Arsenic and Old Lace (Warner Bros.) (1944)

Riotous ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ Coming to Stra (Advance Theatre Story) “Don’t try to be funny until you are an accomplished student of the drama.” This has long been the counsel advanced by theatrical directors who hold, from sound experience, that good comedy is far more difficult to achieve than drama. Advice to the contrary notwithstanding, some time back the Messrs. Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse took Joseph Kesselring’s “Arsenic and Old Lace,” originally written as a straight melodrama, and turned it into an hilarious comedy hit which ran on Broadway for over four years. The fact is, even Kesselring didn’t know about the transition until opening night. In short order, the perspicacious Warner Bros. had purchased the film rights to the play and had put to work on the screen adaptation two masters of the art of screen writing — that inimitable team of twins — Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein. With ever-increasing perspicacity they further arranged with veteran film-maker ~~ Frank Capra to produce and direct the screen version of the comedy. The riotous result, retaining the original title of “Arsenic and Old Lace,” stars Cary Grant and comes to the Strand on Friday. The film version has jostled the plot of the stage play a bit, completely reversing the romantic situation, thus creating even more laughs than originally. On the screen the story opens with Cary Gtant (Mortimer Brewster) and Priscilla Lane (Elaine Harper), the pretty girl next door, being married in City Hall and the couple’s quandary arises from the supposition that Grant is the victim of hereditary insanity. Everything works out satisfactorily, however, when the Brewster sisters reveal that Mortimer is not really their nephew but the son of a chef on an ocean liner—or, as he calls himself, “a son of a Sea Cook.” Josephine Hull and Jean Adair, members of the original New York stage cast, again play the two lovable but completely daft aunts. John Alexander appears again as “Teddy” Roosevelt, his part in the stage play, Other members of the excellent supporting cast include Raymond Massey in a Boris Karloff type of role; Peter Lorre, as his sinister accomplice; Jack Carson as the cop, O’Hara; James Gleason as Inspector Rooney; Edward Everett Horton as Mr. Witherspoon, superintendent of the booby hatch, Happydale; Edward McNamara, Edward McWade and Charles Lane. Perc Westmore was the film’s make-up artist. I Don’t miss special Cary Grant feature on page seven in this press book. nd Theatre Friday Still AL 519; Mat 204—30c DRAMATIC CRITIC, Mortimer Brewster (as played by Cary Grant), is involved in doings both hilarious and eerie at his Brooklyn home, in Warner Bros.’ comedy hit “Arsenic and Old Lace," coming to the Strand on Friday. ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ Now at Strand Theatre (Current Theatre Story) Off the record, they get away with murder at Warner Bros. Not one murder, either, but twentyfive! : They’re all in “Arsenic and Old Lace,’ a comedy, if you please, which deals with killings, madness and love, and which is confidently intended to slay audiences with laughter when it artives at the Strand Theatre Friday. Briefly, it deals with Cary Grant’s two mad maiden aunts, and their frenzy to kill more old gentlemen than Cary’s brother, Raymond Massey, has already killed. For most of the film, aunts and nephew go along neck and neck, with twelve corpses accounted for apiece. It’s only in the stretch that the ladies’ fine capacity for disposing of men via a glass of wine ibrena ity: spiked with arsenic, wins out, and they emerge triumphant, with the winning thirteenth corpse. They're insane, of course Still 103—15c Jack Carson So is Massey. And so is a character who wanders in and out of the film under the pleasant misapprehension that he is President “Teddy” Roosevelt. It’s through such confusion as this that Cary, freshly married to Priscilla Lane, tries and tries to stabilize his marriage. The © excellent cast includes three members of the original stage company — Josephine Hull and Jean Adair, as