Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Color:
Image not available

To view this video download Flash Player

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
Sell Us Your Item
For up to a $2.00 Gift Card
Trade in
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here

Arsenic & Old Lace (2000)

Cary Grant , Raymond Massey , Frank Capra  |  NR |  DVD
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (377 customer reviews)

List Price: $14.96
Price: $6.99 & FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $7.97 (53%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Want it Thursday, May 23? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
Watch Instantly with Prime Members Rent Buy
Arsenic and Old Lace
$0.00
$2.99 $9.99

Other Formats & Versions

Amazon Price New from Used from
DVD 1-Disc Version $6.99  
"Star Trek Into Darkness" Available for Pre-order on Blu-ray and DVD
From director J.J. Abrams comes the next installment in the Star Trek saga, Star Trek Into Darkness. See it at Cinemark theaters now and pre-order on Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, DVD, and the Exclusive Starfleet Phaser Gift Set. Shop Star Trek Into Darkness and more in the Star Trek Store. Learn more

Frequently Bought Together

Arsenic & Old Lace + Harvey + The Philadelphia Story
Price for all three: $20.97

Buy the selected items together


Product Details

  • Actors: Cary Grant, Raymond Massey
  • Directors: Frank Capra
  • Format: Black & White, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
  • Language: English (Mono)
  • Subtitles: English, French
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: Turner Home Ent
  • DVD Release Date: November 9, 2010
  • Run Time: 114 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (377 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B0045HCJHG
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,599 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • Learn more about "Arsenic & Old Lace" on IMDb

Special Features

None.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Frank Capra made this film in 1941 before he went off to make films for America's war effort, but it wasn't released until 1944. Adapted from the hit play by Joseph Kesselring, this frantic black comedy shows Capra at his best as a master of mood and timing. Actresses Josephine Hull and Jean Adair reprise their Broadway performances as two gentle old ladies who poison men with elderberry wine to put them out of their misery. Cary Grant plays one nephew, a normal guy who just gets wind of their little hobby and tries to get them to stop, while Raymond Massey plays another, a villain just escaped from jail. Capra encourages the cast, especially Grant, to give a somewhat more outsized performance than one might expect. But made during the war years as it was, this overstated comic approach to killing was probably cathartic. --Tom Keogh

Product Description

Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre. Two elderly Brooklyn spinsters poison the lonely old men who come to call in this sidesplitting black comedy. Directed by Frank Capra. 1944/b&w/118 min/NR/fullscreen.

Customer Reviews

I love old movies, but this one is so much fun to watch! Nancy Langley  |  107 reviewers made a similar statement
Great old movie and very funny. NerdGirl82  |  81 reviewers made a similar statement
Comedic Cary Grant at his best. J. Abbott  |  77 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
158 of 162 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Non-stop dark comedy--for everyone September 6, 2000
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Arsenic and Old Lace has been a family Halloween tradition for years. In some ways it might be called the original horror spoof: Two sweet old ladies poison lonely old men as a "charity" and bury them in the cellar, and no sooner does their stable nephew find out about this (while preparing to leave for his honeymoon) than his long-lost homicidal brother returns with a face like Frankenstein's monster.

Cary Grant knew his way around a comedy, so it's easy to believe when his character Mortimer grows more and more frazzled throughout the night, jumping from one problem to the next so quickly that he can't even remember he's just been married that day. In his place, juggling four insane relatives (three of them killers), a handful of cops, and two dead bodies, we'd all feel the worse for wear. The pace is quick, almost frantic at times; complications and plot twists come faster than anyone in the movie can handle them. The only characters who aren't perturbed and thrown completely out of their elements by the affair are the rest of the Brewster family, who are all crazy anyway.

The dark comedy genre is full of films that are a little too graphic or disturbing for kids (and even some adults), but this one's not quite so dark, and wildly funny enough to entertain all ages. And no matter how young or old you are, no matter how normal a family you have, you won't be able to help but chuckle when the harried Mortimer takes a breather to explain to his new wife: "Insanity runs in my family.... It practically gallops."

The DVD transfer is flawless; the clarity is wonderful. Pop some popcorn and watch it with the whole family.

Was this review helpful to you?
89 of 94 people found the following review helpful
By forrie
Format:DVD
Frank Capra delivers a great film adaptation of Joseph Kesselring's Broadway hit, "Arsenic and Old Lace". Originally filmed in 1941 just prior to WWII, but not released until 1944 because of the contract agreement to allow the play to complete its Broadway run. (The play ran for 1,444 performances.)

Cary Grant in the leading role as nephew, Mortimer Brewster is at his comedic best in this black comedy of wine, family & insanity. His 2 fabulous Aunts played by Josephine Hull & Jean Adair were encored to the screen and are perfect in their roles. Boris Karloff's obligations prevented him from doing the movie and was replaced by Raymond Massey in the movie version as Grant madcap brother. The great ensemble cast also included Peter Lorre, Edward Everett Horton, Priscilla Lane & John Alexander as a delightful zany crazy, thinking he is President "Teddy Roosevelt".

