Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
| Release Date | 01 September 1944 |
| Budget | $1,000,000 |
| Tagline | She Passed Out On Cary ! No Wonder . . . She's just discovered his favorite aunts have poisoned their 13th gentleman friend ! |
| Genre | Comedy, Thriller |
| Country | USA |
| Filming Locations | City Island, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA |
| Language | English, German |
| Sound Mix | Mono |
| Color | Black and White |
| Film Type | Feature |
| Film Class | Farce, Screwball Comedy, Crime Comedy |
| Mood | Just for Laughs |
| Themes | Unlikely Criminals, Hide the Dead Body, Eccentric Families, Dysfunctional Families, Women's Friendship |
| Tones | Frantic, Humorous, Madcap, Witty, Irreverent, Quirky |
| Tags | Bachelor, Basement, Elderly, Mental Illness, Nephew, Poisoning, Serial Killer, Spinster |
Arsenic and Old Lace is a 1944 film directed by Frank Capra based on Joseph Kesselring's play of the same name. The script adaptation was by Julius J. Epstein. Capra actually filmed the movie in 1941, but it was not released until 1944, after the original stage version had finished its run on Broadway. The lead role of Mortimer Brewster was originally intended for Bob Hope, but he couldn't be released from his contract with Paramount. Capra had also approached Jack Benny and Ronald Reagan before going with Cary Grant. Boris Karloff played Jonathan Brewster, who "looks like Karloff", on the Broadway stage, but he was unable to do the movie as well because he was still appearing in the play during filming, and Raymond Massey took his place.
Cast and Crew
Cast
Josephine Hull
Abby Brewster
Jean Adair
Martha Brewster
John Alexander
'Teddy Roosevelt' Brewster
Edward McNamara
Brophy
Garry Owen
Taxi Cab Driver
Vaughan Glaser
Judge Cullman
Chester Clute
Dr. Gilchrist
Sol Gorss
New York Pitcher
Herbert Gunn
Undetermined Supporting Role
Roland Jones
Undetermined Supporting Role
Spec O'Donnell
Young Man in Line
Don Phillips
Undetermined Supporting Role
Leo White
Man in Phone Booth
Jean Wong
Young Woman in Line
Director
Writer
Philip G. Epstein
Joseph Kesselring
Producer
Jack L. Warner
executive producer
Original Music
Cinematographer
Sol Polito
Editor
Daniel Mandell
-
Art Director
Max Parker
-
Costume Designer
Orry-Kelly
Makeup Department
Perc Westmore
makeup artist
George Bau
makeup artist
Anita De Beltrand
hair stylist
John Wallace
makeup man
Production Manager
Eric Stacey
unit manager
Steve Trilling
production manager
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Claude Archer
second assistant director
Russell Saunders
assistant director
Art Department
Lou Hafley
props
Keefe Maley
second propman
Al Williams
assistant propman
Levi C. Williams
assistant propman
Sound Department
C.A. Riggs
sound
Everett A. Brown
mixer
Special Effects
Robert Burks
special effects
Byron Haskin
special effects
Camera and Electrical Department
Wesley Anderson
second camera
Joe Cramer
best boy
Frank Evans
assistant camera
Mickey Marigold
still photographer
Harold Noyes
grip
Charles O'Bannon
gaffer
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cora Lobb
wardrobe
Leon Roberts
wardrobe
Music Department
Hugo Friedhofer
orchestral arrangements
Other Crew
Russel Crouse
producer: stage play
Howard Lindsay
producer: stage play
Harold Winston
dialogue director
Bob Fender
unit publicist
Herman Lissauer
researcher
Mal Merrihugh
stand-in: Cary Grant
Wandra Sybald
script clerk
Production Company
Warner Bros. Pictures
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros.
Criterion Collection, The
MGM/UA Home Entertainment
Warner Home Video
,
Chapel Distribution
First Trading
GP Museum Soft
Junes Planning
Keep
Living Colour Entertainment
Tone
Related Lists
Navigation Boxes
Films directed by Frank Capra
A Hole in the Head (1959)
American Madness (1932)
Arsenic and Old Lace
Broadway Bill (1934)
Dirigible (1931)
Flight (1929)
For the Love of Mike (1927)
Forbidden (1932)
Here Comes the Groom (1951)
It Happened One Night (1934)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Ladies of Leisure (1930)
Lady for a Day (1933)
Long Pants (1927)
Lost Horizon (1937)
Meet John Doe (1941)
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Platinum Blonde (1931)
Pocketful of Miracles (1961)
Rain or Shine (1930)
Riding High (1950)
Say It with Sables (1928)
State of the Union (1948)
Submarine (1928)
That Certain Thing (1928)
The Donovan Affair (1929)
The Matinee Idol (1928)
The Miracle Woman (1931)
The Power of the Press (1928)
The Strong Man (1926)
The Way of the Strong (1928)
The Younger Generation (1929)
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp (1926)
You Can't Take It with You (1938)
