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From Amazon.co.uk
In 1941, when Frank Capra filmed Arsenic and Old Lace, he was in the midst of his string of social-concern pictures. So this uncharacteristic property must have seemed like a vacation; it's a straight farce, played at full tilt and closely adapted from the Broadway play. Almost all of the action takes place on a single set: the old home of the Brewster sisters (Josephine Hull and Jean Adair), those dear, dotty old ladies who mix up a very special elderberry wine. Very special. As their nephew Mortimer (Cary Grant) discovers on the eve of his wedding, the two ladies have been spiking the wine with poison and sending lonely gentleman callers off to the great beyond. More specifically, they've been burying them in the cellar with the help of nutty Uncle Teddy, who thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt (and thus digging the Panama Canal down in the basement). The ominous happenings are made more sinister with the arrival of another menacing relative (RaymondMassey) and his quack doctor (Peter Lorre), who look and act like refugees from a horror movie. Played completely over the top, this movie offers up lots of bracing slapstick, with Grant run to near exhaustion by the galloping insanity of his family. Although Capra shot the film in 1941, prior to his making military films during World War II, the film was not released until 1944; the contract stipulated that the movie not come out before the play ended its enormously successful run. --Robert Horton
Product Description
DVD Special Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Trailer
Languages in Mono: English, French, Italian
Subtitles: English, French, Italian, Dutch, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Romanian, Bulgarian, English for the hearing impaired, Italian for the hearing impaired.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 29 people found the following review helpful
By Andy Millward
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
You would have to be suicidal or made of granite not to warm to Frank Capra's finest films. Everybody loves It's a Wonderful Life for its life-affirming humanity, but Arsenic and Old Lace is just a good old-fashioned farce which by 1944 standards must have seemed inky black in its treatment of death. The years have been kind to this film - it has matured beautifully and simply leaves a big wide smile on your face.
However, there is plenty more on offer: Cary Grant may be gloriously over the top, but the splendidly observed supporting performances can be treasured. In particular, Josephine Hull and Jean Adair at the two aunts, Raymond Massey as the homicidal brother and Peter Lorre as his fussy and fragile plastic surgeon.
This is simple escapist entertainment relying on age-old virtues of good script, timing, acting ability and top notch direction - who needs computer-generated special effects anyway!
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Gavieboy
Format:DVD
This must rank up there as one of the funniest movies ever made; certianly one of Grant's best; it slick black humour and slapstick comedy is the driving force behind its appeal; it never lets up on the laughs from begining to end; a pure delight to watch again and again.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By M. J. Wright
Format:DVD
This movie was originally staged as a Broadway comedy, and it shows. Fast paced dialogue, sudden entries and exits, tons of dramatic irony and lots of physical humour all contribute to an hilarious climax. All the action proceeds on a single set, as the hapless Cary Grant tries to manage an increasingly insane and homicidal set of relatives. All this on a Brooklyn Halloween, with the taxi driver waiting next to the cemetry outside. Don't worry, even the most menacing character is absurd or sweet enough to take any sense of horror away, and everything is played for laughs, not screams. A gem of its kind, from a gentler age, when relationships and relatives could be relied on to be sweet, most of the time.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Arsnic and old lace
It was a birthday present and it was a film they were having difficulty finding in the shops, they were over the moon when they saw it. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Merlin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
Excellent film and it definitely stands the test of time. Just as entertaining now as it was all those years ago.
Published 1 month ago by Charnia
5.0 out of 5 stars
Arsenic and old lace.(DVD).
One of the classics of celluloide!
Peter Lorre and Raymond Massey were so evil,but funny at the same time.The 2 old auntie were totally batty. Read more
Peter Lorre and Raymond Massey were so evil,but funny at the same time.The 2 old auntie were totally batty. Read more
Published 2 months ago by C. Denison
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic
A classic in every way. Beautifully acted and a great plot. I'd love to be able to obtain the colourised version of this great movie.
Published 2 months ago by Sortean
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not Good
Not a good Carry Grant product, it was in my opinion over acted, almost forced in its funny department and tiresome in the way it was dragged out. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr. J. A. Bentley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Is this in colour?
I know that this may not be the forum but I can't see anywhere else to ask. Could someone tell me whether a colourised version of the film is on this DVD?
Published 2 months ago by inicholson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pure entertainment
This film is just simply brilliant. I could watch it over and over (and now I can a since I was given the DVD for my birthday). Read more
Published 6 months ago by Tom Lithgow
4.0 out of 5 stars
Arsenic and Old Lace DVD
I loved this timeless classic. A laugh out loud film. Thoroughly enjoyable.Delightfully dotty maiden Aunts add to this lighthearted comedy.
Published 6 months ago by sandy-liz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
DVD arrived quickly on time as scheduled.
Interesting viewing. Good quality as new.
Great service as always. Good value for
money.
Interesting viewing. Good quality as new.
Great service as always. Good value for
money.
Published 8 months ago by jan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Golden Oldie
Saw the local amateur dramatic society version, which was very vood. Wanted to see original film. Excellent. They dont make them like that anymore.
Published 9 months ago by Jessytop
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