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Arsenic and Old Lace

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7.6/10 • 926

1944-09-011h 58m

ComedyCrime

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

Mortimer Brewster, a newspaper drama critic, playwright, and author known for his diatribes against marriage, suddenly falls in love and gets married; but when he makes a quick trip home to tell his two maiden aunts, he finds out his aunts' hobby - killing lonely old men and burying them in the cellar!

Directors
Frank Capra
Editors
Daniel Mandell

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Cary Grant

    Cary Grant

    Mortimer Brewster

  2. Priscilla Lane

    Priscilla Lane

    Elaine Harper Brewster

  3. Josephine Hull

    Josephine Hull

    Aunt Abby Brewster

  4. Jean Adair

    Jean Adair

    Aunt Martha Brewster

  5. Raymond Massey

    Raymond Massey

    Jonathan Brewster

  6. John Alexander

    John Alexander

    'Teddy Roosevelt' Brewster

  7. Peter Lorre

    Peter Lorre

    Dr. Einstein

  8. Jack Carson

    Jack Carson

    Officer Patrick O'Hara

  9. Edward Everett Horton

    Edward Everett Horton

    Mr. Witherspoon

Reviews3

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John Chard Avatar

John Chard

Jul 1, 2019

9/10

Frenetic roller-coaster ride - Capra style! The Broadway show this film is based on ran for something like four years, such was the yearning for riotous rompathons in the 40s, and thus here the Capra adaptation is pretty much non stop mania. Led by the perfectly cast Cary Grant, the film barely pauses for breath, stopping only briefly to put a bit of creepy menace into the otherwise insane plot. Oh yes the plot, the elderly Brewster sisters are the dear hearts of the neighbourhood, but what folk don't realise is that they are poisoning elderly male visitors to their home to save them from being lonely! This sets us up for romps as nephew Mortimer (Grant) lurches from one incredulous scene to another upon finding out about his dear Aunt's penchant for murder. Peter Lorre & Raymond Massey add to the madness upon visiting the house, whilst John Alexander almost steals the film as the barmy uncle who thinks he is Theodore Roosevelt! But it's Grant's show all the way, rarely will you see an actor express so many faces of incredulity with such mirthful results as what Grant gives us here. A joyous performance from the great man. Directed with all the sharpness and knowing of tones we expect from Frank Capra, the film is an out and out joy. So be sure to wear a corset to stop your sides from splitting. 9/10

Media

  • Arsenic and Old Lace backdrop
  • Arsenic and Old Lace backdrop
  • Arsenic and Old Lace backdrop
  • Arsenic and Old Lace backdrop
  • Arsenic and Old Lace backdrop
  • Arsenic and Old Lace backdrop
  • Arsenic and Old Lace backdrop
  • Arsenic and Old Lace backdrop
  • Arsenic and Old Lace backdrop

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$1,120,175.00
Revenue
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Keywords
poisoncemeteryinsanitycellarmarriagehalloweenmurderserial killerwritercorpsecritic