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Summary: Arsenic & Old Lace
Review: Plot: Mortimer, a drama critic, has just got married and is about to go on his honeymoon when he discovers insanity runs in his family. His sweet maiden aunts poison lonely old men and have a number of corpses buried in the cellar.....A film adaptation of the popular stage play, Arsenic and Old Lace is a hilarious movie perfect for people of all ages. The story of Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant), the youngest of three brothers who were raised by two dear, but eccentric, spinster aunts, who have a nasty little habit of "putting poor souls" out of their misery with a little arsenic-laced elderberry wine. It is delightful to watch Mortimer go from a nice, normal, newlywed to a nervous, neurotic mess as he tries to figure a way out of the predicament his well-meaning aunts have placed them all in. Throw in one brother who thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt, another who is a psychopathic killer fashioned after Boris Karloff, and Peter Lorre as Dr. Einstein, a slightly intoxicated make-shift plastic surgeon, and you'll be laughing the entire way through. All of the performances were wonderful, but Cary Grant's facial expressions, double takes, and hilarious body language are a joy to watch. A truly classic, funny movie. "No, I'm not drunk, madame.......but you've given me an idea!" - Mortimer, seething in frustration as he tries to get past the operator, so that he can get his family committed into the HappyDale Sanitarium. "Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops!" - Mortimer, trying to explain to his new bride why it would be best for her to leave him and never look back.
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Summary: Grant, 2 Old Ladies & Elderberry wine=hilarity now on DVD!!
Review: Frank Capra delivers a great film adaptation of Joseph Kesselring's Broadway hit, "Arsenic and Old Lace". Originally filmed in 1941 just prior to WWII, but not released until 1944 because of the contract agreement to allow the play to complete its Broadway run. (The play ran for 1,444 performances.) Cary Grant in the leading role as nephew, Mortimer Brewster is at his comedic best in this black comedy of wine, family & insanity. His 2 fabulous Aunts played by Josephine Hull & Jean Adair were encored to the screen and are perfect in their roles. Boris Karloff's obligations prevented him from doing the movie and was replaced by Raymond Massey in the movie version as Grant madcap brother. The great ensemble cast also included Peter Lorre, Edward Everett Horton, Priscilla Lane & John Alexander as a delightful zany crazy, thinking he is President "Teddy Roosevelt". Summary: It is Halloween, Mortimers wedding day & his life is about to change forever. Visiting his 2 Aunts (Hull & Adair) with his wife (Lane - Ministers daughter!) on their way to their honeymoon to Niagara Falls discovers a body in the window seat. Thinking his crazy cousin, (Alexander) has committed the crime approaches his Aunts. They not only know about the body, but they know who he was & how he died. Their elderberry wine laced with a mixture of arsenic. Oh by the way, he is the 12th to be buried in the cellar. What is Mortimer to do & is his entire family insane? We began a very entertaining & hilarious journey to answering these & many more questions. This DVD is an excellent Black & White Full Screen (before WideScreen) transfer. Extras include Production notes. "Arsenic and Old Lace" film adaptation is very close to the actual Broadway play & is a great classic to have in your DVD library. Enjoy.
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Summary: A Little Arsenic with Your Elderberry Wine?
Review: This movie is a brilliant dark comedy, where the idea that killing lonely elderly men is wrong and illegal just doesn't occur to Aunts Martha and Abby. The idea that the Police would be interested in stopping them from their "charity work" is unfathomable to them. Cary Grant, one of my favorite actors, plays his part perfectly, parts aghast, gullible, harried, confused, faithful nephew, and finally son of a sea cook. The cast plays this script for all its worth and deliver performances that make the whole concept work. The performance by Peter Lorre as the doctor is so fine, a poor little man caught in the insanity of Jonathan Brewster. He is alternates scheming and pathetic. But in the end it is Cary Grant who delivers the sights that call for laughter. His sitting in the chair and describing his own trussing up is just priceless, followed immediately by the gullibility of the young beat cop and his being thrilled to have a 'captive' audience. I strongly recommend this movie to all Cary Grant and Peter Lorre fans and all fans of dark comedies.
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Summary: Twisted but Funny
Review: Two old ladies who poison lonely men and bury them in the basement -- it sounds, well, a little sickening. It is, however, the plot of one of the greatest comedies of all time, Frank Capra's "Arsenic and Old Lace". Cary Grant gave some great performances throughout his career, but this may be his greatest comedy. The suave Grant stars as Mortimer Brewster, a renowned theater critic who despises marriage and Brooklyn. All of the action takes place, ironically, on Halloween, when Grant returns home to Brooklyn to inform his aunts that he has just tied the knot with next-door neighbor Elaine Harper (Priscilla Lane) and will be leaving on his honeymoon in Niagara Falls. While looking to destroy his notes for his latest literary work, 'Mind Over Matrimony', he accidentally discoveres a body in the window-seat of his aunts' living room. About to pin the murder on his insane brother, Teddy ("Roosevelt"), he quickly finds out that his seemingly sane aunts are behind the killing -- as one of their numerous 'charity' acts. The rest of the movie is one comedic scence after the other as Grant comes to terms with his aunts' killing of lonely old men, his quest to get Teddy committed to the Happy Dale Sanitarium, and the reappearance of his long-lost brother, hit man Jonathan (Raymond Massey). With thirteen bodies, a jar of poisonous elderberry wine, and two policemen running about, this comedy will keep you laughing for hours.
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Summary: A Halloween Classic!
