"The Thin Man" with William Powell and Myrna Loy (1936)

Looking for a good New Year’s Day with a little bit of a twist? Look no further than this one. "The Thin Man" is the type of "whodunits" that seldom get made these days. William Powell; impeccably dressed, as always; plays Nick Charles, a former playboy-detective who marries Myrna Loy, who plays Nora Charles; his wife. He has retired from the "detecting" business in order to "keep an eye on my wife's money."

When Mr. and Mrs. Charles arrive in New York just in time for the holidays, the last thing on their minds is to become involved in solving the murder of an old friend, Professor Wynatt. But with the press hounding him, and a wife who wants to see her famous husband in action, there is not much hope in evading the inevitable, as Mr. Charles drinks his way to solving the crime.

Loaded with character actors, the faces of whom you will instantly recognize the film is fast paced and the dialogue witty. Nick and Nora are perfect as they romp their way through the holidays, culminating their investigation with an elegant dinner party, during which the killer is finally exposed. With the case wrapped up in time for New Year’s Eve, the couple happily boards the train for the return trip to San Francisco, and their next escapade.

Long the most admired of the many duos that have played the part of Nick and Nora, both in Hollywood and on TV, William Powell and Myrna Loy have that certain screen chemistry that will make you think they are really married. And with a script based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett, what more could you ask for.

"Charlie Chan in London" with Warner Oland and Ray Milland (1934)

Cold and rainy Sunday afternoons when I was a kid didn't pose much of a problem for me. I was, and still am, an avid reader, and when all else failed there was always something old on television, usually Channel 9, WOR-TV. I don’t know what they show bow, but back then they were a treasure trove of old movies almost all the time. Many were old enough to have gone out of copyright, and so they could be shown for free, which was a real plus for the audience, as it gave the station a wider variety of stuff to choose from.

In this film, Charlie Chan, played by the decidedly western Warner Oland, gets involved at the last minute to help solve the murder for which an innocent man is about to be put to death. His last appeal has been denied, but his girlfriend, who believes adamantly in his innocence, manages to get Mr. Chan to look into the matter. Kind of like a “Matlock” episode, only with an Oriental Andy Griffith.

There’s a lot of charm to these old Charlie Chan films, and also a remarkable similarity to many of the simpler television mystery shows such as “Matlock” and many others. And another thing I like about a lot of these films and shows is that no one; except the bad guy; ever pays the bill. 

"We're Not Dressing" with Carole Lombard and Bing Crosby (1934)

Carole Lombard, as heiress Dorothy Worthington; along with a very young Ethel Merman as her friend Edith; take a trip aboard Dorothy’s yacht, which is captained by the inimitable Leon Errol. Bing Crosby plays a deckhand hopelessly smitten with Ms. Lombard, not realizing that she has fallen for him as well. There is even a real trained bear who is infatuated with Bing Crosby’s singing.  Add in the yacht hitting a reef, with all finding their way to a seemingly deserted island; even the bear swims in this film; and you have a recipe for a good old fashioned madcap comedy.

When they begin to set up camp ashore; all eyes turn towards the deckhand to provide them with food and shelter. He refuses, arguing that they are now outside of civilized society, and as such, it is now all for one, and one for all. When they refuse, he leaves the group to go fishing for himself.

Unknown to all of them is the presence on the island of 2 biologists; Gracie Allen and George Burns. When Dorothy finds them in the jungle, she resorts to a bit of cunning in order to borrow some tools, which she then lets Bing Crosby “find” in order to build a shelter. She has been very high handed with him and he has refused all of her attentions; so what better way to win him back than to have him believe he is “the man?”

There is great acting by everyone in this film. Ethel Merman is a standout; even at this early stage of her career you can see that she is going to be big. Leon Errol is also wonderfully vibrant as, well, Leon Errol playing a yacht captain. And with Bing singing his way into Carol Lombard’s heart, this film is just plain fun to watch.

"Brooklyn" with James Cagney from "The West Point Story"

This is a scene from the 1950 film "The West Point Story" with James Cagney, Virginia Mayo and Doris Day. At 2 minutes 26 seconds in this clip, Cagney sings about walking down Kings Highway. The movie is a bit dated, but still captures the spirit of the city. And Mr. Cagney's tribute to B,K,L,Y,N really does make me want to go back and walk down Kings Highway again.

The plot involves Broadway director Bix Bixby, played by James Cagney, who is down on his luck due to a gambling problem. He is persuaded to go to West Point military academy with Eve, his secretary and sometimes lover, to help put on a show. A cute story with plenty of singing and dancing, this one was a surprise for me, as I had not seen it before. But of course the best part was this when Cagney is lined up with the other cadets, still in civilian clothes, and tells them about Brooklyn.

Driving in New York City - 1928 / 2012

This 1928 video from You Tube features Harold Lloyd in one of the old silents still being made in New York City at the time. It's a wild stunt filled ride showcasing Manhattan in the late 1920's. The Great Depression was still a year away.

And here's a little something from my old neighborhood, on Kings Highway between East 15th and 16th Streets sometime in early 2011. I stumbled upon it while looking at old films of New York and Brooklyn subways. I was just there last September. While I do remember that trucks used to get stuck 1 block north of Kings Highway, on Avenue P, quite often, I never remember one getting stuck under the trestle on Kings Highway itself. I guess if you live long enough, you see it all...