"Arsenic and Old Lace" was originally a Broadway play that was so successful that it delayed the release of this classic film version for three years as it completed it's record stage run of 1,444 performances. This was director Frank Capra's last film before he enlisted for duty after Pearl Harbor.

Set on Halloween night, the movie parodies various Hollywood horror films of the previous decade as it tells the story of the eccentic and deadly Brewster family. Ironically, horror icon Boris Karloff was committed to the stage version and was unavailable to reprise his role of Jonathan Brewster for the film.

The talent pool assembled for the film is astounding. Besides three-time Oscar winner Capra, Julius and Philip Epstein (Oscar winners for "Casablanca") adapted the screenplay for an all-star cast of Cary Grant (already nominated for "None But the Lonely Heart" that year), Josephine Hull (an Oscar winner in 1950 for another screwball comedy movie based on a play, "Harvey"), Raymond Massey (who inherited the Karloff role) and Peter Lorrie among other performers.

The acting is way over the top and that is part of its charms. "Arsenic and Old Lace" is so fast-paced with its one-liners, sight gags and outrageous situations that the two hours fly by. Look for the inside joke in the cemetery scene where Mr. Grant sits in front of a tombstone for "Archie Leach" -- his birth name. For the reader desiring more information, try Marc Elliot's recent biography of Cary Grant (2004).

This is one of the funiest movies ever made in my opinion, and its humor transends time, as it is still extremely funny today and does not seem at all dated. It is an old favorite of the people who first saw it long ago when it came out, and also seems to be one of the most popular black and white films among young people today. This is hardly to be wondered at, as it is so superbly written and acted. The plot of the sweet old ladies poisoning lonely old men in what they view as altruism is wonderful, and works great along with the classic Cary Grant performance, which will enthrall fans of his and first time viewers alike. It also has a great supporting cast of character actors from the day, including most notably Peter Lorre (Ugarte of Casablanca) and John Alexander, whose antics as the crazy Theodore Brewster, who beleives he is Teddy Roosevelt, and compulsively blows his bugle, and yells "CHARGE!!" running full speed up the staircase, are among the funniest sequences in film history. Arsenic and Old Lace is also a play, and while watching the film this is very apparent, as almost all of it takes on one set (the living room of the house) just as it would in a play. The plot revolves around Mortimer Bruster attempting to stay sane after he discovers what his aunts have been doing, and trying to juggle that along with the honeymoon he is supposed to be leaving for with Elaine (Priscilla Lane), and the unexpected appearance of his Karlof-ish brother Jonathen (Raymond Massey) along with his rather unwilling german surgeon- Dr. Einstein (Peter Lorre), who is perpetually in need of a drink. Add to this a young cop (Edward McNamara) trying to interest Mortimer in a play he wrote, and there is enough confusion and witty dialogue to entertain anyone. With 'Arsenic and Old Lace' Frank Capra has fasioned a very well-made movie that is hilarious and also sometimes quite suspensful and scary actually. It is an example of how fun cinema can be and definitely ranks among the greatest comedies in movie history.

Cary Grant plays the nephew of two elderly aunts, who have an interesting hobby: they poison men. In every other way, the aunts are two sweet old ladies who wouldn't harm a fly. Grant tries to convince them to stop putting people out of their misery, but they are baffled by his objections. He tries to protect them, by hiding the bodies, but those darn bodies don't stay put! Then, the other nephew (Raymond Massey), who is a genuine bad guy and who was just released from jail, enters the scene, and things really get out of control.


This is a somewhat frenetic black comedy, that keeps making you, "No, they didn't do that!" Grant's portrayal reminds me of his role in "Bringing Up Baby" where he is well-intentioned, chronically flustered, and comically overwhelmed. Massey does "sinister" well, and the actresses portraying the aunts are superb (and very comfortable with their roles, as they had played the characters on stage for a long time before the movie).


This movie is just downright fun to watch.

Cary Grant is at his comic best in this off-the-wall Frank Capra film in which Grant plays Mortimer Brewster, a drama critic with a bizarre family. His brother Teddy (John Alexander) thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt and spends his time digging "locks for the Panama Canal" in the basement of the family home. His brother Jonathan (wonderfully played by Raymond Massey) has returned home with a dozen murders to his credit, looking like Frankenstein, thanks to the sinister plastic surgeon who accompanies him (Peter Lorre). His batty, elderly aunts (Jean Adair and Josephine Hull) put Teddy's "locks" to good use for their own "merciful" activities.

The frantic action, ironies, and the dramatic surprises all center around two bodies, hidden at various times in the window seat of the living room, and the reactions to them by the various people within the household. The local police, friends of Aunts Abby and Martha, stop by to chat, have coffee, and protect these "sweet" old ladies, often at the worst possible moments, while Mortimer tries to decide what to do about his strange family and the bodies in the house. Complicating the action is the fact that Mortimer has just that day married Elaine (Priscilla Lane), who lives next door. She keeps showing up at the house at the wrong moment, having no idea why Mortimer keeps kicking her out.

Sight gags, mistaken identity, contretemps, high-speed action, and split second timing make this one of the most outrageous, and hilarious black comedies ever filmed. The cast is perfect, and the acting is over-the-top, with a great deal of yelling, mugging, wide-eyed looks of surprise, feigned innocence, and even satire of the film industry as people repeatedly tell Jonathan he looks like Boris Karloff. Perfectly timed entrances and exits keep the action moving at a frantic pace, and the conclusion is delightful. Released in 1944, when World War II had taken a terrible toll on the country emotionally, the film must have provided a much-needed comic lift at a time when it was especially needed. Mary Whipple

Amazing...if you haven't seen this you cant call yourself a movie fan. Cary Grant proves that he really was an all around great actor, able to do comedy on the side of his serious roles. Peter Lorre delivers a hilearious performance, impressive as usual (I must admit, Lorre is one of my favorite actors). Along with the acting, we must give props to Frank Capra, the director. He really did give this his own style, which proves very effective. Just an amazing all around film, go out and see it if you havent already.