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Arsenic and Old Lace… You Really, Really, Really Have to See this Comedy!

April 5, 2022 By Joi

Jean Adair, Josephine Hull, and Cary Grant in Arsenic and Old Lace

Jean Adair, Josephine Hull, and Cary Grant 

Arsenic and Old Lace is, unquestionably, one of the funniest and most enjoyable movies ever made. It’s one of those you hear mentioned so often that you kind of glaze over the recommendations. It almost becomes, “Well, of course you say I should see it… everyone says that.”

But here’s the thing, everyone says it for a darn good reason… you should see it! You know what’ll happen when you do see it, don’t you? You’ll become one of us annoying people who keep telling everyone else to watch it!

Trust me, it’s well worth the risk. The movie is front to back pure entertainment and a great joy to watch.

PLOT: Cary Grant is Mortimer, a successful author of books on the futility of marriage. He risks his career and reputation as an expert when he decides to marry the beautiful Elaine (Priscilla Lane). Things go from bad to worse when he learns (on his wedding day no less!) that his beloved aunts (Josephine Hull and Jean Adair) murder men in their own home! The great thing is, they believe they’re doing a good thing and they are so adorable and hilarious you kind of lean toward their side.

The cast includes Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, Raymond Massey, Edward Everett Horton, Peter Lorre, Jack Carson, and James Alexander (in the hilarious role of Teddy Roosevelt… well, he thinks he is!)

Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, Cary Grant, Peter Lorre, and Edward Everett Horton in Arsenic and Old Lace

Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, Cary Grant, Peter Lorre, and Edward Everett Horton

You can find Arsenic and Old Lace on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video!

Filed Under: Cary Grant, Edward Everett Horton, Jean Adair, Josephine Hull, Perfect Movies, Peter Lorre, Picture of the Day, Priscilla Lane Tagged With: Arsenic and Old Lace, Cary Grant, Comedies, Edward Everett Horton, Jean Adair, Josephine Hull, Peter Lorre

Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane, Arsenic and Old Lace (One of the Funniest Movies Ever Made)

January 22, 2022 By Joi

Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane, Arsenic and Old Lace

Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane

The hilarious Arsenic and Old Lace is one of those movies that’s “laugh out loud” funny. It’s one of the best casts ever assembled, with each star “playing off” of one another beautifully. I honestly can’t say enough good things about it, so I generally simply tell people…

  • It’s one of the most hilarious films ever made.
  • It’ll make you realize just what a comedic genius Cary Grant was.
  • If you’ve never seen it, please SEE IT!
  • If you have seen it….. well…. see it again!

The cast includes Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, Raymond Massey, Edward Everett Horton, Peter Lorre, Jack Carson, and James Alexander (in the hilarious role of Teddy Roosevelt… you have to see it to truly appreciate this one!)

Josephine Hull and Jean Adair in Arsenic and Old Lace

Josephine Hull and Jean Adair in Arsenic and Old Lace

PLOT: Cary Grant is Mortimer, a successful author of books on the futility of marriage. He risks his career and reputation as an expert when he decides to marry the beautiful Elaine (Priscilla Lane). Things go from bad to worse when he learns (on his wedding day no less!) that his beloved aunts (Josephine Hull and Jean Adair) murder men in their own home! The great thing is, they believe they’re doing a good thing and they are so adorable and hilarious you kind of lean toward their side.

Adding to the GREAT fun is Mortimer’s uncle, “Teddy Roosevelt,” played deliciously by James Alexander. As you may have guessed, he believes he is, indeed, Teddy Roosevelt.

The cast is extraordinary, the writing hilarious, and the entire film an absolute joy.

You can find Arsenic and Old Lace on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video! It’s honestly one of the funniest movies ever made.

Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane, Arsenic and Old Lace

Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane

Filed Under: Cary Grant, Jean Adair, Perfect Movies, Picture of the Day, Priscilla Lane Tagged With: Cary Grant, Jean Adair, Josephine Hull, Priscilla Lane

Welcome to Hollywood Yesterday!

