Arsenic and Old Lace 1944
For Halloween this year I watched Arsenic and Old Lace, which takes place on Halloween. I knew a few things about the movie and I think maybe we read the play in high school. Unfortunately it is one of those Cary Grant films where he has to be really silly, which I don't think suits him, and he has to do it a lot. The whole idea of the movie is absurd that these old ladies would murder people, have no qualms about it, and nobody would notice all of these people missing. The comedy is just way too broad for me and hasn't aged well, like Teddy Roosevelt charging up the staircase. Still, things move quickly and there is always someone else coming to the door to keep things interesting. It is quite a mishmash actually, a very dark comedy about mass murderers, and also a romance. Occasionally they do hit a joke out of the park and Grant has a great line with "Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops!" So the movie isn't without its charms if you know to expect a very silly and hammy comedy, but it fell short for me.
Written: 01 Nov 2024
Owned on: Digital