1944 Directed by Frank Capra
Mortimer Brewster is a newspaperman and author known for his diatribes against marriage. We watch him being married at city hall in the opening scene. Now all that is required is a quick trip home to tell Mortimer's two maiden aunts. While trying to break the news, he finds out his aunts' hobby; killing lonely old men and burying them in the cellar. It gets worse.
Cary Grant Priscilla Lane Josephine Hull Jean Adair Raymond Massey Peter Lorre John Alexander Jack Carson James Gleason Edward Everett Horton Grant Mitchell Edward McNamara Garry Owen John Ridgely Vaughan Glaser Chester Clute Charles Lane Edward McWade Spencer Charters Hank Mann Jimmy the Crow Sol Gorss Spec O'Donnell Lee Phelps Raymond Walburn Leo White
I’m pretty sure that in about 90% of the screwball comedies made in the 40s there is a character named Johnny. When I first saw Arsenic and Old Lace years ago, its over-the-top zaniness caught me completely off guard and I absolutely, positively hated it. This time I was committed to go into this with an open mind and try my best to enjoy it for what it is, even if comedy does age like milk. The first time I watched this it was Cary Grant’s performance that really turned me off but this time however, I realized that he is probably the best thing in it and is putting forth quite the effort. Regardless, I…
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Film #15 of "Scavenger Hunt #3" Challenge!
Task #24 : A Black Comedy!
letterboxd.com/naughty/list/scavenger-hunt-3/
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Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) is wishing the old adage "You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family" wasn't true right about now because his family is proving to be nuttier than a fruitcake! As the family antic's come to a head on Halloween Mortimer (Cary Grant) is slowly losing his own sanity!
Cary Grant was absolutely brilliant! His facial expressions were hilarious! His comedic timing was impeccable! Of course he had a strong supporting cast which include the likes of Josephine Hull and Jean Adair whom knocked it out of the ballpark in their roles as the lunatic spinster aunts whom…
"What I mean is... Well... This is developing into a very bad habit!"
I don't know what I expected of this film, but I certainly wasn't anticipating a Halloween screwball comedy about two aunts poisoning old lonely men, an uncle who's convinced he's Teddy Roosevelt, and Cary Grant looking shocked and flustered 90% of the runtime.
3.75/5
I don't know what it is about the leads in Hitchcock films that make me dislike them until I see them out of Hitchcockland. It happened with James Stewart, who I found rather annoying in Rear Window, but when I saw him in It's a Wonderful Life I immediately got his wonderful appeal. And yes, it happened with Cary Grant in North by Northwest, but I now see why he was a superstar.
I didn't get the appeal of North by Northwest. And although he could really wear a suit, I just didn't like Cary Grant. Perhaps it was the tan. Or just the fact that he was the lead in a Hitchcock film I didn't like. Either way, I…
Film #13 of Project 40
”CHAAAAAAARRGE!”
This is as manic, exaggerated and congested a comedy can get. Biggest surprise of Arsenic and Old Lace is its director, here Frank Capra who is better known for his sweet, lighthearted and humble comedies creates something that can only be matched by Dr. Strangelove when it comes to cynicism and sarcasm of dialogues and the out of control nature. Put Boris Karloff, Teddy Roosevelt, Dr. Einstein and a Cary Grant who is swinging between mental stability and insanity in one single room and you’ll have it, an erratic comedy that is funny and frightening at the same time.
Arsenic and Old Lace is a movie that step by step drags you into its…
didn’t think I’d like this so much but after seeing those aunts I think I’ve finally figured out what I wanna be when I grow up
"Es war nicht Amerika, an das wir geglaubt haben - es waren die Filme Frank Capras".
(John Cassavetes)
Ein zynischer Theaterkritiker, der in gewichtigen Wälzern flammende Parolen gegen die Ehe schwingt und sich mit seiner Zukünftigen sonnenbebrillt ins Standesamt stiehlt.
Ein Taxifahrer, dessen Rechnung ins Astronomische steigt, während er auf das frischgebackene Paar wartet, das in den Flitterwochen einen Trip zu den Niagara-Fällen machen will.
Ein geistig Verwirrter, der sich selbst für Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt hält und die Nachbarschaft mit seinen nächtlichen Trompeten-Lauschangriffen ebenfalls buchstäblich in den Wahnsinn treibt.
Ein zwielichtiges "Scarface", dass als verlorener Sohn in den Schoß der Familie zurückkehrt.
Im Schlepptau einen angeblichen Schönheitschirugen, der nicht nur mit den Nerven so ziemlich beim Altglas steht, und einen…
An unusual cocktail of screwball absurdity andgothic horror, of all things, where loneliness will literally kill you. Falls flat character-wise on numerous occasions (most notably Raymond Massey’s Boris Karloff lookalike), but Capra’s artistry is too evident and too good to ignore. The excellence at which he and DP Sol Polito blocks and composes the images are only matched by their use of shadows. I don’t know if there is more to this darkly comedic romp than meets the eye, but if there is, there certainly isn’t much. Produces an overoptimistic deus ex machina at the ending that almost seems to betray its ostensible message, a traditionally dull, conventionally happy ending just for the sake of it. Still, if the premise didn’t sell me in on the film’s macabre delights, then at least Josephine Hull and Jean Adair’s performances did. Simple the movie may be, but it sure is fun and funny.
cary grant’s performance is one of the greatest comedic performances of all time
First of all.. Ulysses S Grant > Teddy Roosevelt
A Ulysses S Grant impersonator came to my hometown a few weeks ago and the experience was unintentionally hilarious and now he will forever be my favorite president.
Anyways this film is absolutely absurd. The first 20 or so minutes left me doubtful that I would enjoy the film, but it ramped up and wouldn’t quit. It’s basically a comedic version of a Hitchcock film. It was certainly worth watching but the comedic style wasn’t exactly my taste.
There's such a fantastic tension filled scene in this film I'm the dark that makes my heart fucking race so bad. Such a fantastic dark comedy.
didn’t think I’d like this so much but after seeing those aunts I think I’ve finally figured out what I wanna be when I grow up
Frank Capra’s great black comedy never disappoints. Mortimer Brewster(Cary Grant),a famous New York theater critic is marrying his Aunts Brooklyn neighbor Elaine Harper(Priscilla Lane). Before they go on their honeymoon they stop at his aunts home to tell them the news. When they get there Mortimer finds that his nice little aunts,Abby(Josephine Hull)and Martha(Jean Adair)Brewster have poisoned to death 12 gentlemen friends. They have done it in misguided charity to relieve them of their troubles. Unfortunately Mortimer now try’s to figure out how to fix the problem along with worrying about his own sanity. Throw in his murdering brother Jonathan (Raymond Massey)and his sidekick Dr Einstein (Peter Lorre) and all sanity goes out the window. Capra is on top of…
Darren Carver-Balsiger 503 films
Made this list for my friend Alex. Since comedy is his favourite genre, I thought it'd be fun to find…
Tobias Andersen 5,143 films
Rules: Generate a number (from 1 to x) via: www.random.org
See how many number of films there are in the…
Jason Bullok 1,000 films
A list of Edgar Wright's favorite 1000 Movies per his list on Mubi on July 27th, 2016.
twitter.com/edgarwright/status/758339515421433856 mubi.com/lists/edgar-wrights-favorite-movies
