Nick and Nora Charles. Just the names evoke the sound of ice rattling in a silver shaker and the image of a tuxedo-clad William Powell looking slightly exasperated while Myrna Loy smirks at him. It’s chemistry that hasn't been matched. Honestly, modern rom-coms should be embarrassed. If you’re trying to navigate the Thin Man movies in order, you aren't just looking for a list of dates. You’re looking for the evolution of a marriage that redefined how movies treated "happily ever after."
Most 1930s films ended with a kiss at the altar. The Thin Man franchise started there and then let the party continue. Based on the 1934 novel by Dashiell Hammett—who, let’s be real, was much darker than the films—the series became a juggernaut for MGM. It essentially created the "husband and wife detective" trope. You've got the booze, the dog, the murders, and the banter. It’s a specific vibe.
The Core Six: Thin Man Movies in Order
You have to start at the beginning. If you jump in mid-stream, you miss the subtle shifts in Nick and Nora's dynamic, not to mention the aging process of their son, Nick Jr., who shows up later and changes the energy.
1. The Thin Man (1934)
This is the one that started it all. Directed by W.S. Van Dyke (nicknamed "One-Take Woody" because he moved so fast), it was shot in about two weeks. It looks like it. There’s a raw, spontaneous energy here that the later, more polished sequels sometimes lack. Nick Charles is a retired detective; Nora is a wealthy heiress. They spend their Christmas in New York getting hammered and solving the disappearance of a guy named Clyde Wynant.
Fun fact: The "Thin Man" in the title actually refers to the murder victim, not Nick Charles. But the public loved the name so much they just started calling Nick "The Thin Man," and MGM rolled with it for every sequel title.
2. After the Thin Man (1936)
Sequels usually suck. This one doesn't. In fact, many hardcore fans think it’s better than the first. It picks up right where the original left off—literally on the train back to San Francisco. You get a very young, very intense James Stewart in a supporting role. This film leans harder into the "Nora’s crazy family" angle, which provides a great foil for Nick’s working-class detective roots. It’s long, but the mystery is actually pretty solid.
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3. Another Thin Man (1939)
By 1939, the formula was set in stone. This time, they’ve got a baby. Nick Jr. enters the fray. Some people hate the "kid" era of the series, but it actually adds a layer to Nick and Nora. They don't stop drinking or being glamorous; they just do it while a nanny holds the baby in the other room. The plot involves a creepy estate and a guy who dreams about deaths before they happen. It’s a bit more "whodunit" by numbers, but Powell and Loy are still fire.
4. Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)
We're moving into the 40s now. The world was changing, and you can feel it. The plot revolves around a racetrack murder. It’s fine. It’s not revolutionary. But there’s a scene where Nick tries to explain "slang" to Nora that makes the whole thing worth the price of admission. It’s comfortable. Like an old sweater.
5. The Thin Man Goes Home (1945)
This is the weird one. Because of World War II, there were rationing restrictions and a shift in tone. Nick isn't drinking as much. He’s drinking cider. It feels wrong, right? They head to Nick’s hometown, Sycamore Springs, to visit his parents. His dad is a doctor who thinks Nick is a bit of a loser for being a "gumshoe." It’s a deeper look into Nick’s psyche, but it lacks the martini-soaked sparkle of the 30s entries. Still, seeing Nick and Nora in a small-town setting is a fun change of pace.
6. Song of the Thin Man (1947)
The finale. It takes place in the world of underground jazz clubs. The dialogue tries to be "hip" for 1947, which is occasionally cringey but mostly charming. A very young Dean Stockwell plays Nick Jr. It’s a bittersweet end to the franchise. Powell and Loy were older, the world had moved on to gritty Noir (think The Big Sleep), and the lighthearted banter of the 30s felt like a relic. But they still had it. That final scene feels like a genuine goodbye.
Why the Order Actually Matters for the Experience
Watching the Thin Man movies in order reveals something historians call the "Pre-Code to Post-Code" shift. The first movie was released just as the Motion Picture Production Code (the Hays Code) was starting to be strictly enforced.
