Comically-sparring married couple Nick and Nora Charles manage to solve a murder mystery while retaining their upper-crust charm and sophisticated etiquette. Hugely popular bit of screwball hasn't dated too badly, with stars William Powell and Myrna Loy very loose and charismatic. Followed by five sequels, this mixture of slapstick and suspense nearly loses its balance, yet the screenplay (by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich, from Dashiell Hammett's book) manages to keep it all on an even-keel. Powell, in particular, is well-attuned to the changing rhythms of the handling and easily steals his scenes. **1/2 from ****
Review of The Thin Man
