So hot on the heels of his 46th film yesterday is Arsenic and Old Lace, Cary Grant's 47th full length feature film. The reason? It was completed two years earlier, but had to wait until the stage show had completed its run.
Cary Grant plays Mortimer Brewster, whose Aunt Abby(Josephine Hull) and Aunt Martha(Jean Adair) are the Old Lace who provide the Arsenic!
"Cary Grant's role as written for the screen is strongly slapstick, but despite the handicap he scores remarkably well." - Citizen News
With Josephine Hull and Jean Adair.
"More is made of the Grant character than on the stage. Indeed, he carries this picture with pantomime, facial expressions and a wild sort of farcical delivery of lines. He is an expert at that."
- Edwin Schallert, Los Angeles Times.
With Peter Lorre, Raymond Massey, Josephine Hull, Priscilla Lane and Jean Adair.
"I was embarrassed doing it. I overplayed the character. It was a dreadful job for me...Jimmy Stewart would have been much better in the film." - Cary Grant
With Priscilla Lane.
Cast:
Mortimer Brewster Cary Grant
Jonathan Brewster Raymond Massey
Elaine Harper Priscilla Lane
Abby Brewster Josephine Hull
Martha Brewster Jean Adair
O'Hara Jack Carson
Mr. Witherspoon Edward Everett Horton
Dr. Einstein Peter Lorre
Lieutenant Rooney James Gleason
Teddy "Roosevelt"
Brewster John Alexander
Reverend Harper Grant Mitchell
Brophy Edward McNamara
Taxi Driver Garry Owen
Saunders John Ridgely
Judge Cullman Vaughan Glaser
Doctor Gilchrist Chester Clute
Reporter Charles Lane
Gibbs Edward McWade
Man in Phone Booth Leo White
Marriage License Clerk Spencer Charters
Photographer Hank Mann
Umpire Lee Phelps
Italian "Arsenic and Old Lace".
Press Article and Publicity Shots.
Lobby Cards:
Produced and distributed by Warner Bros.
Running time: 118 minutes.
