Back in the 1930s and 40s, as the studio system and the Hays code were in their peaks, Frank Capra was one of the most important directors in Hollywood. He helmed such classics like “It Happened One Night” (1934), “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939) and “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946). His films have become milestones of american cinema, always blended in with a heartfelt story and clever humour. In 1944 he released “Arsenic and Old Lace”, today somewhat lesser known than the previously mentioned titles, and yet still considered an undisputable classic for those who know it. Based on a classic Broadway play by the same name and starring Cary Grant, the film is a clear example of how classy and utterly funny comedies at the time could be.

“Arsenic and Old Lace” tells the tale of the Brewster family, who descended from the Mayflower and are currently located in New York. Virtually every member is considerably crazy: Teddy (John Alexander) fancies himself to be Theodor Roosevelt, the long lost Jonathan comes back home followed by the law and with a few crimes under his belt, and aunts Abby and Martha (Josephine Hull and Jean Adair, respectively) have a very sneaky and secretive habit that has to do with the basement. The only apparently sane one is Mortimer (Cary Grant), who is about to get married with Elaine (Priscilla Lane), but he’s worried his family’s troubled genes will come back to haunt him. About 80% of the film takes place in the living room of the Brewster house, and conflict arises as Martimer slowly begins to realize his family members’ dark secrets. Also, another character that needs to get mentioned is Dr. Einstein (yes, really), played by Peter Lorre, who accompanies Jonathan to his childhood home.

The first thing that needs to be mentioned here is the talented cast. Grant leads, he was one of the biggest stars at the time, and for the most part he does a pretty good job – though he does have better roles, and there are moments here in which I got the feeling he was overacting a bit too much. Still, his performance was very solid and he’s more than capable of carrying the film with him. Hull and Adair are impecably wonderful as the two troublesome aunts, finding the perfect balance between adorably warm and darkly mischievous. Raymond Massey does a very good job as the villain, Jonathan, who looks like Boris Karloff, but isn’t really. I was truly disappointed as I found out that Karloff wasn’t in the film, since he was actually starring in the play at the time in Broadway and couldn’t take a leave of abscence, as he was one of the main attractions back in the day. And finally, the great Peter Lorre does an excellent job as the slimy and yet somehow benign Dr. Einstein.

Writing-wise the film also excels. I’ve never seen nor read the original play, but after watching the movie I most certainly want to. The story is both diabolically clever and histerically funny. The dialogues are witty and sharp, though the film does tend to rely a little too much on them as a means of exposition, but then again that wasn’t uncommon for films at the time. The characters, pintoresque and eccentric as they may appear, are somehow fully rounded, enough that one would believe such people may exist, as absurd as it may appear. Everyone is blissfully ignorant to some extent, and that adds both to the hilarity and tension on display, while at the same time revealing facets to the characters that may not be too obvious at first sight. The only characterization that I found to be a little lackluster was that of Elaine, Priscila Lane’s character. I realize that the focus on the film lies and should lie on the Brewster family, but I found that her lack of agency does reduce her to a minor character, whereas I believe her importance should be elevated a tad since she’s basically the newest member of the family.

Capra’s direction also deserves a mention. Like I said, he was one of the bigger and most important directors at a time where studios had complete control of the final product and the director was just another piece of the puzzle. And yet, Capra belonged to a small elite (that includes the likes of John Ford, John Huston, Howard Hawkes, Orson Welles and Alfred Hitchcock) who were trusted and respected by the studios to carry out their vision. In this one he balances his cast almost impecably, and considering all the players involved there shouldn’t be any question about labeling this an ensemble piece. And like mentioned before, most of the film takes place in the same room, so the spatial configuartion had to function like clockwork for it to work out in the end. Capra keeps the theatrical essence of the original play, as characters entering and leaving the room function as signals for a shift of scene. He avoids using close-ups, the film is mostly shot in long and medium shots, and the editing is subtle and doesn’t call attention to itself, all this adding to a more theatrical experience.

“Arsenic and Old Lace” is a very classic (from a style perspective), very dark and very funny comedy about an unconventional family. It tackles the subject of insanity in a very humourous and clever fashion – is it accurate in its portrayal of mental illness? I don’t think so, but that shouldn’t detract from the film’s overall quality. Featuring a great ensemble cast lead by Cary Grant, based on a very popular stage play that still gets produced today every now and then, and directed by one of classic Hollywood’s stellar and most reliable directors, the film represents the best of what the genre of dark comedies has to offer. I really recommend it for anyone who enjoys classic movies, has a dark sense of humour, is a Frank Capra fan, or simply if you’re into this type of films.

I’m finally back writing, I hope I can keep regularly producing content now, but it is still the season in which my other, “real world” responsibilities may interfere. Still, I’m glad I’m back at it and I hope you enjoyed this review. It’d be of big help if you could share this with your friends and family, and follow this blog if you haven’t already and want to stay up to date with new content. Until next time!