I recently purchased this photo from eBay, it’s a photo from Natalie’s biggest movie, 1934’s “The Thin Man”. Natalie didn’t have a big part, but it was important, she dies early, but her death starts off the hole mess. If you haven’t seen The Thin Man your missing out on one of the best movies ever! They ended up making I think 5 more Thin Man movies, but none are as good as the first. First off to me this movie is the ultimate “Art Deco” movie, not just the scenery but the people themselves. Natalie is the perfect example of art deco, look at those art deco drawings of the men in top hats and the chic women, all the women look like Natalie, down to the clothes and perfect hair. William Powell and Myrna Loy are the perfect couple, even they look streamlined, the elegant clothes, they were perfect together, and don’t forget about that fantastic tight black gown that Minna Gombell wears towards the beginning, art deco at it’s finest. The whole look of this movie just blows me away, I know it’s Hollywood, but that’s the world I want to live in, cool clothes and gorgeous women, Natalie, Myrna Loy, Minna Gombell and don’t forget the heavenly Maureen O’Sullivan. The fact that this movie was kind of a throwaway, a rush job that no one thought would be a hit, makes this movie even more amazing, great story and great acting, sadly the sequels just don’t come close. Now don’t get me wrong, I love all the Thin Man movies, but as William Powell and Myrna Loy age they begin to look less streamlined, and as we move into the 40’s the clothes change and it just doesn’t look right, these characters are art deco, and when they leave that world behind it’s just not right. Plus the scripts started to get lame, they basically just keep repeating the same jokes over and over again, if it worked in the first movie, why change it, but after a while they became too predictable.
