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Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) 8.0
A drama critic learns on his wedding day that his beloved maiden aunts are homicidal maniacs, and that insanity runs in his family. Director:Frank Capra |
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Title: Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Cary Grant | ... | ||
| Priscilla Lane | ... | ||
| Raymond Massey | ... | ||
| Jack Carson | ... |
O'Hara
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| Edward Everett Horton | ... | ||
| Peter Lorre | ... | ||
| James Gleason | ... | ||
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Josephine Hull | ... | |
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Jean Adair | ... | |
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John Alexander | ... | |
| Grant Mitchell | ... | ||
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Edward McNamara | ... | |
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Garry Owen | ... |
Taxi Cab Driver
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John Ridgely | ... |
Saunders
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Vaughan Glaser | ... |
Judge Cullman
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Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Mortimer Brewster is a newspaperman and author known for his diatribes against marriage. We watch him being married at city hall in the opening scene. Now all that is required is a quick trip home to tell Mortimer's two maiden aunts. While trying to break the news, he finds out his aunts' hobby; killing lonely old men and burying them in the cellar. It gets worse. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>
Taglines:
She Passed Out On Cary ! No Wonder . . . She's just discovered his favorite aunts have poisoned their 13th gentleman friend !Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
23 September 1944 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Frank Capra's 'Arsenic and Old Lace' See more »Box Office
Budget:
$1,120,175 (estimated)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Baseball Fan: I'll knock your block off, you big stiff! You're a bum!
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(1850) (uncredited)
from "Lohengrin"
Music by Richard Wagner
Variations often in the score
Whistled by Priscilla Lane
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The Broadway comedy opened at the Fulton Theatre on January 10, 1941 and ran for 1,444 performances, closing on June 17, 1944. Repeating their stage roles in the movie were "Brewster siblings" Josephine Hull, Jean Adair and John Alexander, all three getting time off from the New York play. Boris Karloff was denied permission to go by the play's producers, fearing that the absence of their main star would adversely affect the play's attendance. See more »Goofs
As the film opens, the narration on screen tells viewers that the action begins at 3:00 PM. However, when Mortimer & Elaine go up to the window at the marriage bureau, the clerk says "Good morning, children". See more »Quotes
[first lines]Baseball Fan: I'll knock your block off, you big stiff! You're a bum!
See more »
Soundtracks
"Bridal Chorus"(1850) (uncredited)
from "Lohengrin"
Music by Richard Wagner
Variations often in the score
Whistled by Priscilla Lane
See more »
This is my all-time favorite classic movie. It has an very sophisticatedly entertaining plot line, the casting is superb, the pace is breathtaking, and it deals with a subject (euthanasia) that is still controversial today. The story is a fine example of "black comedy", where a socially unacceptable idea is shown in a very entertaining manner.
The story is set up brilliantly right from the get-go; where a 'certifiable' publicly-acclaimed bachelor is secretly getting married. The personality of the cast is excellent. I know that Cary Grant reckoned this was his worst movie, saying it was more of a "Jimmy Stewart-type part"; but his spot-on comic timing and professional style hamming plays the role to perfection. Also co-starring in the movie is a brilliant Peter Lorre as a maniac doctor and Raymond Massey as the psychotic brother. Most critics have attacked this film by saying the script refers to the psycho being a Boris Karloff look-alike, highlighting the fact that Boris played the role is the original stage play. However Massey plays the role to deadpan perfection, and the humor of the scenario still works.
My favorite scene is the self-referential one where Mortimer (a theater critic)is describing "bad plays (and movies)". If you watch the background action, and pay attention to the dialog, the ironic situation is brilliantly realized. This film also has my personal favorite quote, said by Cary Grant as Peter Lorre frantically tries to warn him of impending doom; "Stop underplaying - I can't hear you!"