the zany aunts (Abby and Martha Brewster), and John Alexander, the bugletooting “Teddy” Roosevelt. Sinister Peter Lorre plays Dr. Einstein, accomplice of the criminally insane and murderous Jonathan Brewster (Raymond Massey) and Jack Carson is cast as a sensitive cop with playwriting ambitions. Other outstanding players in the film are James Gleason as Inspector Rooney; Edward Everett’ Horton as Mr. Witherspoon, superintendent of a much-needed booby hatch, Happydale; Edward McWade, Edward McNamara and Charles Lane. The film was adapted by Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein from the successful New York stage play. Frank Capra produced and directed the screen version. Perc Westmore was the make-up artist. 4 Mortimer Brewster CARY GRANT Jonathan Brewster . Raymond Massey Jack Carson Peter Lorre Priscilla Lane Josephine Hull Jean Adair John Alexander ...Charles Lane coed watd McNamara Edward McWade Elaine Harper ... Abby Brewster Martha Brewster Teddy “Roosevelt” Brewster Reporter Brophy outer eae ate =, Gibbss ves SYNOPSIS (Not for Publication) Two sweet but crazy old ladies, Abby and Martha Brewster (Josephine Hull and Jean Adair), reside in a secluded section of Brooklyn Heights. They are consumed by a zany desire to end the existence of lonesome old men, lured into their home under the guise of renting them rooms. Their demise in accomplished by means of a friendly glass of elderberry wine liberally spiked with arsenic. The ladies have three nephews. One—Teddy (John Alexander)—daft but harmless, lives with them in the belief that he is “Teddy” Roosevelt. The other two are Mortimer (Cary Grant) and Jonathan Brewster (Raymond Massey). Mortimer is sane (although a dramatic critic) ; Jonathan is criminally insane and in the hands of the law. Mortimer marries Elaine Harper (Priscilla Lane), pretty daughter of Rev. Harper (Grant Mitchell), next door neighbor of the Aunts Brewster. Back in Brooklyn to break the news, Mortimer idly opens the window seat in his aunts’ living room. It harbors a dead body. Horrified, Mortimer hears his aunts proudly admit that the corpse, “Mr. Hoskins,” is their own handiwork. Shyly, they imply he is not the first. The aunts plan to hold services for “Mr. Hoskins” and order “Teddy” to “Dig another lock for the Canal” (just -as he’d dug eleven other locks in the cellar for “yellow fever victims”). Enter Jonathan and Dr. Einstein (Peter Lorre), his partner in crime and personal surgeon, who alters Jonathan’s face at will. They have a “hot body” to dispose of. Einstein discovers the newly dug grave in the cellar and tells Jonathan. Feeling that he is “in,” Jonathan tries to hide his corpse but is interrupted by Elaine, who, after waiting in vain for Mortimer, has come to find out where he is. Before the evening ends, the insane Jonathan, fearing exposure, attempts to do away with Elaine and Mortimer. He binds and gags them in preparation for a somewhat spectacular demise. Into this confusion enter the local cop (Jack Carson), a thwarted playwright, Inspector Rooney (James Gleason), who recognizes Jonathan as a “wanted criminal” and Mr. Witherspoon (Edward Everett Horton), superintendent of the booby hatch, Happydale, who has come to fetch “Teddy” to the padded cell. Happily for the future of Brooklyn’s lonely old bachelors, the two ladies volunteer to accompany Witherspoon . and “Teddy” to Happydale. Before leaving, the Sisters Brewster inform Mortimer that he’s not really their nephew at all, but an adopted ward. In indescribable relief at being free from the taint of Brewster bugginess, he rushes into Elaine’s arms. Running Time — 118 Minutes PRODUCTION Produced and Directed by Frank Capra. Screenplay by Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein from the stage play by Joseph Kesselring, which was produced by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. Director of Photography, Sol Polito, A.S.C. Film Editor, Owen Marks. Art Director, Max Parker. Dialogue Director, Harold Winston. Sound by C. A. Riggs. Gowns by Orry-Kelly. Makeup Artist, Perc Westmore. Assistant Director, Russ Saunders. Unit Manager, Eric Stacey. Unit Publicist, Bob Fender.