10 All-Star Cast Whodunnits To Watch Before Knives Out

2. The Thin Man (1934)/After The Thin Man (1936)

A Shot In The Dark Peter Sellars
MGM

Based on Dashiel Hammet's acclaimed novel, though there was never a sequel to the book, it became part of a pretty full-blown franchise. The first movie is downright classic in the genre. Still, the sequel is a must-watch because it had James Stewart, considered the nicest actor in Hollywood, not named Tom Hanks, playing a man who might be more sinister than usual.

Unlike the usual world-famous detective and his sidekick chronicler archetypes of the genre, the lead investigators here are a married couple who are bored of their high society social life. Except one half is an ex-detective, and the other is a socialite who is a lot more intelligent and intuitive than people give her credit for.

William Powell and Myrna Loy are adorable as the lead couple, Nick and Norah Charles, followed on their adventures by their pet terrier, Asta, who ends up being more resourceful than a nuisance. They were so brilliant together that they have been parodied on numerous occasions since The Thin Man's original release.

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