Becoming Nick and Nora: The Thin Man and the Films of William Powell and Myrna Loy

William Powell (1892–1984) and Myrna Loy (1905–93) are best remembered for playing Nick and Nora Charles, the witty and hard-drinking couple who, along with their scene-stealing wire-haired terrier Asta, solved crimes in a series of six films (1934–47) based on Dashiell Hammett’s novel The Thin Man. Kozlowski (The Art of Chicago Improv) delivers a dual biography of Powell and Loy, who appeared together in 14 films, and an analysis of all six films. The book notes that Powell began his career in vaudeville and played suave villains in silent films in the early 1920s. Loy began her film career playing a long line of exotic vamps during the mid-’20s. The Thin Man elevated both their careers with Powell transitioning to a sophisticated romantic lead and Loy portraying the perception of the perfect wife. Background details cover the astonishing speed (less than six months after the novel was published) of getting the film made. The book also informs readers about the production and W.S. Van Dyke’s direction, the film’s ultimate success, and eventual sequels.