Summary: It is Halloween, Mortimers wedding day & his life is about to change forever. Visiting his 2 Aunts (Hull & Adair) with his wife (Lane - Ministers daughter!) on their way to their honeymoon to Niagara Falls discovers a body in the window seat. Thinking his crazy cousin, (Alexander) has committed the crime approaches his Aunts. They not only know about the body, but they know who he was & how he died. Their elderberry wine laced with a mixture of arsenic. Oh by the way, he is the 12th to be buried in the cellar. What is Mortimer to do & is his entire family insane? We began a very entertaining & hilarious journey to answering these & many more questions.

This DVD is an excellent Black & White Full Screen (before WideScreen) transfer. Extras include Production notes.

"Arsenic and Old Lace" film adaptation is very close to the actual Broadway play & is a great classic to have in your DVD library. Enjoy.

Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
37 of 41 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Arsenic & Old Lace March 22, 2003
Format:DVD
Plot: Mortimer, a drama critic, has just got married and is about to go on his honeymoon when he discovers insanity runs in his family. His sweet maiden aunts poison lonely old men and have a number of corpses buried in the cellar.....

A film adaptation of the popular stage play, Arsenic and Old Lace is a hilarious movie perfect for people of all ages. The story of Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant), the youngest of three brothers who were raised by two dear, but eccentric, spinster aunts, who have a nasty little habit of "putting poor souls" out of their misery with a little arsenic-laced elderberry wine.

It is delightful to watch Mortimer go from a nice, normal, newlywed to a nervous, neurotic mess as he tries to figure a way out of the predicament his well-meaning aunts have placed them all in. Throw in one brother who thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt, another who is a psychopathic killer fashioned after Boris Karloff, and Peter Lorre as Dr. Einstein, a slightly intoxicated make-shift plastic surgeon, and you'll be laughing the entire way through.

All of the performances were wonderful, but Cary Grant's facial expressions, double takes, and hilarious body language are a joy to watch. A truly classic, funny movie.

"No, I'm not drunk, madame.......but you've given me an idea!" - Mortimer, seething in frustration as he tries to get past the operator, so that he can get his family committed into the HappyDale Sanitarium.

"Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops!" - Mortimer, trying to explain to his new bride why it would be best for her to leave him and never look back.

Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Funny, clever and classic
Nothing says old Hollywood magic like a Cary Grant movie. This is a departure from his romantic comedies or suspenseful thrillers, in that this captures a little bit of both. Read more
Published 2 days ago by Liza Medina
4.0 out of 5 stars jules
Arsenic and old Lace is still as funny as it was long ago. It treats a otherwise bad situation with old time comedy
Published 3 days ago by Julie
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Product!
Order this for a Mother's Day gift. My mom loved it! Was the perfect gift for someone who says she already has everything she needs.
Published 3 days ago by Robert Keller
5.0 out of 5 stars Arsenic and Old Lace
Excellent fall movie to watch Cary Grant and the rest of the above average cast worth watching I highly recommend it..
Published 4 days ago by John D. Bamonte
4.0 out of 5 stars Grand old farce
I have always liked the movie, and the cast was first rate. We did have trouble finishing the movie because of pauses and outright loss of signal. Read more
Published 7 days ago by tomg
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the old great films!
A young Cary Grant at his greatest. His timing is impecable!. I laughed through the whole movie and it's one that I enjoyed with my two 9 yr old boys.
Published 8 days ago by Aherren
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Comedy
You can't go wrong with a classic like this. If you like comedies this one is for you. Don't miss it.
Published 10 days ago by prhirt
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic fun
I love classic black and white movies and you can never go wrong with a Carey Grant movie. If looking for a fun way to spend a few hours this movie should be watched.
Published 11 days ago by Jeannie
5.0 out of 5 stars Oldie but a goodie
I haven't seen this for awhile so I decided to purchase it. It is still funny to watch, even though it is an older movie.
Published 11 days ago by My Opinion
5.0 out of 5 stars Old-fashioned screwball comedy--but not quite
It's fun to see Cary Grant in a less-suave, polished role. I've wanted to see this movie for years and am glad I did.
Published 17 days ago by Jill McKenna
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Forums

Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions

Topic From this Discussion
Black and White or Color Version?
It had a colorized version many years ago. I liked the colorized version when I saw it. Good luck finding it.
Feb 24, 2013 by cyberghostx13 |  See all 2 posts
Arsenic and Old Lace (other versions)
According to a reviewer I read, Boris Karloff, could not be released from the play to film the movie. Unless there's a filming of the play, at least on this avenue, you are out of luck. I know nothing regarding a Bob Crane version.

Ooh, and I didn't intend for a pun of Hogan's Heroes. Sorry... Read more
Nov 21, 2010 by K. DeV |  See all 3 posts
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 




Look for Similar Items by Category