Review: It has become a tradition in my house to watch ARSENIC AND OLD LACE every Halloween. The story of the two Miss Brewsters who murder lonely old men as a charity is so familiar that I don't need to summarize it again. This movie is a typical fast, funny 1940's comedy (it is based on the play by Joseph Kesselring, which I've also seen). Although some claim that Cary Grant overacts in this film, I think his over-the-top comedic style is perfectly suited to this "screwball" farce. The rest of the cast, including Raymond Massey as an escaped convict in disguise ("He said I looked like Boris Karloff"), Peter Lorre as his cowardly little assistant, and especially Jack Carson as the hilariously clueless Officer O'Hara, is perfect. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention John Alexander as "Teddy" (he DOES look exactly like Teddy Roosevelt). There is also a welcome appearance by the inimitable Edward Everett Horton as Mr. Witherspoon, the head of Happydale Insane Asylum, where some of the characters eventually end up! Halloween is over, but rent (or buy) ARSENIC AND OLD LACE anyway. Be prepared to laugh!
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Summary: This is Cary Grant at his best!
Review: Wanted: two elderly ladies suspected of the murders of more than a dozen gentlemen. Abby and Martha Brewster, also known as the Barbaric Brewster Sisters, are armed with tasty elderberry wine laced with arsenic, and are extremely dangerous. Sound like an April Fool's joke? The deadly killers who appear to be gentle old ladies are two of the stars of "Arsenic and Old Lace," a film based on the classic slapstick mystery-comedy play by Joseph Kesselring.
The story revolves around Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant), a drama critic who has just eloped with the lovely Elaine Harper, who happens to live next door to Mortimer's kind but eccentric spinster aunts. However, Mortimer is forced to put his marriage celebration on hold when he discovers his aunts' dirty little secret: they've been putting lonely old men out of their misery by killing them and moving them, PERMANENTLY, into the cellar. Add to that Mortimer's crazed brother Jonathan (who was modeled after Boris Karloff) and his shady assistant (played by Peter Lorre), as well as Mortimer's other brother, Teddy, who can't let go of the notion that he is President Theodore Roosevelt, and you have all the makings for the quintessential slapstick comedy.
"Arsenic and Old Lace" makes no attempt to be serious, and everyone who watches it will be delighted with it. Cary Grant gives what was probably the performance of his career, transforming from a happy newlywed to a neurotic mess as he desperately tries to figure out a way to get his aunts off the hook. This is a fabulous adaptation of an amazing play, and it was one of the first DVDs I ever bought. Add it to your collection today.
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Summary: Certainly there are 13 bodies in the cellar...!
Review: Anyone who has seen Frank Capra's madcap version of Arsenic and Old Lace knows that it is a stunning example of hilarious dark comedy. The story centers around a certain Mr. Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant), who says that insanity "runs in my family. It practically gallops." One day he discovers that his two aunts, Martha and Abby, poison poor old lonely gentlemen as a "charity act." He tries to convince them to stop while committing his brother Teddy (of Roosevelt fame) to the Happydale Sanitarium. At the same time, his new wife Elaine (Pricilla Lane) battles for his affections. The plot picks up when Mortimer's long lost brother Jonathan (Raymond Massey) shows up-- with an eye to kill. His little assistant, Dr. Hermann Einstein (Peter Lorre) is a plastic surgeon who does face jobs on Jonathan to avoid detection from the police. Each one of these performers-- especially Lorre-- do an excellent job of making this screwball comedy a success. Lorre is both funny and touching in his role as a pathetic man who has played henchman to Jonathan for so many years. Watch him as he begs Mortimer to leave the house. How can the viewer not feel pity? A very satisfying and hilarious film.
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Summary: An Excellent Dark Comedy...
Review: Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) is a well renowned bachelor, however, Elaine Harper (Priscilla Lane) has managed to trap Mortimer into marriage. Mortimer arrives at home to share his happiness with his two eccentric aunts, Abby and Martha (Josephine Hull and Jean Adair), and his delusional brother (John Alexander) who thinks he is Theodore Roosevelt. Nevertheless, his happiness does not last for long, since his aunts are harboring a dark secret and his criminal brother Jonathan (Raymond Massey) is on his way back home after 20 years away with his friend Dr. Einstein (Peter Lorre). Arsenic and Old Lace is a hilarious comedy with a dreadfully macabre plot, which offers both entertainment and lessons. Frank Capra is before his time with this brilliant film where he mixes humor with horror resulting in a superb cinematic experience.
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Summary: Insane comedy
Review: Arsenic and Old Lace is one of the greatest comedies provided for us during World War II. Carey Grant does an amazing Job playing a nephew (a role originally created for bob hope) to his two Murderess aunts. Believing he is destined to go insane as his aunts and his two brother, Grant's character is faced with the challenge of an explanation to the 13 bodies in his aunts basement, all the while his long time gone Frankenstein look alike brother has returned home with a crazy doctor and yet another body. The crazy situations Grant's character is faced with makes him forget his new bride. This comedy may sound extremely strange and it is, but the quirky situations and quick comments make it a laugh out loud comedy you'll be destined to watch again and again.
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Summary: 1944 masterpiece with Cary Grant
Review: This is the original film adaptation from the smash hit Broadway play by Joseph Kesselring. Frank Capra (believe it or not) directed this ditzy black comedy based on two sweet little old ladies who 'put these dear men out of their misery' with their homemade poisoned elderberry wine. Cary Grant is a nephew who cottons onto their little schemes and tries to stop them without landing them in jail, but Raymond Massey, a recent jail escapee, has other ideas for the use of their talents.
Mercy killing as comic catharsis. Hilarious.
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