Arsenic And Old Lace
Comedy, Thriller
Warner Bros.  (1944) 118 mins NR

8.0 (23,738 votes) Top 250: #239
Mirthful Murder Cary-ed Off In Slapstick, Slap-Happy Style!

Cary Grant and a stellar cast romp through this classic farce based on Joseph Kesselring's 1941 Broadway hit and breezily directed by Frank Capra. Frazzled drama critic Mortimer Brewster (Grant) has two aunts (Josephine Hull and Jean Adair) who ply lonely geezers with poisoned libations, one sociopathic brother (Raymond Massey) who looks like Karloff, one bonkers brother (John Alexander) who thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt, one impatient new bride (Priscilla Lane) -- and only one night to make it turn out all right. In this circus' center ring is Grant, twisting his face into a clown's gallery of flabbergasted reactions and transforming his natural athletic grace into a rubber-legged comic ballet. You'll die laughing....

Play
Cast and Crew
Cary Grant  ......  Mortimer Brewster
Josephine Hull  ......  Aunt Abby Brewster
Jean Adair  ......  Aunt Martha Brewster
Raymond Massey  ......  Jonathan Brewster
Peter Lorre  ......  Dr. Herman Einstein
Priscilla Lane  ......  Elaine Harper
Director  .....  Frank Capra
Producer  .....  Frank Capra; Howard Lindsay; Russel Crouse
Writer  .....  Joseph Kesselring; Julius J. Epstein; Philip G. Epstein
Notes
Goofs:
When Mortimer Brewster pushes the policeman O'Hara out the front door, he firmly shuts the door behind the policeman. However, he immediately goes to leave the house and, when he approaches the door, it is wide open. (more)

Trivia:
In "The Muppet Show: (#2.12)" (1977), a sketch called "Veterinarians' Hospital" makes a joke about Arsenic and Old Lace (1944): Nurse Janice: What do you think, Dr. Bob? Rolf: Simple, it's arsenic poisoning. Janice: Arsenic? Rolf: Sure, just look at this old lace! Nurse Piggy: Arsenic and old lace? Dr. Bob, Dr. Bob, that's an old show. Rolf: Well, that's an old shoe! Janice: Well, that's an old joke! (more)

Filming Locations:
City Island, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Quotes:
Mortimer Brewster: You... Get out of here! D'ya wanna be poisoned? D'ya wanna be murdered? D'ya wanna be killed? (more)