Arsenic and Old Lace
 | Directed by Frank Capra Starring: Cary Grant, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre Turner Home Ent, 1944, DVD Customer Rating: 178 reviews Recommend |
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You'll die laughing! Frank Capra directs Cary Grant, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre and stellar cast in the hit Broadway farce about a nutcase family with well-intentioned homicidal tendencies.
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
Title: Arsenic and Old Lace
Sales Rank: 682 in DVD
Actor: Cary Grant, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre
Director: Frank Capra
Studio: Turner Home Ent, 2000-08-29, Theatrical Release: 1944-09-23
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD-Video, NTSC, Acpect Ratio 1.33:1
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region Code: 1
Running Time: 118 minutes
Package Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches, 0.15 pounds
- Classic Movie Arsenic and Old Lace.
- I recently purchased this classic black and white movie starring Cary Grant, and I really liked it. I had seen it many times when I was younger but the last time I had seen it was several years ago late at night on some satellite channel. When I first watched this dvd I realized that the version I had always seen on T.V.… More reviews
- Old time Halloween goodness.
- This is an oddball comedy supreme of Frank Capra proportions. Watch it if only for the zany homicidal aunts. If you love Harvey, you'll love this one!… More reviews
- Fun Movie!
- I love old movies, but this one is so much fun to watch! It has a great storyline and Cary Grant does an outstanding job of making it all believable. These were the good old days when folks were truly entertained and did not have to listen to a lot of four-letter words.… More reviews
- "Quite Pixilating"
- Cary Grant is perfect for this part. His erudite speech patterns add to the comedy in a macabre and hilarious manner. The two murderous old ladies' road to "somewhere" is certainly paved with "good intentions." The very best of intentions. Cary deals with one frustration after another and inability of all parties to communicate effectively with each other intensifies… More reviews
- Arsenic & Old Lace dvd
- Delightful Cary Grant movie, and sold at a great price. (I'd some some comparison shopping.) DVD was in excellent condition. More reviews