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In the 1934 film, the drinking is heavy. It’s celebratory. Nick tells a waiter to bring him six Martinis so he can keep up with Nora. By the time you get to The Thin Man Goes Home, the censors had caught up. The cocktails are replaced by domesticity. If you watch them out of order, the sudden disappearance of their "party lifestyle" feels like a continuity error. If you watch them in sequence, it feels like a couple growing up and settling down, even if the scripts were forced into that position by moral crusaders.
The Chemistry: Powell and Loy
You can't talk about this series without the actors. William Powell and Myrna Loy made 14 films together. Fourteen! They weren't a couple in real life, which is probably why they stayed such good friends.
Powell brought this sophisticated, weary intelligence to Nick. He wasn't a tough guy like Sam Spade. He was a guy who wanted to take a nap but was too smart to ignore a clue. Loy, on the other hand, was the revolutionary part of the equation. Nora Charles wasn't a "damsel." She was often the one pushing Nick to take the case because she was bored and wanted some excitement. She was his equal in every way, especially when it came to holding her liquor and delivering a punchline.
Common Misconceptions About the Series
A lot of people think these are hard-boiled detective stories. They aren't. They are "screwball mysteries." If you're looking for a tight, logical plot where every clue is a breadcrumb you can follow, you're going to be disappointed.
- The Plots are Secondary: Honestly, by the third movie, the mystery is just an excuse to get the characters into a room together.
- The "Thin Man" confusion: As mentioned, the Thin Man is a character in the first movie. He is not Nick Charles.
- Asta's Breed: People often forget that in the book, Asta was a Schnauzer. In the movies, he's a Wire-Haired Fox Terrier. He became so popular he actually got his own fan mail.
Finding the Films Today
Tracking down the Thin Man movies in order is actually pretty easy now, which wasn't always the case. Warner Bros. has released a beautiful Blu-ray box set through the Warner Archive Collection. The transfers are crisp. You can see the bubbles in the champagne.
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Streaming is hit or miss. They often pop up on Max (formerly HBO Max) or Criterion Channel, but they rotate frequently. If you're a film nerd, just buy the physical media. The extras, including the vintage radio plays featuring the original cast, are gold.
Expert Insight: The Legacy of the "Nick and Nora" Glass
The impact of this series isn't just on film history; it’s on cocktail culture. The "Nick and Nora" glass—that small, bell-shaped stemmed glass—is a direct result of these movies. Bartenders realized that the massive, V-shaped Martini glasses of the 90s were historically inaccurate. Nick and Nora drank from smaller, more elegant vessels that allowed the drink to stay cold while they traded quips. When you watch the movies in order, pay attention to the glassware. It’s a character in itself.
Practical Steps for Your Marathon
Don't try to watch all six in one weekend. You’ll get "banter fatigue." Instead, treat them like a fine wine.
- Stage One: Watch the first two back-to-back. They are the strongest and feel like a two-part story.
- Stage Two: Take a break. Maybe a week.
- Stage Three: Watch Another Thin Man and Shadow of the Thin Man. Notice how the introduction of the child changes the pacing.
- Stage Four: Save the last two for a rainy afternoon. They are slower, more sentimental, and require a bit more patience.
Check the credits for the writers, too. Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich wrote the early ones, and their ear for dialogue is what gave the series its "ping-pong" feel. When the writers changed, the rhythm changed. You'll notice it around movie four.
Focus on the background actors. The "Thin Man" series used some of the best character actors in Hollywood history. You'll see familiar faces from Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, and It's a Wonderful Life popping up as thugs, waiters, and nervous snitches. It's a masterclass in ensemble casting.
Once you finish the final film, look up the 1950s TV series or the various radio adaptations. They don't have Powell and Loy, but they show just how much the public craved this specific brand of sophisticated mystery. The DNA of Nick and Nora lives on in shows like Hart to Hart, Moonlighting, and even modern hits like The Afterparty. They set the blueprint. Everyone else is just trying to mix the drink as well as they did.