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Arsenic and Old Lace
1944 118 min United States of America 12+
★7.9
Comedy, Crime
Director: Frank Capra
🎭 Based on
«Lavender and Old Lace»
byMyrtle Reed
Trailers
EN
EN
Teaser
Teaser
Description
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!
Budget:
$1.12M
Starring
Cary Grant
Actor
Priscilla Lane
Actor
Raymond Massey
Actor
Awards
4 wins & 1 nomination total
Key opinion
Arsenic and Old Lace is widely celebrated as a masterful, frenetic black comedy that successfully balances macabre subject matter with infectious, absurd humor. While its stage-bound origins are occasionally polarizing, the majority of viewers praise the film's witty script and the high-energy, iconic performances of its cast.
| Acting | Cary Grant delivers a singular, high-octane performance defined by his masterful use of incredulous facial expressions and physical comedy. | |
| Theme | The film creates a unique, memorable atmosphere that effectively blends dark, morbid themes with joyful, screwball comedic energy. | |
| Direction | Frank Capra’s direction successfully translates a stage play into a film, maintaining the tension and chaos within a single, primary location. | |
| Adaptation | The theatrical nature of the film divides opinion: some find the stage-bound, farcical presentation charming and classic, while others find it tedious or artificial. |