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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
on
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
According to various sources, Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein adapted the screenplay "with help" from Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. See more »Goofs
When Dr. Einstein is begging Mortimer to flee from Jonathan's murderous rage, Cary Grant) ad-libs to Peter Lorre, "Stop underplaying, I can't understand you." 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 »
A presumably sane young drama critic (Cary Grant) visits the home of his two elderly aunts. Upon arrival, he finds that his two dear, sweet, lovable aunts have embarked on what they see as their mission of mercy ... killing lonely old men, by giving them arsenic-laced wine. Our sane young drama critic soon learns that insanity runs in the family.
Five years ago, the American Film Institute selected America's 100 funniest movies. "Arsenic And Old Lace" (1944) came in at Number 30. And that's not surprising. A lot of people enjoy this dark, screwball comedy, with its slapstick, its fast pace, its sharp dialogue, and its engaging characters. A lot of viewers like it simply because of Cary Grant.
The film's underlying premise is really great. And I must confess that Aunt Abby (Josephine Hull) and Aunt Martha (Jean Adair) are cute and entertaining. (Interestingly, the film portrays them as usually together and almost always in agreement with each other. It's like they function as a single entity). And the other denizen of the house, Uncle Teddy (John Alexander) is also a hoot.
But I'm not a big fan of Cary Grant. His performance here is exaggerated. His hyper and jerky behavior is distracting and grating. The plot gets ever sillier as it moves along, and downright tedious toward the end. Lastly, I have never cared much for films that are so top heavy with dialogue.
The best part of the film is the cinematography. Most of the scenes take place in a big living room, at times with lights out. The B&W lighting is very stark with high contrast, which renders a suitably sinister atmosphere.
"Arsenic ..." is not my cup of tea. But, for viewers who like talky stage plays with an accent on macabre humor, this film is a fine choice. Could I interest you in a glass of elderberry wine, perhaps?