Film Review: Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

Some of the greatest triumphs of Classic Hollywood were built on Broadway. One such example can be found in Arsenic and Old Lace, 1939 stage play by Joseph Kesselring, known for being performed 1,444 perfromances since its 1941 premiere and becoming one of the most popular Broadway works of its time. It served as basis for eponymous film comedy directed by Frank Capra, known as one of his last great works.

The plot takes place on Halloween in Brooklyn, in house belonging to members of Brewsters, old family descending from Mayflower colonists and with long tradition of eccentricity. Protagonist, played by Cary Grant, is Mortimer Brewster, famous dramatic critic also known for the book in which he criticised and mocked institution of marriage. His bachelor days, however, come to end after marrying Elaine Harper (played by Priscilla Lane), beautiful woman from neighbouring house. Before going on honeymoon at Niagara Falls he returns to his Brooklyn home to bring the news to his two beloved aunts – Abby (played by Josephine Hull) and Martha (played by Jean Adair). There he accidentally discovers a dead body hidden in window seat and, at first, believes that it was work of his brother Teddy (played by John Alexander), lunatic who believes that he is US President Theodore Roosevelt. Much to his shock, Mortimer is told by Abby and Martha that the man was killed by them and that he is only one of twelve old lonely bachelors they have invited and poisoned with elderberry wine in order to “put them out of their misery”. Things get further complicated when Brewsters’ home is visited by Mortimer’s brother Jonathan (played by Raymond Massey), serial killer who has escaped from asylum in Indiana and who is accompanied by Dr. Herman Einstein (played by Peter Lorre), alcoholic plastic surgeon who had Jonathan’s face changed in order to look like Boris Karloff’s.

Arsenic and Old Lace is based on stage play, but it doesn’t look that way. This happens despite almost entire plot taking place in seemingly limited setting of Brewsters’ home. Capra does use different setting at introductory scenes that describe Brooklyn or take place in marriage license bureau, which is shown an institution used by people of different races, something quite bold for standards of 1940s America. That, however, proves to be minor detail that merely gives flavour to the film that would take place on single location. That location is created with one of the most elaborate and expensive sets of Classic Hollywood, which, on the other hand, allowed Capra to employ camera in different fashions and styles and make Arsenic and Old Lace into one of the best directed films of its time.

Script by twin brother Julius J. And Philip J. Epstein of Casablanca fame is very effective in delivering powerful combination of screwball comedy and more generic black humour. Dialogue is snappy, although not always comprehensible to modern viewers (like Teddy expressing conviction that he will be “the last Roosevelt in White House”, an obvious joke referencing Theodore’s couisn Franklin D. Roosevelt who was President at the time of production). But the pace is quick, film is never boring and two hours of running time – something quite unusual for comedy – pass very quickly.

A lot of credit for that should go to excellent cast, much of it not actually being Capra’s first choice or having to replace cast from the Broadway production which had been still performed during the shooting. This included Cary Grant in one of his funniest and the most energetic roles, although Grant himself later expressed displeasure with it and considered his performance too hammy. On the other hand, Josephine Hull, Jane Adair and John Alexander were allowed to play their stage roles in Capra’s film and their performances were superb. Boris Karloff, who had played Jonathan in stage version as some sort of internal joke, with his character made to resemble his iconic character of Monster from Frankenstein*, was not allowed to leave play and had to be replaced by Raymond Massey who was good, but not good as Karloff himself would have been. Peter Lorre, one of the greatest character actors of Classic Hollywood, delivered another magnificent performance in relatively small but effective and incredibly funny role of Jonathan’s alcoholic accomplice. Priscilla Lane, on the other hand, is more or less reduced to eye candy and barely appears in the film, although she does decent job with what she is given.

Despite those shortcomings, Arsenic and Old Lace is very good film and its place in film history books becomes even more impressive when complicated circumstances of its production are taken into consideration. Film rights for the play were purchased by Warner Bros. almost immediately after triumphant premiere and production began in 1941, but under condition that film premiere had to occur only after play closes down on Broadway. That meant that the film to wait till 1944 to be released. Grant, unhappy over his performance, wanted Capra to reshoot all of his scenes and Capra was initially inclined to do so, but Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor led to Capra’s joining US Army Signal Corps (where he would direct his famous propaganda serial Why We Fight) and those reshoots never happened. Perhaps that was blessing in disguise, allowing today’s audience to enjoy untouched comedy which appears as entertaining today as it was eighty years ago.

RATING: 8/10 (+++)

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