Arsenic and Old Lace Overview:

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) was a Comedy - Crime Film directed by Frank Capra and produced by Frank Capra and Jack L. Warner.

The film was based on the play of the same name written by Joseph Kesselring performed at the Fulton Theatre, NY & Hudson Theatre, NY from Jan 10, 1941 - Jun 17, 1944.

SYNOPSIS

Beware nice old ladies offering elderberry wine! A mild-mannered drama critic discovers the shocking truth about his two elderly aunts: The seemingly harmless old ladies have the most disagreeable habit of poisoning their gentlemen callers and burying them in the cellar. One of the all-time great black comedies.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

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Arsenic and Old Lace BlogHub Articles:

Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane in "Arsenic and Old Lace"

By Stephen Reginald on Oct 24, 2022 From Classic Movie Man

Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane in "Arsenic and Old Lace" Arsenic and Old Lace is an American black comedy directed by Frank Capra and starring Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane. The excellent supporting cast includes Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre, Jack Carson, James Gleason, and Edward Everett Horton.... Read full article


Offbeat Blu-ray Review: Arsenic and Old Lace ? The Criterion Collection

By Devon Powell on Oct 13, 2022 From Hitchcock Master

Spine #1153 Distributor: Criterion Collection (USA) Release Date: October 11, 2022 Region: Region A Length: 01:58:15 Video: 1080P (MPEG-4, AVC) Main Audio: 1.0 English Linear PCM Audio (48 kHz, 1152 kbps, 24-bit) Subtitles: English (SDH) Ratio: 1.37:1 Bitrate: 35.92?Mbps Notes: This is the film?s Bl... Read full article


Screening of "Arsenic and Old Lace" October 28 at the Daystar Center

By Stephen Reginald on Oct 23, 2017 From Classic Movie Man

Screening of "Arsenic and Old Lace" October 28 at the Daystar Center “Halloween” Series: Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) Where: Daystar Center, 1550 S. State Street When: October 28, 2017 Time: 6:30 p.m. Hosted by Stephen Reginald Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) is the screen adaptation of... Read full article


Favorite things about… Arsenic and Old Lace

By Lindsey on Jun 24, 2015 From The Motion Pictures

The favorite film: Arsenic and Old Lace, a 1944 black comedy directed by Frank Capra (Image via Happy Otter) The synopsis: Mortimer Brewster is a soon-to-be-married drama critic. He’s “sneered at every love scene in every play.” His reputation is one of a permanent bachelor, and he... Read full article


Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

By Beatrice on Nov 11, 2014 From Flickers in Time

Arsenic and Old Lace Directed by Frank Capra Written by Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein from the play by Joseph Kesselring 1944/USA Warner Bros. Repeat viewing/Netflix rental I hate to say it but Cary Grant is way too frenetic for my tastes in this wacky comedy. ?The supporting players ... Read full article


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Quotes from Arsenic and Old Lace

Mortimer Brewster: Look, Aunt Martha, men don't just get into window seats and die!
Abby Brewster: We know, dear. He died first.
Mortimer Brewster: Wait a minute! Stop all this. Now, look, darling, how did he die?
Abby Brewster: Oh, Mortimer, don't be so inquisitive. The gentleman died because he drank some wine with poison in it.
Mortimer Brewster: How did the poison get in the wine?
Martha Brewster: Well, we put it in wine, because it's less noticeable. When it's in tea, it has a distinct odor.
Mortimer Brewster: You mean, you... You put it in the wine!
Abby Brewster: Yes. And I put Mr. Hoskins in the window seat, because Reverend Harper was coming.
Mortimer Brewster: Now, look at me, darling. You mean, you mean you knew what you'd done and you didn't want the Reverend Harper to see the body?
Abby Brewster: Well, not at tea. That wouldn't have been very nice.
Mortimer Brewster: Oh, it's first-degree.
Abby Brewster: Now, Mortimer, you know all about it and just forget about it. I do think that Aunt Martha and I have the right to our own little secrets.


Dr. Einstein: At least people in plays act like they've got sense.
Mortimer Brewster: Oh, you think so? Did you ever see anybody in a play act like they got any intelligence?
Dr. Einstein: [agonizing] How can somebody be so stupid!


Dr. Einstein: Where am I? Oh, here I am.


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Facts about Arsenic and Old Lace

According to various sources, Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein adapted the screenplay "with help" from Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.
Mortimer's repeated phrase at the end of the film declaring the secret of his birth was originally "I'm not a Brewster - I'm a bastard!" However, the censors demanded that it be changed, resulting in the phrase "I'm the son of a sea cook!"
The film was shot between October 20 and December 16, 1941. During 1943, the film was shown to the Armed Forces overseas. but went unissued domestically until its Manhattan debut at the Strand Theatre on September 1, 1944, followed by the nationwide release on September 23. Warner Bros. had been contractually required to wait for the Broadway play to finish its run, which finally occurred on June 17, 1944. By the time the movie opened, Priscilla Lane and Warner Bros. had ended their association.
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