Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
90%RT Audience Score: 92%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Frank Capra’s Arsenic and Old Lace is a darkly twisted comedy that exposes the hypocrisies and prejudices of the upper-middle class, all while keeping the audience in stitches. The film’s wicked humor and macabre tone are expertly balanced by the sparkling performances of Cary Grant and the rest of the cast. Capra’s expansion of the original play by Joseph Kesselring maintains a steady pace throughout the 118-minute runtime, and the film’s zany, cant-catch-your-breath comedy never quits. Arsenic and Old Lace is a true classic and one of the funniest films ever made, regardless of what anyone, even Cary Grant, may think.
Arsenic and Old Lace is a classic dark comedy that will have you laughing until you cry. The film’s wicked humor keeps the macabre tone throughout and the performances by Cary Grant and the rest of the cast are sparkling. Despite some criticism of the film’s pacing, it remains a zany, cant-catch-your-breath comedy that never quits. Whether you’re watching for the first time or rewatching for the umpteenth time, Arsenic and Old Lace is a must-see for any fan of classic cinema.
Production Company(ies)
Warner Bros.
Distributor
Criterion Collection, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros.
Release Type
Streaming
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
1944
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 58m
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Language(s):English
ALL CAST, AUSPICES, AND BELOW THE LINE -
Country of origin:United States, United Kingdom
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 23, 1944 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 29, 2000
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
Comedy, Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Frank Capra, Joseph Kesselring, Julius J Epstein, Philip G Epstein, Warner Bros Pictures, Warner Bros., Criterion Collection, box office, budget, reviewed by Derek Smith, David Parkinson, Variety Staff, Dave Kehr, Geoff Andrew, Nell Minow, Brian Susbielles, Michael Barrett, Matt Brunson, Cinelandia Staff, MPAA rating, dark comedy, upper-middle class, eccentric aunts, homicidal brother, marriage detractor, girl-next-door, Halloween, corpse, director, producer, writer, sound mix, aspect ratio, mono, 35mm, flat, runtime, distributor, cast, crew, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre, Jack Carson, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, audience score, streaming, theaters, rent/buy, vudu, Amazon, iTunes
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Raymond Massey – Jonathan Brewster
Priscilla Lane – Elaine Harper
Peter Lorre – Dr. Einstein
Jack Carson – Officer Patrick “Pat” O’Hara
Josephine Hull – Aunt Abby Brewster
Jean Adair – Aunt Martha Brewster
John Alexander – Teddy Brewster
Director – Frank Capra
Producer – Frank Capra
Writers – Joseph Kesselring, Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein
Director(s)
Frank Capra
Writer(s)
Joseph Kesselring, Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein
Producer(s)
Frank Capra
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (34) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (29) | Rotten (5)
Arsenic and Old Lace trenchantly lays bare the hypocrisies and prejudices of the upper-middle class that often remained concealed beneath the façade of good manners.
October 11, 2022
Derek Smith
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Cary Grant et al are on sparkling form in this classic darkly twisted comedy.
October 22, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
David Parkinson
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Despite the fact that picture runs 118 minutes, Frank Capra has expanded on the original play [by Joseph Kesselring] to a sufficient extent to maintain a steady, consistent pace.
August 13, 2007
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
The timing is abysmal throughout, turning fast pace into numbing frenzy.
August 13, 2007
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Dusty but gentle entertainment.
June 24, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
July 29, 2003 | Rating: 5/5
Nell Minow
Movie Mom
TOP CRITIC
It is full of wicked humor that keeps the macabre tone throughout the movie and was yet another notch on Frank Capra’s belt of hit comedies.
February 14, 2023
Brian Susbielles
InSession Film
One of the film’s rewards is that, upon rewatching and rethinking, there’s all that subconscious evidence buried in the story’s basement, and much of the audience’s satisfaction rests in the desire to keep it concealed.
October 31, 2022
Michael Barrett
PopMatters
It’s not mere hyperbole to state that Frank Capra’s Arsenic and Old Lace ranks as one of the funniest films ever made.
October 18, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Although at first glance it seems a horrific issue, it is truthfully laughable to the extreme and no one is taking it seriously. [Full review in Spanish]
September 1, 2022
Cinelandia Staff
Cinelandia
A zany, cant-catch-your-breath comedy that never quits.
February 17, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Regardless of Cary Grant’s thoughts on the film, Arsenic and Old Lace is one of the best comedies of all time.
January 12, 2022
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies…
Plot
A newlywed writer discovers that his family is even crazier than he thought when he finds a corpse hidden in a window seat, and must navigate his eccentric aunts, disturbed uncle, and homicidal brother in this classic dark comedy, Arsenic and Old Lace.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Cary Grant believed he overplayed his character in Arsenic and Old Lace.
Frank-Capra.jpg
