Review of Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) by Samuel J — 04 Sep 2009

"Where am I? Oh, here I am.".

Director: Frank Capra.

Starring: Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Raymond Massey, Jack Carson.

Running time: 118 minutes.

Country: USA.

Arsenic And Old Lace is a film that is just absolutely amazing. This is one of the rare classics that are classic comedies. It is rather weird because it is a very serious story but it is a hilarious and pretty silly story at times as well. Arsenic And Old Lace is a rather rare story that is really funny and really tense. I thought it was hilarious when Mortimer Brewster couldn't convince his two aunts that there is a dead body inside their house but they kept pretending like everything was alright. Also the fact that Mortimer was losing his rag with them, that was just hilarious as well. This film was really tense as well especially with Jonathan Brewster and also the music of when you see him in his scenes.

Cary Grant's performance as Mortimer Brewster was to me actually quite surprising because I have never seen Grant portray any comedy character before. He has usually played those really tense and dramatic sorts of characters. Because Mortimer is also a dramatic character, I see that similarity to what I have seen before from Cary Grant. Mortimer Brewster is a drama critic and confirmed bachelor, Mortimer Brewster, has written a number of books describing marriage as an old-fashioned superstition. Nevertheless, he falls in love with and marries Elaine Harper, who grew up next door to his old family home in Brooklyn. Raymond Massey was actually pretty scary as Jonathan Brewster because of the scars on his face and also he is a rather sinister betrayer and villain towards his brother and other relatives.

Frank Capra creates a suspenseful thriller as well as a really awesome feel-good comedy which is typical of Capra to do. Capra has never really done many thrillers but this is a good one to catch. In my opinion, Capra creates a film that I think will be remade into another adaptation in about 20 or 30 years time. The script was very well written with another close combination between dark and light genres and themes within the film.

Arsenic And Old Lace is one of the earliest classic comedies that are really well remembered even now. My favourite Cary Grant film is still Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest. I do love Frank Capra's work a lot. This is another feel-good inspiring Frank Capra film. Out of the four Frank Capra films that I have seen, Arsenic And Old Lace is my third favourite after It's A Wonderful Life And It Happened One Night. Arsenic And Old Lace is an absolutely wonderful film that everybody should at least try before they give up on it. It deserves the credit on Capra's best work just like his other films do. One of the top films of 1940s definitely and isn't very far on top comedies of all time.