Cary Grant's Arsenic & Old Lace needs a restoration and UPgrade (1 Viewer)

[darkrock17]

Wonder how many days Massey shot his scenes in - liked him - always great in every role but the sheer amount of people that would have seen Karloff in the role with the reference to Jonathan looking like Karloff would have been millions compared to the number seeing the Broadway play. But it is a great film and the cast stellar - Karloff would have been the icing on the cake - Check out Massey in the 49th Parallel small role but GREAT

Here's another blurb from the film's Wikipedia page, no more mention of Massey, but how the film was shot in just 8 weeks.

Josephine Hull and Jean Adair portray the Brewster sisters, Abby and Martha, respectively. Hull and Adair, as well as John Alexander (who played Teddy Brewster), were reprising their roles from the 1941 stage production.[7] Hull and Adair both received an eight-week leave of absence from the stage production, which was still running, but Karloff did not, as he was an investor in the stage production and its main draw. The entire film was shot within those eight weeks. The film cost just over $1.2 million of a $2 million budget to produce.[8]

 

[Capt D McMars]

Here's another blurb from the film's Wikipedia page, no more mention of Massey, but how the film was shot in just 8 weeks.

Josephine Hull and Jean Adair portray the Brewster sisters, Abby and Martha, respectively. Hull and Adair, as well as John Alexander (who played Teddy Brewster), were reprising their roles from the 1941 stage production.[7] Hull and Adair both received an eight-week leave of absence from the stage production, which was still running, but Karloff did not, as he was an investor in the stage production and its main draw. The entire film was shot within those eight weeks. The film cost just over $1.2 million of a $2 million budget to produce.[8]

It always amazes me to see where out of chaos comes such a classic!!

 

[Capt D McMars]

It always amazes me to see where out of chaos comes such a classic!! Given the short window of opportnity, I'm glad that the same actores, (except Karloff) were able to be dropped into the scenes...just like coming home. Going from stage to stage, LOL!!! Knowing the parts in their sleep, giving just the right mojo!!

 

[Kent K H]

Here's another blurb from the film's Wikipedia page, no more mention of Massey, but how the film was shot in just 8 weeks.

Josephine Hull and Jean Adair portray the Brewster sisters, Abby and Martha, respectively. Hull and Adair, as well as John Alexander (who played Teddy Brewster), were reprising their roles from the 1941 stage production.[7] Hull and Adair both received an eight-week leave of absence from the stage production, which was still running, but Karloff did not, as he was an investor in the stage production and its main draw. The entire film was shot within those eight weeks. The film cost just over $1.2 million of a $2 million budget to produce.[8]

To be fair, only a handful of scenes take place anywhere besides the house's drawing room, so that probably helped a lot. If it were made today, there would definitely be a lot more locations and we'd absolutely be shown the basement. It's a testament to Capra that he keeps everything visually interesting.

 

[darkrock17]

To be fair, only a handful of scenes take place anywhere besides the house's drawing room, so that probably helped a lot. If it were made today, there would definitely be a lot more locations and we'd absolutely be shown the basement. It's a testament to Capra that he keeps everything visually interesting.

A single location for an entire film can be more affective than traveling all over throughout. Having a single location works in a lot films, such as two Hitchcock classics; Rope and Rear Window and even more so in my favorite Audrey Hepburn film, Wait Until Dark.

 

[RobertMG]

To be fair, only a handful of scenes take place anywhere besides the house's drawing room, so that probably helped a lot. If it were made today, there would definitely be a lot more locations and we'd absolutely be shown the basement. It's a testament to Capra that he keeps everything visually interesting.

think he tried to make it like the play was staged

 

[uncledougie]

To successfully turn a stage play into a film without making it static and “stagy,” but yet adhering close to the original work, is very tricky. Capra made the adaptation here very adroitly, as he had with You Can’t Take It with You (1938), which seems undeservedly somewhat forgotten when people talk of Frank Capra films.

 

[Capt D McMars]

Yawn. Why Criterion? Why not from Warner Archive whose standards are much higher than Criterion's?

I just want some one with an eye for detail to restore and 4K this classic film for all of us!!

 

[Capt D McMars]

think he tried to make it like the play was staged

that kept the filming down to a minimum, 8 weeks is not alot of time!!

 

[Capt D McMars]

Yeah, I think Massey did just great, but it's so obvious that the Karloff bit is intended as a meta-joke that it would have been perfect if he'd been allowed in the film.

the only time where Karloff was in a semi comedic role as a killer was with Danny Kaye "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty". Kind of that same vain as Basil Rathbone in The Court Jester. Get It Got it Good!!!

 

[ahollis]

Karloff was pretty good in Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff.

I do think WAC will up grade this film to Blu-ray and hope either that WAC or Critrion will release it this October just in time for Halloween.

 

[The Tall Cinephile]

I know many titles are in the works, from the various studios. Now that the smoke seems to be clearing a bit. But has anyone heard anything about these 2 classic Cary Grant blockbusters? Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) and Gunga Din (1939) seem woefully absent from any HD upgrades. Both are classics, and in real need of love and attention. I'd love to find out if these might be in the works for an BR upgrade? Thanks in advance for any additional information in these regards ~

Arsenic and Old Lace Blu ray is in progress.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Arsenic and Old Lace Blu ray is in progress.

That's great!

 

[RobertMG]

Arsenic and Old Lace Blu ray is in progress.

yeeeeeeeessssss!

 

[jayembee]

Yawn. Why Criterion? Why not from Warner Archive whose standards are much higher than Criterion's?

It's been long rumored that Criterion has had this. (Full disclosure: I've often mentioned this rumor in various forums, even if I didn't start it.). Criterion had released this on laserdisc back in the day, so it's not hard to believe that they'd want to release it on blu-ray.

 

[Capt D McMars]

Arsenic and Old Lace Blu ray is in progress.

Oh My!!!!! tell me more?!!!

 

[jayembee]

I know my father had played Teddy in a community theater production back in the day, though I wasn't old enough to have seen it (if I was even born at the time). I only found out because I asked him one time why he had a bugle lying around. It occurs to me that I don't know what ever happened to that bugle after he died. I suppose my mother just threw it away (it was rather banged up).

 

[Jack P]

Aresenic and Old Lace I think is the last "snapper case" DVD I still own!

 

[Will Krupp]

Aresenic and Old Lace I think is the last "snapper case" DVD I still own!

I WISH! (I'm looking at YOU The Late Show!)

 

[David Weicker]

Arsenic and Old Lace Blu ray is in progress.

While I think this is fantastic news, do you have a source?

Its been rumored it's been coming for several years now.