瘦子

Ex-sleuth Nick Charles (Powell) doesn’t really want to go back to his old profession and why would he? He and wife Nora (Loy) live in the lap of luxury with nil to worry about. But Dorothy Wynant (O’Sullivan) is an old acquaintance of him and on the Christmas eve she has a foreboding that her father Clyde (Ellis) seems to renege on his promise of returning before Christmas to attend her upcoming wedding with Tommy (Wadsworth), as Clyde has gone on a secret business trip months earlier and no one has heard from him since, our reluctant gumshoe only manages to squeeze an interest in the case because Nora eggs him on solving the puzzle simply because it might keep boredom at bay, also for a husband to prove his worth to his wife is quite something can ginger up their marital bliss. Subsequently, Clyde’s secretary-cum-mistress Julia Wolf (Moorhead) is rubbed out in cold blood, discovered by Dorothy’s mother and Clyde’s ex-wife Mimi Jorgenson (Gombell, with perfect fussy cadence and ditziness) who alights on an implicating item, following by an in-the-know blackmailer croaked for his undue greed, then a skeleton is disinterred in Clyde’s work place which turns out to be deceased for months, whose identity can be easily inferred by detective story-savvy viewers, however, it is the climatic dinner pageantry during which Nick corrals all the suspects in one room before spilling the beans that deliciously spurs the suspense to the finishing line with a delightful veneer of sophistication and delectation. First of six in massive popular The Thin Man series, and adapted from mystery writer Dashiell Hammett's beloved source novel, W.S. Van Dyke’s series-generator eloquently and unashamedly melds a screwball-y jollification with the morbid procedural of a whodunit, transfused with a fluid agglomeration of nonchalant merry-making, shadowy ominousness, connubial bickering and canoodling in spite of their tonal discrepancy, the outcome is a unique genre-bending humdinger underlined by the optimal duo, William Powell and Myrna Loy’s dexterously relaxed, bibulously rollicking interplay, as well as the gimmicky showstopper, their button-cute fox terrier named Asta, that's the ace in the hole. referential entries: Gregory La Cava’s MY MAN GODFREY (1936, 7.4/10); John Huston’s The Maltese Falcon (1941, 8.4/10)

达希尔·哈米特的小说去年重版，我买了Kindle的合集，包括了《马耳他之鹰》《玻璃钥匙》《瘦子》《大陆侦探社》《血色收获》《丹恩家的诅咒》《暗夜女子》《螺丝起子》八部，其中《暗夜女子》中还包括了萨姆•斯佩德系列的三个短篇。

哈米特在侦探小说界多有名？他是美国硬汉派小说的创始者，好莱坞黑色电影的主要创始人，他早年做过侦探，给了他日后创作的很多素材，30年代他进入好莱坞编剧圈，先是把自己的作品《马耳他之鹰》《瘦子》改编成电影，大获成功，后来就开始专门写剧本，还拿到了奥斯卡提名。

哈米特出生在1894年，他参加过一战和二战，在二战前后是美国著名的左派作家、反法西斯主义者，这使得他在50年代受到麦卡锡主义的迫害，他被迫离开了好莱坞，结束了自己的创作生涯。

《瘦子》是他在1934年出版的小说，几乎算得上是他最后的长篇小说，之后他就开始了编剧生涯。小说出版后不久，他就把小说卖给了米高梅公司，并由两位出色的编剧改成了电影剧本，米高梅老板拍板由威廉·鲍威尔和茂娜·洛挨来出演书中搞笑又聪明的侦探夫妇尼克和诺拉，电影拍得节奏飞快，在喜剧和悬疑两方面都获得了巨大的成功。

之后，哈米特又为这对侦探夫妇写了五部续集电影1936年的《瘦子之后》（迷雾重重）1939年《另一个瘦子》（疑云重重）1941年《瘦子的影子》1945年《瘦子回家》（疑云风波）1947年《瘦子之歌》。12年拍完六部曲，当然和很多续集电影一样算得上一部不如一部，但也最终结了尾，此时的好莱坞黑色电影的辉煌已经过去，哈米特的创作也开始慢慢进入了下坡。

哈米特在一战时认识了他后来的妻子，他们生育了两个孩子，但是这段婚姻在哈米特来到好莱坞后就名存实亡，1937年，他们正式办理了离婚手续。在好莱坞，哈米特先后与两位女编剧尼尔·马丁和莉莉·赫尔曼相恋，莉莉·赫尔曼是他人生中最后的伴侣，他们在一起生活了30年。哈米特在一战时感染了西班牙流感，虽然治愈却患了伴随终生的结核病，40年代，他又开始酗酒，被麦卡锡主义迫害后的哈米特健康急剧直下，1961年，他因肺癌去世，年仅66岁。

Often said, but still a marvel to watch, even after 72 years. If you want some intelligent fun with that since long vanished Hollywood class, catch this one. This comic murder mystery introduced the world to one of the most perfect screen matches I know, the incomparable duo William Powell and Myrna Loy. Shot by Woody "one shot" van Dyke in just twelve days with many of the first takes used in the film, it still comes across as wonderfully fresh.

The story revolves around William Powell as detective Nick Charles, who tries to crack the case of a missing scientist, together with his wife Nora (Myrna Loy). But forget about this whodunit aspect of the film, it's not that important. It's just adding to the fun. It's all about the marvellous interaction between Powell and Loy, simply the most wonderful screen pairing ever. Their constant courtship is a marvel to look at and watching the wonderful chemistry burning of the screen leaves me in a pleasant happy daze, slightly intoxicating.

