Frank Capra's version of the stage classic "Arsenic and Old Lace" was an introduction to the Dark Humor catagory that has been popular ever since.
Though released in 1944 this film was filmed in 1941, the release was delayed while the Broadway play was still ongoing. Capra took care to keep the broader "stage style" in most of the comic bits where the actors emote as if they were playing to a large theatre. Less than 10 minutes of the film take place outside the Aunts old Brooklyn house. But he then used a more subtle, intimate film technique in the more serious or personal moments as when Mortimer tries to comfort his Aunts as he appologizes for shouting at them.
The effect of this is to help make what could be a strictly comic film one in which the characters are rounded out and audience is invited to care about these people.
As is true with the best of movies, almost character in the film has some depth; not a common charateristic in comedy films then or now.
The use of the same actors for the aunts (Josephine Hull and Jean Adair), who were by day in front of the camera and by night on stage performing the same roles, make Aunt Abby and Aunt Martha instantly imbeded in our minds as these people. Their performances cast shadows over and beg comparison for anyone taking on the roles in local or professional theatre. Josephine Hull went on later to work with Jimmy Stewart and won a supporting actress Oscar in 1951. This was one of the few other roles either actress had in film due in part to their consistent work in theatre and their identification in the public with the two Aunts.
Cary Grant (having been cared for by Jean Adair some 20 years earlier in real life) strikes the perfect cord with Mortimer by using a wild, over-the-top bravado, nearly every visible muscle in his body to flail across the screen. When Grant ad-libs an admonishment to Dr. Einstein for "Underplaying" the irony is as thick as Lorre's accent.It was reported later in life that he greatly disliked this perfomance. But the viewer is kept inside the premise of the film and away from a more morbid view of the subject matter in part because of the grandiose bravura Grant brings.
The other characters are deftly presented by a cast of seasoned entertainers led by Edward Everett Horton. Though known largely to people of my generation as Roaring Chicken from "F Troop" or the Fractured Fairy Tales narrator from "Rocky & Bullwinkle", EEH is known as a prolific character actor to two generations before that in musicals, dramas, and other comedies. Here, his Mr. Witherspoon challenges us to consider who guards the guards.
Little known trivia, Mr. Witherspoon is killed in the stage play as a 14th victim, but was "saved" from this fate by the censors. As a result Mortimer tells him never to drink Elderberry wine.
No Discussion of this film would be complete without mentioning John Alexander. His Theodore Brewster is one of the gems of film. So fully inhabiting his delusion that he is "Teddy Roosevelt". Like Adair and Hull, his identification in the public eye was so complete he was often presented with s to play Teddy Roosevelt himself, not just a charater who thought he was the 26th President of the United States.
Also helping greatly were Peter Lorre playing Dr. Einstein, a part quintessentially a Lorre personality. Raymond Massey taking the sunken cheeked role that Boris Karloff actually played on stage bowls us over with his strictly evil presence while somehow conveying a comic veneer that keeps the audience from truly fearing him. Priscilla Lane ("Four Daughters") is sweet and sour as newlywed who, in one day, becomes the long suffering wife. It is her discovery at the end of the film that opens the door to the happy ending where all will work out.
The halloween setting and the use of black and white film add illumination to the story by keeping us focused on the performances rather than the absurdities of the plot.
Truly, we are so taken by the characters at the end that our need for vengful justice never even makes an appearance in our mind though some 25 people have ultimately died at the hands of three of our protagonists.
Mostly we walk away remembering that Mortimer is a real "Son of a Sea Cook" (a much more humorous and creative line than the original) and that the Charge of San Juan Hill is available to us wherever there are stairs.
Jeff
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