Powell, Loy in 5 treasures

William Powell and Myrna Loy made many excellent films over their lengthy careers — both separately and together. In the latter category, most people remember them as Nick and Nora Charles in the "Thin Man" movies of the '30s and '40s.

But they were also teamed for seven other pictures (and Loy did a cameo in Powell's "The Senator Was Indiscreet"). And now five of those seven are packaged together in a new box set released this week. (The missing titles are "Libeled Lady" and "The Great Ziegfeld," which have long been available individually on DVD.)

• "WILLIAM POWELL AND MYRNA LOY COLLECTION" (Warner, 1934-41, b/w, five discs, $49.92). According to Warner Home Video, the "Thin Man" DVD set of six movies starring Powell and Loy has become its best-selling classic series, having surpassed the Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers titles.

And if you watch these films, you'll see why people enjoyed — and continue to enjoy — their work together. Loy and Powell have fabulous chemistry and both are excellent actors, equally capable in serious or comic vehicles.

• "Manhattan Melodrama" (1934) is, as the title suggests, one of their more serious collaborations — and it marks the first time Loy and Powell worked together — both billed below Clark Gable. This one trots out the old saw about boyhood friends taking separate paths — one becoming a crook and the other a lawyer (or priest, or cop ... fill in the blank). Here, Gable becomes a racketeer and Powell is the district attorney on track to become governor; Loy is the woman they both love. OK, it's a hokey plot but as played by these experts — and a bevy of seasoned character actors in support — it's great fun. (This is the movie John Dillinger saw just before exiting a Chicago theater, where he was gunned down.)

• "Evelyn Prentice" (1934) is another serious effort, a soap opera/mystery, with Powell as a workaholic defense attorney and Loy as his neglected wife. And he's defending an alluring accused murderess (Rosalind Russell in her first film). Una Merkel, as Loy's pal, gets the best comic lines.

• "Double Wedding" (1937) is a farce with bohemian Powell upsetting control-freak Loy's plans for her sister's wedding. The script isn't as strong as the other two comedies here, but Powell is a riot, and, of course, he and Loy are great when they're sparring.