They Write by Night: Conjugal Bliss and Some Murders

It’s not noir exactly — this show’s much too cheerful, and it pre-dates noir — but it’s got some bodies, murdered ones, and a detective to puzzle over them. So, close enough.

It’s not a realistic marriage, not exactly, but parts catch the fun of marriage — or, at least the fun parts of a fun marriage. And in The Thin Man nothing’s more fun than solving some murders. Why, Nick Charles, with moral support from his wife Nora, can solve a murder in between cocktails. That’s Nick and Nora played by William Powell and the peerless Myrna Loy.

I’m now discovering how many of my friends lust after Powell. I never wouda guessed. Just goes to show — ya never really know anybody.

And, as for the female lead…  I want to be Myrna Loy and, years back, an elegant, older British man told me I could be. In fact, he went further. He told me I was… Some men’ll say anything.

And some of the things men’ll say are said by the massively popular poet and YA author, first Poet Laureate of South Pasadena. You know who I’m talking about. Ron Koertge. I feature his poem, and what a smooth, silky noir poem it is.

– Suzanne Lummis

Top image credit to www.Poetry.LA

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