[.ca] Arsenic and Old Lace

From Amazon.com essential video:
Frank Capra made this film in 1941 before he went off to make films for America's war effort, but it wasn't released until 1944. Adapted from the hit play by Joseph Kesselring, this frantic black comedy shows Capra at his best as a master of mood and timing. Actresses Josephine Hull and Jean Adair reprise their Broadway performances as two gentle old ladies who poison men with elderberry wine to put them out of their misery. Cary Grant plays one nephew, a normal guy who just gets wind of their little hobby and tries to get them to stop, while Raymond Massey plays another, a villain just escaped from jail. Capra encourages the cast, especially Grant, to give a somewhat more outsized performance than one might expect. But made during the war years as it was, this overstated comic approach to killing was probably cathartic. --Tom Keogh

Amazon.com Essential Video:
Frank Capra made this film in 1941 before he went off to make films for America's war effort, but it wasn't released until 1944. Adapted from the hit play by Joseph Kesselring, this frantic black comedy shows Capra at his best as a master of mood and timing. Actresses Josephine Hull and Jean Adair reprise their Broadway performances as two gentle old ladies who poison men with elderberry wine to put them out of their misery. Cary Grant plays one nephew, a normal guy who just gets wind of their little hobby and tries to get them to stop, while Raymond Massey plays another, a villain just escaped from jail. Capra encourages the cast, especially Grant, to give a somewhat more outsized performance than one might expect. But made during the war years as it was, this overstated comic approach to killing was probably cathartic. --Tom Keogh

Arsenic and Old Lace - Zany, Whacky Comedy:
A great stage play transferred directly to film. Stereotypical characters that do wild and crazy things. Cary Grant delivers an over the top portrayal of a man being driven insane by the inane antics of his crazy relatives. All that, and a standout performance by Peter Lorre - "No, Johnny, not the Melbourne method!!!!"

Abrasive and unfunny.:
I seriously don't know why anybody would like this movie. It was highly recommended to me by somebody I know, so I sat down to watch it one night. Before I go on, here are a few movies that I DO find funny: The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines The Gold Rush (Chaplin) Sherlock Jr. (Keaton) Safety Last (Harold Lloyd) The Devil's Brother (Laurel + Hardy) Spaceballs Dr. Strangelove was also quite funny at times, though it isn't one of my favourites. As you see, my comedies of choice are ones based on fast-paced situational humour, satire, or wit. THIS movie has none of these. All of the humour felt to me like it was being shoved down my throat; there is NO subtlety at all, no "throwaway gags" or quiet humour. No, quite the contrary; the male characters all speak in an extremely grating chattering nasal voice with all the likeness of a 40s radio newscaster; no emotion or feeling in their voices, just words, words, words and more words. The grandmothers are not much better; their part in the "humour" is to explain something that is meant to be funny over and over again, slowly, until the audience has it ingrained in their minds. Another example of the "humour" is an insane family member running up the stairs while yelling "CHARGE!!!" loud enough to wake your neighbour. This is repeated 10+ times. Do you find that funny? If you do, then you may like this movie. I, on the other hand, just found it stupid. All of the characters were so unbelievable, the acting and humour so bad and childish, that I turned it off before I even finished watching it (at the point where the grandmothers discovered the crooks). Maybe I had to be alive in the 40s to "get it". I don't know. To me, this movie was abrasive and annoying, with no saving grace. Definitely not a classic, or even worth watching in my book.

What a Hoot!:
Watching this movie has become a Hallowe'en tradition in our family, just as "The Bishop's Wife" is now a Christmas tradition. Just think, a Cary Grant for all seasons or occasions! Although it could be said that Mr. Grant's performance in this movie is too "hammy" that just adds to the charm, in my opinion. This is a farce, great for laughs. If you are looking for something serious watch Cary Grant as Dr. Pretorious in "People Will Talk". This movie was done just for kicks! Hope you Enjoy!

A fun Halloween story:
I have seen this movie dozens of times on TV. The problem is they always cut out a lot of the little nuances that make the movie fun; sometimes it is curtail to the story. Now you can see the whole story in its entirety. Lots of sight gags and relies on many expressions to convey what they are thinking. If this looks like a play, that is because it is a play. It was written by Joseph Kesserling and opened in New York City 10 JAN 41. It ran for 1,444 performances. Boris Karloff was an investor and the star attraction so he could not be released for the movie. The story takes place all on Halloween night in Brooklyn. Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) a critic, that wrote a scathing book about the negatives of marriage, gets married. He soon finds out about his families past and where the bodies are buried. Soon he is to be visited by his estranged or just strange brother (Raymond Massey). Seems that his brother and his brother's friend, Dr. Einstein (Peter Lorre), has some secrets of their own. Keep your eye on the elderberry wine.

1944 farce not my cup of tea:
i tried to watch this movie,but i couldn't get through it.that's not because its a bad movie.rather,it's because movies were much different back in 1944.this movie is a murder mystery/farce starring Cary Grant.a lot of movies made back then seem very stagey.in other words,they look like they are being performed on stage.many of them were,and they no doubt worked on stage.to me,though this movie just doesn't quite work.the physical comedy at the time was much different.facial expressions,actions and reactions were very exaggerated and absurd.i'm sure this worked at the time,and some people may still enjoy,it,but for me,it's just too painful too watch.if you grew up in that era,you will probably like this movie.however,it's not my cup of tea. 2/5