Who would you want to star in a remake of "The Thin Man"?

Of course, the single most important element that made the "Thin Man" series of movies so good was the charisma and chemistry of its two stars, William Powell and Myrna Loy. Are there two actors today who could recapture the magic of this memorable duo in a modern version?

 

no,No,NO!
William Powell and Myrna Loy were the Thin Man series.

 

Yeah, this is a case where I don't think there can be any suitable replacement for the leads - and why should there be? We can still enjoy them today, no remakes necessary.

 

I think Johnny Depp was in talks earlier this year for a remake. Pretty big shoes to fill. The follow-up film, After the Thin Man, is even more enjoyable and would be a better choice, imo, if you're gonna try a faithful adaptation. But, yeah, sacrilege.

 

Wouldn't want a remake of The Thin Man.

First, the roles belong to William Powell and Myrna Loy but moreover the amusingly sloshed schtick is integral and won't fly today. Without those elements you have a formula of an essentially witty mystery to create, which would better be attempted without the limitations of being an out of date remake The Thin Man.

 

Powell and Loy were supporting cast. The star was Asta.

Oops- wait a sec. Was Asta in the movie(s) as well as the TV series?

 

Yes Asta was in the movies. Don't know the TV series.

 

There's some other Hammett that needs a big-screen period treatment. The Coen Brothers could do a great job with the Continental Op series, and I'd love to see someone take on Red Harvest.

If they want to do a remake, do The Glass Key. That one would work as a contemporary, nothing much has changed in politics.

I think Bruce Willis and Cybil Shepherd were the last great sleuthing duo, and that was on TV where this stuff probably belongs today.

 

Joseph Gordon Levitt and Amanda Seyfried

 

Late 50's. Truth be told, all I think remember of it is the voiceover actors' credits ".....and Asta, as Asta."

I also feel that a remake would be pointless at best, but have to say that Johnny Depp instantly popped into my head too for the Nick role. Probably because of his Jumpin' Jack Sparrow character.

 

I hope it never gets remade.

Powell & Loy are peerless and I don't really want to see anyone else in the same roles. I also feel many of the elements that make the original series work would not translate well to the present day.

If forced at gunpoint to re-cast, not sure who would make a good male choice...someone like Elizabeth Banks (gifted comedienne and gorgeous) could probably pull off the Nora role.

 

The Mysterious Press just published, for the first time, the follow-up Nick and Nora stories that Hammett wrote for Hollywood after the success of the first movie. The book is called Return of the Thin Man, and it includes two novellas, After The Thin Man and Another Thin Man. Got my copy from Amazon, but haven't read it yet. In the introduction, Hammett is quoted as being happy about how William Powell and Myrna Loy brought his characters to life.

 

George Clooney and Debra Messing maybe?

 

Paul Blart and Lindsey Lohan.

 

I love the originals so much. William Powell and Myrna Loy were fantastic.

But time does march on and everything old is new again. Drinking and getting drunk is not cool these days. Got to play down the idle rich on a lark element. And I don't think the cast of ex cons sent up the river bt Nicky, would play very well either

The film would have to be witty and sophisticated. I don't think there are too many witty movies around these days.

But I think with the right script and director Hugh Jackman & Kate Hudson could pull it off. Perhaps Robert Downey & Cameron Diez. Maybe Colin Firth & Renee Zellweger.

If they do it, don't yuck it up, make it stupid or use special effects. Make it so that it - it so good, that I don't want to leave the Theater so I can watch it again. Also make it so that I will want to see it again and drag my friends in to see it.

 

For those unfortunate people who have never seen a "Thin Man" film and wonder what the fuss over Powell and loy is all about, here are a few clips:




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWnivgcsvMs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG3NZjRv2nM

 

Pierce Bronsnan and Debra Messing

 

I'll go left field and say David Tennant from Doctor Who and Emily Blunt.
David has tons of charisma and I always like Emily Blunt in anything she's in.

 

Brad and Anjoline.

 

I happened to catch a few minutes of "I Love You Again" on TCM this weekend. Powell and Loy just had such great on screen chemestry. Both of them are genuinely funny too. It's hard to picture anyone being able to recreate that. If there was a remake it would probably end up like that remake of "Charade"...

 

A number of years ago, I was sick in bed for a day. TCM was running a Thin Man marathon. I would wake up watch a half hour and drift off to sleep. Thus I had no idea what the plots were. But just watching the two of them work together was a delight.

 

Bradley Cooper- Scarlett Johansson

 

As much I love the originals, I think this is a franchise that could potentially work as a remake. I would like to see it still set in the 1930s though as the timeframe is practically a character itself. I also don't think the hard-drinking aspect of the detectives would be so funny in a contemporary setting where it would be hard not to portray them as alcoholic or unprofessional/irresponsible. Plus you'd have to deal with smart phones and other modern technology that just couldn't tell the same story.

I don't know modern actors well to comment on the casting, but David Tennant as mentioned above strikes me as a good possibility.

 

The hard-drinking aspect was downplayed somewhat beginning with the third film of the series. I think a modern version could keep it at a similar level.
So apparently Johnny Depp will appear as Nick and one of these eight actresses will portray Nora:

http://screenrant.com/thin-man-remake-nora-actresses-benm-162012/

I'll be curious to see the result, but I know the original won't be bettered.

 

Bradley Cooper...Scarlet J.