They must be one of the very few boozy characters in the history of cinema, that seem to be drunk all the time and be continuously happy at the same time. On a continuous drinking frenzy, they're either perpetually pixillated or fighting the hang-over. Never marry someone who doesn't join you when drinking. Nora certainly does.

When they meet up in a restaurant Nora asks: 'Say, how many drinks have you had?'. 'Uhmm, this will make six Martini's.' 'Alright, waiter, will you bring me five more Martini's. You can all line them up right here.'

Between the endless string of cocktail parties their lives seem to consist of, he still needs to crack a murder case, as a journalist remembers him. 'Do you know anything about the case?' 'Yes, it's putting me way behind in my drinking.'

A stellar supporting cast, a witty script with wonderful dialog, style and class to spare, and most importantly, the one of a kind chemistry between Powell and Loy all contribute to the enjoyment of this film. A real winner.

Ex-sleuth Nick Charles (Powell) doesn’t really want to go back to his old profession and why would he? He and wife Nora (Loy) live in the lap of luxury with nil to worry about. But Dorothy Wynant (O’Sullivan) is an old acquaintance of him and on the Christmas eve she has a foreboding that her father Clyde (Ellis) seems to renege on his promise of returning before Christmas to attend her upcoming wedding with Tommy (Wadsworth), as Clyde has gone on a secret business trip months earlier and no one has heard from him since, our reluctant gumshoe only manages to squeeze an interest in the case because Nora eggs him on solving the puzzle simply because it might keep boredom at bay, also for a husband to prove his worth to his wife is quite something can ginger up their marital bliss. Subsequently, Clyde’s secretary-cum-mistress Julia Wolf (Moorhead) is rubbed out in cold blood, discovered by Dorothy’s mother and Clyde’s ex-wife Mimi Jorgenson (Gombell, with perfect fussy cadence and ditziness) who alights on an implicating item, following by an in-the-know blackmailer croaked for his undue greed, then a skeleton is disinterred in Clyde’s work place which turns out to be deceased for months, whose identity can be easily inferred by detective story-savvy viewers, however, it is the climatic dinner pageantry during which Nick corrals all the suspects in one room before spilling the beans that deliciously spurs the suspense to the finishing line with a delightful veneer of sophistication and delectation. First of six in massive popular The Thin Man series, and adapted from mystery writer Dashiell Hammett's beloved source novel, W.S. Van Dyke’s series-generator eloquently and unashamedly melds a screwball-y jollification with the morbid procedural of a whodunit, transfused with a fluid agglomeration of nonchalant merry-making, shadowy ominousness, connubial bickering and canoodling in spite of their tonal discrepancy, the outcome is a unique genre-bending humdinger underlined by the optimal duo, William Powell and Myrna Loy’s dexterously relaxed, bibulously rollicking interplay, as well as the gimmicky showstopper, their button-cute fox terrier named Asta, that's the ace in the hole. referential entries: Gregory La Cava’s MY MAN GODFREY (1936, 7.4/10); John Huston’s The Maltese Falcon (1941, 8.4/10)

It is intresting to compare this with another William Powell vehicle, "My Man Godfrey", which I see as too slight:
http://www.douban.com/review/1055694/

What is the difference? One word: GUSTO.

The screenplay is much better written. The plot is implausible and trivial, but who cares, since it is the mere excuse to put us in front of a banquet of witticism, naughty banters, and best of all, non sequiturs---incidentally, this movies has the highest frequency of non sequiturs in my recent memory. Such as,

- Gil: Haven't you heard of the Sullivan Act?
- Nora Charles: That's okay, we're married.

- Nora Charles: You asleep?
- Nick Charles: Yes!
- Nora Charles: Good... I want to talk to you.

- Reporter: Say listen, is he working on a case?
- Nora Charles: Yes, he is.
- Reporter: What case?
- Nora Charles: A case of scotch. Pitch in and help him.

- Nora Charles: Waiter, will you serve the nuts? I mean, will you serve the guests the nuts?

While I was typing these lines, I realize they are not so funny on paper. Which leads me to the other strong point of the film: loose-limbed, gracefully funny performance by William Powell, and adequate support from Myrna Loy. It is Powell's delivery of these lines, casual yet not without relish, that makes the film work. For example, if spoken by lesser actors, this thesis on cocktail making would have sounded over-precious (at least to this reviewer):

- Nick Charles: The important thing is the rhythm. Always have rhythm in your shaking. Now a Manhattan you always shake to fox-trot time, a Bronx to two-step time, a dry martini you always shake to waltz time.

But Powell puts it together with such tipsy grace and lightness of touch that we accept it with a hearty laugh. It is rare to see an actor enjoying himself so much on screen, and one cannot help finding his mood infectious. In fact, his sparkling chemistry with Myrna Loy also makes us like her, tremendously, even though one may not recognize her pouting performance as a great one. Unfortunately, Carole Lombard doesn't have this benefit in "Godfrey".

Finally, I think the film's success as a light comedy has to do with the fact that it was shot only in about two weeks! The fast pace of its making prevents it from taking itself seriously and loading with "messages" or humoring the vanity of film stars, or, most important of all, from getting selfconscious, weighted down with deliberations. That's why "Thin Man" sounds so refreshing, so spontaneous, just where "My Man Godfrey" flops.