Have you ever seen The Thin Man? It's a comedy/mystery movie made in 1934, based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett. The main characters in the movie are Nick Charles, a former private detective, and his wife Nora, a much younger, wealthy socialite.
Nora Charles (played by the lovely Myrna Loy) is beautiful, smart, confident, witty, chic and sophisticated. She is always well-dressed, has impeccable manners, and wields a razor sharp sense of humor. She's also gracious, charming, kind, and compassionate; a lady from head to toe. Nora is the whole package, tied up with an elegant silk bow. And her husband knows it...
The quality that makes Nora special is her authenticity. She's wealthy; she has always been wealthy; and she makes no attempt to play that down. She loves expensive clothes, furs and jewelry, and enjoys the finer things in life. But she's not a snob. She goes with Nick to the racetrack, eats hot dogs at boxing matches, and tags along with him to seedy clubs and boarding houses searching for clues on a murder case. She plays poker with her husband and a friendly group of hobos in a boxcar, perched on a steamer trunk, perfectly coiffed and groomed, and dressed to the nines. And she thoroughly enjoys herself...
Nora does everything with class, however she's far from prudish. She delivers her share of zingers and double entendres, but her risque remarks never veer off into tacky or tasteless. And she can drink martinis and still maintain her decorum...
When it comes to Nick, Nora is game on; loyal, monogamous, and dedicated to her man. And he absolutely adores her. They flirt and banter with each other on a daily basis. She loves and accepts him, warts and all; and he does have his flaws, from drinking just a little too much, to socializing with his colorful, but somewhat shady friends. Through it all, Nora never whines or complains, but she clearly defines her boundaries and holds her own. She manages to be a wife, lover and pal, while retaining her allure and a bit of mystery.
Nora Charles was one of my first role models for "what I want to be when I grow up," and she is fabulous!
xoxo C
