The story follows (Cary Grant), a high-profile drama critic and notorious marriage detractor who has just secretly wed his neighbor, Elaine Harper (Priscilla Lane). When he returns to his childhood home to tell his elderly aunts, Abby and Martha, he discovers a horrifying secret: the two seemingly sweet women have been "charitably" poisoning lonely old men with arsenic-laced elderberry wine and burying them in the cellar.
The film is widely regarded as a classic and is ranked on the American Film Institute’s list of the funniest American movies of all time. It holds high ratings on major platforms like Rotten Tomatoes (86% critics) and IMDb (7.9/10). If you're interested, I can: Tell you where to watch or stream it right now Provide a deeper breakdown of the best scenes or quotes Recommend similar black comedies from that era Let me know how you'd like to explore this classic further . Arsenic and Old Lace - Film Fisher
: Although filmed in 1941, the movie wasn't released until 1944 because the stage play was so successful that the producers refused to let the film compete with it. Arsenico e vecchi merletti [m1080p] (1944)
: It is a prime example of screwball comedy mixed with dark, gothic horror elements, featuring witty, rapid-fire dialogue and elaborate slapstick. Critical Standing
: Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, and John Alexander all reprised their original Broadway roles for the film. The story follows (Cary Grant), a high-profile drama
: Known for his "suave" roles, Grant delivers an incredibly frenetic and over-the-top comedic performance here, though he famously considered it the worst of his career because he felt he "over-acted".
: Jonathan’s alcoholic accomplice and plastic surgeon, played by the legendary Peter Lorre . Key Details & Trivia It holds high ratings on major platforms like
As Mortimer frantically tries to manage the situation, things spiral further out of control with the arrival of: