Arsenic and Old Lace 1944

imdb-logo 7.9 / 10

Arsenic and Old Lace

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!

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!

Videos & Photos

All 3 Videos & 27 Photos

... Mortimer Brewster

... Elaine Harper Brewster

... Jonathan Brewster

... Officer Patrick O'Hara

... Mr. Witherspoon

... Dr. Einstein

User reviews

See All 2 Reviews

23 Jun 2021 by John Chard

Frenetic roller-coaster ride - Capra style! The Broadway show this film is based on ran for something like four years, such was the yearning for riotous rompathons in the 40s, and thus here the Capra adaptation is pretty much non stop mania. Led by the perfectly cast Cary Grant, the film barely pauses for breath, stopping only briefly to put a bit of creepy menace into the otherwise insane plot. Oh yes the plot, the elderly Brewster sisters are the dear hearts of the neighbourhood, but what folk don't realise is that they are poisoning elderly male visitors to their home to save them from being lonely! This sets us up for romps as nephew Mortimer (Grant) lurches from one incredulous scene to another upon finding out about his dear Aunt's penchant for murder. Peter Lorre & Raymond Massey add to the madness upon visiting the house, whilst John Alexander almost steals the film as the barmy uncle who thinks he is Theodore Roosevelt! But it's Grant's show all the way, rarely will you see an actor express so many faces of incredulity with such mirthful results as what Grant gives us here. A joyous performance from the great man. Directed with all the sharpness and knowing of tones we expect from Frank Capra, the film is an out and out joy. So be sure to wear a corset to stop your sides from splitting. 9/10

Release Date:

Sep 01, 1944 (United States)

Run Time:

1hr 58`

MMPA Rating:

NR

Original Language:

English

Production Countries:

United States

Status:

Released

Related Movies To

Arsenic and Old Lace

Write Review

Found 2 reviews in total

23 Jun 2021 by John Chard

Frenetic roller-coaster ride - Capra style! The Broadway show this film is based on ran for something like four years, such was the yearning for riotous rompathons in the 40s, and thus here the Capra adaptation is pretty much non stop mania. Led by the perfectly cast Cary Grant, the film barely pauses for breath, stopping only briefly to put a bit of creepy menace into the otherwise insane plot. Oh yes the plot, the elderly Brewster sisters are the dear hearts of the neighbourhood, but what folk don't realise is that they are poisoning elderly male visitors to their home to save them from being lonely! This sets us up for romps as nephew Mortimer (Grant) lurches from one incredulous scene to another upon finding out about his dear Aunt's penchant for murder. Peter Lorre & Raymond Massey add to the madness upon visiting the house, whilst John Alexander almost steals the film as the barmy uncle who thinks he is Theodore Roosevelt! But it's Grant's show all the way, rarely will you see an actor express so many faces of incredulity with such mirthful results as what Grant gives us here. A joyous performance from the great man. Directed with all the sharpness and knowing of tones we expect from Frank Capra, the film is an out and out joy. So be sure to wear a corset to stop your sides from splitting. 9/10

23 Jun 2021 by barrymost

There are thirteen bodies in the cellar! Oh, piffle. Drama critic Mortimer Brewster has just gotten married. But his newfound wedded bliss is interrupted by the disturbing discovery that his sweet old spinster aunts have been murdering lonely old men with their homemade elderberry wine, and burying the bodies in the cellar. This demented screwball comedy was the film that introduced me to Cary Grant. The utterly black comedic treatment never gets old, and the laughs never let up. Every time he gets another surprise, Grant puts on a slightly different flustered expression. Peter Lorre and Raymond Massey, as the villains of the piece, are very amusingly sinister, and the spinster aunts Brewster are utterly charming, in spite of their, uh, somewhat morbid hobby. It's a hilariously insane romp from the brilliant director of some of America's greatest films, Frank Capra. Do yourself a favor and watch it already! Prepare to laugh nonstop. As Mortimer Brewster says, "Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops!"

Cast & Crew of

Arsenic and Old Lace

Directors & Credit Writers

... Assistant Director

... Second Assistant Director

... Director

Cast

... Mortimer Brewster

... Elaine Harper Brewster

... Jonathan Brewster

... Officer Patrick O'Hara

... Mr. Witherspoon

... Dr. Einstein

... Lt. Rooney

... Aunt Abby Brewster

... Aunt Martha Brewster

... 'Teddy Roosevelt' Brewster

... Reverend Harper

... Sergeant Brophy

... Taxi Cab Driver

... Officer Saunders

... Judge Cullman

... Dr. Gilchrist

... Reporter at Marriage License Office

... Gibbs

... Photographer at Marriage License Office (uncredited)

... Marriage License Clerk

Produced By

... Producer

... Unit Production Manager

... Producer

Related Movies To

Arsenic and Old Lace

Found 12 Movies in total

poster-Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2 (2024)

0 /10

Teenager Riley's mind headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.

Run Time: 1hr 37` . MMPA: PG . Release: 11 Jun 2024

Director: Kelsey Mann

Producer: Kim Collins , Josh Lowden , Jonas Rivera

Stars: Amy Poehler , Phyllis Smith , Lewis Black , Tony Hale , Liza Lapira , Maya Hawke

poster-Flight Risk
Flight Risk (2025)

0 /10

A U.S. Marshal escorts a government witness to trial after he's accused of getting involved with a mob boss, only to discover that the pilot who is transporting them is also a hitman sent to assassinate the informant. After they subdue him, they're forced to fly together after discovering that there are others attempting to eliminate them.

Run Time: 1hr 31` . MMPA: R . Release: 22 Jan 2025

Director: Allan Aguilar , Mel Gibson , Vanessa Hickey

Producer: K. Blaine Johnston , Russell Hollander , Kathy McKee

Stars: Mark Wahlberg , Topher Grace , Michelle Dockery , Leah Remini , Monib Abhat , Savanah Joeckel

poster-The Island
The Island (2023)

4.3 /10

When his brother is killed, LAPD officer Mark leaves the city to return to the island he grew up on. Seeking answers and ultimately vengeance, he soon finds himself in a bloody battle with the corrupt tycoon who's taken over the island paradise.

Run Time: 1hr 33` . MMPA: R . Release: 21 Jul 2023

Director: J.R. Von Schondorf , Shaun Paul Piccinino , Tesean Wilkin

Producer: J.T. Foxx , Alastair Burlingham , Lee Beasley

Stars: Michael Jai White , Jackson Rathbone , Gillian White , Edoardo Costa , Wayne Gordon , Amber Townsend

poster-Anora
Anora (2024)

0 /10

A young sex worker from Brooklyn gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as his parents set out to get the marriage annulled.

Run Time: 2hr 19` . MMPA: R . Release: 14 Oct 2024

Director: Sofía Blanco , Liza Mann , Sean Baker

Producer: Ross Brodar , Glen Basner , Jared Greenberg

Stars: Ivy Wolk , Mark Eydelstein , Mikey Madison , Yuriy Borisov , Karren Karagulian , Vache Tovmasyan

poster-Bad Boys: Ride or Die
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)

0 /10

After their late former Captain is framed, Lowrey and Burnett try to clear his name, only to end up on the run themselves.

Run Time: 1hr 55` . MMPA: R . Release: 05 Jun 2024

Director: Ryan J. Pezdirc , Greg Rementer , Jeff J.J. Authors

Producer: Sara Holms , John K. Campbell , James Lassiter

Stars: Will Smith , Martin Lawrence , Rhea Seehorn , Vanessa Hudgens , Alexander Ludwig , Jacob Scipio

poster-Moana 2
Moana 2 (2024)

0 /10

After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana journeys alongside Maui and a new crew to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she's ever faced.

Run Time: 1hr 39` . MMPA: PG . Release: 21 Nov 2024

Director: Dana Ledoux Miller , David G. Derrick Jr. , Jason Hand

Producer: Dwayne Johnson , Terri Douglas , Yvett Merino Flores

Stars: Auli'i Cravalho , Dwayne Johnson , Alan Tudyk , Rachel House , Temuera Morrison , Nicole Scherzinger

poster-Fast X
Fast X (2023)

5.8 /10

Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they've ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who's fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything—and everyone—that Dom loves, forever.

Run Time: 2hr 22` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 17 May 2023

Director: Kyle Williams , Zoe Morgan , Spiro Razatos

Producer: Eleri Coulten , Chris Morgan , Matt Craufurd

Stars: Vin Diesel , Michelle Rodriguez , Tyrese Gibson , Ludacris , John Cena , Nathalie Emmanuel

poster-Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)

0 /10

Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet.

Run Time: 1hr 50` . MMPA: PG . Release: 19 Dec 2024

Director: Holly Johnson , Peter Lyons Collister , Jeff Fowler

Producer: Anny Björk Arnardóttir , Janelle Scuderi , Hitoshi Okuno

Stars: Ben Schwartz , Keanu Reeves , Colleen O'Shaughnessey , Idris Elba , James Marsden , Tika Sumpter

poster-Out of Exile
Out of Exile (2023)

0 /10

Recently paroled thief Gabriel Russell tries to balance his life and mend a troubled family as an FBI agent hunts him down, along with his crew after a botched armored car robbery.

Run Time: 1hr 47` . MMPA: R . Release: 20 Jan 2023

Director: Kyle Kauwika Harris

Producer: Jacob Snovel , Karrie Cox , Kelley Gann

Stars: Adam Hampton , Karrie Cox , Kyle Jacob Henry , Ryan Merriman , Peter Greene , Hayley McFarland

poster-xXx
xXx (2002)

5.8 /10

Xander Cage is your standard adrenaline junkie with no fear and a lousy attitude. When the US Government "recruits" him to go on a mission, he's not exactly thrilled. His mission: to gather information on an organization that may just be planning the destruction of the world, led by the nihilistic Yorgi.

Run Time: 2hr 4` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 09 Aug 2002

Director: Lars P. Winther , Jules Stewart , Rob Cohen

Producer: Trish Hadley , Colleen Gibbons , Todd Garner

Stars: Vin Diesel , Asia Argento , Samuel L. Jackson , Leila Arcieri , Marton Csokas , Eve

poster-Arena Wars
Arena Wars (2024)

0 /10

In 2045 convicted criminals are given the opportunity to compete on the world's #1 televised sporting event, Arena Wars. They must survive 7 rooms and 7 of the most vicious killers in the country. If they win, they regain their freedom.

Run Time: 1hr 36` . MMPA: . Release: 25 Jun 2024

Director: Brandon Slagle

Producer: Brian Bell , Jeffrey J. Ellen , Omar Parker

Stars: Michael Madsen , Eric Roberts , Robert LaSardo , John Wells , Kevin Hager , BJ Mezek