmony," he said. "Myrna,
unlike some actresses who think only of themselves, has the happy faculty of
being able to listen while the other fellow says his lines. She has the give
and take of acting that brings out the best."
The first movie to spawn a sequel
using the same characters.
Included among the "1001
Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.
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