Arsenic and Old Lace

1944

1h 58m

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

975

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3 Videos

73 Images

Comedy

Crime

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

Writers

Joseph Kesselring(theatre play by)

Julius J. Epstein(screenplay by)

Philip G. Epstein(screenplay by)

Stars

Cary Grant

Priscilla Lane

Josephine Hull

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Videos3

Photos73

Top cast

Cary Grant

Mortimer Brewster

Priscilla Lane

Elaine Harper Brewster

Aunt Abby Brewster

Aunt Martha Brewster

Jonathan Brewster

'Teddy Roosevelt' Brewster

Peter Lorre

Dr. Einstein

Jack Carson

Officer Patrick O'Hara

Edward Everett Horton

Mr. Witherspoon

Lt. Rooney

Reverend Harper

Sergeant Brophy

Taxi Cab Driver

Officer Saunders

Judge Cullman

Dr. Gilchrist

Reporter at Marriage License Office

Edward McWade

Gibbs

Directors

Frank Capra

Writers

Joseph Kesselring(theatre play by)

Julius J. Epstein(screenplay by)

Philip G. Epstein(screenplay by)

All cast & crew

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Review

Featured review

10/10

**An extraordinary comedy that stands out for its unpretentiousness.** I didn't have high expectations when I decided to watch this film, and I think this increased the impact it ended up having even more: based on a successful play, the film is an extraordinary comedy full of bizarreness and mischief, without a single dead moment and full of twists and turns that make us laugh and amuse us. The script begins with the sudden marriage of Mortimer Brewster, a famous theater critic known for being a bachelor. When preparing his bags for his honeymoon trip, the young man discovers that the two elderly aunts he has been living with are two remorseless killers, who believe they are doing enormous good by speeding up the deaths of lonely men. and sad people who will knock on their door to rent a room and sleep. Furthermore, their brother, who lives in that house, firmly believes that he is President Theodore Roosevelt and is digging the Panama Canal in the basement. And as if the madness wasn't enough, Mortimer has a crazy, murderous brother. The dialogues and situations are memorable, and the humor is contagious. I can understand why Cary Grant didn't like the work he did in this film: he really exaggerates his performance, he's histrionic, he spends almost half the film hysterical. However, this is funny and the character, and the script, asked the character to be this way. The actor, despite himself, knew how to understand what the character was asking of him and act accordingly. Veterans Jean Adair and Josephine Hull don't disappoint, offering us a truly brilliant interpretation, and the same can be said of Raymond Massey. The film also features the participation and worthy efforts of Peter Lorre and John Alexander. On a technical level, the film is reasonably discreet and focuses on effectiveness. The setting – the house where everything happens – is the most striking element that catches our attention. Apparently, it was made entirely in the studios, and it was a colossal, huge set. The costumes are also good, and the cinematography is quite pleasant and well executed.

FilipeManuelNeto03 Dec, 2023