Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

Director:

Frank Capra

Writers:

Julius J. Epstein (screen play) and
Philip G. Epstein (screen play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 September 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Romance

Tagline:

She Passed Out On Cary ! No Wonder . . . She's just discovered his favorite aunts have poisoned their 13th gentleman friend !

Plot:

A drama critic learns on his wedding day that his beloved maiden aunts are homicidal maniacs, and that insanity runs in his family.

Plot Keywords:

Cellar | Critic | Insanity | Marriage | Cemetery

Cast

Cary Grant	...	Mortimer Brewster
Priscilla Lane	...	Elaine Harper
Raymond Massey	...	Jonathan Brewster
Jack Carson	...	O'Hara
Edward Everett Horton	...	Mr. Witherspoon
Peter Lorre	...	Dr. Einstein
James Gleason	...	Lt. Rooney
Josephine Hull	...	Abby Brewster
Jean Adair	...	Martha Brewster
John Alexander	...	'Teddy Roosevelt' Brewster
Grant Mitchell	...	Reverend Harper
Edward McNamara	...	Brophy
Garry Owen	...	Taxi Cab Driver
John Ridgely	...	Saunders
Vaughan Glaser	...	Judge Cullman
Chester Clute	...	Dr. Gilchrist
Charles Lane	...	Reporter
Edward McWade	...	Gibbs
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Spencer Charters	...	Marriage License Clerk (uncredited)
Sol Gorss	...	New York Pitcher (uncredited)
Herbert Gunn	...	Undetermined Supporting Role (uncredited)
Roland Jones	...	Undetermined Supporting Role (uncredited)
Hank Mann	...	Photographer at Marriage License Office (uncredited)
Spec O'Donnell	...	Young Man in Line (uncredited)
Lee Phelps	...	Umpire (uncredited)
Don Phillips	...	Undetermined Supporting Role (uncredited)
Raymond Walburn	...	Drummer at baseball game (uncredited)
Leo White	...	Man in Phone Booth (uncredited)
Jean Wong	...	Young Woman in Line (uncredited)

Directed by
Frank Capra

Writing credits
Julius J. Epstein		(screen play) and
Philip G. Epstein		(screen play)
Joseph Kesselring		(play)

Produced by
Jack L. Warner	....	executive producer
Frank Capra	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Max Steiner

Cinematography by
Sol Polito		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Daniel Mandell

Art Direction by
Max Parker

Costume Design by
Orry-Kelly		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist
George Bau	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Anita De Beltrand	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
John Wallace	....	makeup man (uncredited)

Production Management
Eric Stacey	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Steve Trilling	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Claude Archer	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Russell Saunders	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Lucien Hafley	....	props (uncredited)
Keefe Maley	....	second propman (uncredited)
Alfred Williams	....	assistant propman (uncredited)
Levi C. Williams	....	assistant propman (uncredited)

Sound Department
C.A. Riggs	....	sound
Everett Alton Brown	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Robert Burks	....	special effects
Byron Haskin	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Wesley Anderson	....	second camera (uncredited)
Joe Cramer	....	best boy (uncredited)
Frank Evans	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Mickey Marigold	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Harold Noyes	....	grip (uncredited)
Charles O'Bannon	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Cora Lobb	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Leon Roberts	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
Hugo Friedhofer	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Russel Crouse	....	producer: stage play
Howard Lindsay	....	producer: stage play
Harold Winston	....	dialogue director
Bob Fender	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Herman Lissauer	....	researcher (uncredited)
Mal Merrihugh	....	stand-in: Cary Grant (uncredited)
Wandra Ramsey	....	script clerk (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (A Warner Bros.-First National Picture) (presents)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1944) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1944) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1946) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Nederland NV (1948) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1948) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• AFEX (1953) (Austria) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• Turner Entertainment (1988) (worldwide) (TV) (colorized version)
• Criterion Collection, The (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Junes Planning (2003) (Japan) (DVD)
• GP Museum Soft (2005) (Japan) (DVD)
• First Trading (2006) (Japan) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Keep (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film collection)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD) (4 film collection)
• Tone (????) (Japan) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Frank Capra's 'Arsenic and Old Lace'" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | UK:A (1944) | UK:PG (1990) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Approved (PCA #7855) | West Germany:16 (nf) | USA:Not Rated | Australia:G (cable rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | Germany:12 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

City Island, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Director Frank Capra enlisted in the U. S. Army Signal Corps in 1941 during filming. He received an extension of his order to report for active duty until late January 1942 so he could finish editing the picture.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Dr. Einstein stumbles and falls into the window seat in the dark. He strikes a match, and the wire that is powering the flickering light in the palm of his hand is clearly visible trailing out from his sleeve.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Baseball Fan:I'll knock your block off, you big stiff! You're a bum!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing (2004)

Soundtrack:

Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K.331, 3rd Movement, 'Alla Turca'

My favorite classic movie!

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!"