You can not really understand how funny that line is, until you've heard it delivered by Boris himself. He was unable to appear in the movie for two reasons: Frank Capra needed to make the film before he entered the US Army Signal Corps (the movie was filmed in 1941 but not released until after the play closed on Broadway), and Boris was tied to the play by a run of the play contract. He was heartbroken, but went on with the show. This is the only non-Broadway production featuring Karloff in the role, written just for him. This is the first version of AAOL I ever saw. I was quite young, but I have fond memories of it. Seeing the movie version later was a let-down. Raymond Massey is a fine actor, and when the camera angle is JUST RIGHT, he does look like Karloff. But he's not the master, and the difference is telling. I wish someone would find the film, or kinescope of this production so others can see for themselves, what we've been missing all these years.
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