11
May
2011
Stop Trashing the Thin Man Remake!
Since reports of a Rob Marshall/Johnny Depp Thin Man remake have surfaced, all I’ve heard from the classic film community is negative comments about how it’s a stupid idea, leave the original alone, how dare they, etc. Even though The Thin Man and five sequels are some of my favorite movies ever, I’m not going to criticize the film before I see it and here’s why:
1) Remakes can be good.
I adore the movie High Society (1956). It’s got a soon-to-be-princess Grace Kelly, fabulous outfits, and Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra sing a bunch of Cole Porter songs. It’s the perfect Saturday morning movie. It’s also a remake of 1940′s The Philadelphia Story. Is it as fantastic as it’s original? Not really, but it’s still a delightful little film. Even the five Thin Man sequels don’t measure up to the first film, but I still get a huge amount of enjoyment from watching them. Then there’s An Affair To Remember (1957), the much-loved remake of 1939′s Love Affair. Other successful remakes include Scarface (1983), Ocean’s Eleven (2001), Father of the Bride (1991), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), and The Departed (2006).
2) The abundant negativism just makes us look stuffy and out of touch.
On Twitter, the classic film community is beginning to sound like our grandparents who had to walk ten miles to school, in the snow, uphill both ways. Let’s not alienate any young people from the medium we love so much because we come across as crotchety film snobs.
3) A remake introduces a whole new audience to the original.
Hey, at least kids will hear the names Nick and Nora and know it’s something other than bedsheets and pj’s! With all the media discussion about the remake, the original gets a ton of press and garners interest from young fans who never knew it existed. New classic film fans! What more can we ask for?
So while I don’t think that anyone can replicate the cinematic awesomeness of William Powell/Nick, Myrna Loy/Nora, and Skippy/Asta, condeming the remake won’t help our case either. Not that I’m working on a case… unless it’s a case of scotch.
I fully agree with all your points (I have an in-progress post pointing out a lot of remakes that are excellent, sometimes even improving on the original).
But. I still think a Thin Man remake is a dumb idea, and not because it will taint the original or because I think the original is always better (or that a remake eve has to be as good as the original to be worthwhile). But because the things that make The Thin Man great seem uniquely tied to a 1930s cinematic style and sensibility that we simply don’t know how to do anymore. It’s the combination of sophistication and groundedness that Nick and Nora have. The cast of wonderful character actors that fill the background. We barely have character actors anymore, and the way 30s movies use them is almost lost. It’s not that I don’t want them to remake the film; I just don’t think they’ll understand and be able to capture what it was that makes it so lasting. Especially Rob Marshall. He’ll edit the living daylights out of it.
I like your point about character actors. Thomas Mitchell, Thelma Ritter, and Elisha Cook Jr. are some of our favorites. I’m sure the absence of a studio system makes it harder for supporting actors to keep popping up in little roles here and there, but the world needs more Wallace Shawns!
LOL I actually thought “High Society” was reeeeeeeeally boring. I love musicals, but the only good song was the “Jazz” number Bing sings.
I just hope they keep the new Thin Man chic, cynical and classy and don’t put bunch of sex and explosions in it. I’d like to see contemporary Hollywood sell a movie with a plot and not special effects.