Ann Sheridan, It All Came True

Ann Sheridan
My name is Joi (“Joy”) and I created Hollywood Yesterday as my personal tribute to Old Hollywood. It’s my effort to help keep the stars from Old Hollywood, Classic Television, and Old Radio Shows alive and shining forever. Old Hollywood was positively magical and I see no reason for the magic to ever die.

Be warned, I am (by nature) overtly positive, I never take anything too seriously, I say extraordinary so often you’d think I invented the word, and I overuse exclamation points to distraction. I’m perpetually over-caffeinated.. we’ll blame that.

Read more about Hollywood Yesterday (and see my personal favorites) here!

Old Hollywood Actresses

Lena Horne, Meet Me in Las Vegas

See the Old Hollywood Actresses page for the index of Classic Hollywood Actresses and Classic TV Actresses.

Old Hollywood Actors

Henry Fonda, Behind the Scenes The Grapes of Wrath

See the Old Hollywood Actors page for the index of Old Hollywood and Classic TV actors.

Old Hollywood Book Reviews

Ann Dvorak: Hollywood's Forgotten Rebel by Christina Rice

I love reading old Hollywood biographies and memoirs as much as I love watching classic movies, and that’s truly saying something!

To see my Old Hollywood book reviews, please see the index listed here: Book Reviews.

Pictures of the Day

Maureen O'Hara, The Parent Trap

Maureen O’Hara

The Old Hollywood & Classic TV Pictures of the Day are published as regularly as possible. If I miss a few days, please just know that the husband, daughters, sons-in-law, grandbabies, and/or my cats were demanding my attention. I’ll be honest, nothing comes before any of them! Not even Maureen O’Hara or Henry Fonda.

Priorities, y’all.

Movie Collections on Amazon

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Recent Posts

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Movie Night, ANY Night…

John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, and Arthur Hunnicutt in El Dorado
Have movie night ANY night with Prime Video on Amazon:  Prime Video (Amazon link)

Thank You for Visiting!

Paulette Goddard and Charlie Chaplin, Modern Times
Thank you so much for visiting Hollywood Yesterday! You truly HONOR me with your presence. ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Olivia de Havilland

Olivia de Havilland, The Adventures of Robin Hood

My main goal with Hollywood Yesterday is to keep the names, faces, and films of the stars that mean so much to me shining brightly. When I’m guilty of focusing more time on my personal favorites (such as Olivia de Havilland) than other stars, I hope you’ll forgive me. I am, by all indications, very human!

Also, please know that I try to keep my posts (except for book reviews) short and to the point, so you can enjoy the pictures, grab the information, and get back to your life. I don’t appreciate anything that’s overly wordy, so I don’t want to do that to others. For better or worse, I write as I talk, so if you ever feel like you’re reading the words of someone who’s a cross between Lucy Ricardo, Daisy Duck, and a Jerry Lewis character, that’s just because you are!

Wait. What did I just admit to?? 

Barbara Stanwyck Quotes

Another personal absolute favorite of mine is Barbara Stanwyck. Not only was she beautiful and outrageously talented, she was exceptionally bright, charismatic, and colorful. This growing collection of Barbara Stanwyck Quotes will give you an idea of just how colorful she was!

Old Hollywood Movies

Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire Top Hat Cheek to Cheek

There’s nothing quite like watching a movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Whether it’s a Musical, Western, Comedy, Romance, Film Noir, or Drama – if it’s on, I’m not too far away… with popcorn and raspberry tea in hand and a couple of cats nearby.

Below are a few Old Hollywood movie reviews I’ve done on the blog. There are, as you’d imagine, a lot more to come. – Joi (“Joy”)

We’re in the Money (Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell)

The Naked Spur (James Stewart, Janet Leigh)

The Prince and the Showgirl (Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier)

The White Sister (Helen Hayes, Clark Gable)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Russ Tamblyn, Julie Newmar)

Rio Bravo (John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan)

El Dorado (John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Charlene Holt, Michele Carey)

Rio Grande (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara)

Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein (What is it With Me and These Movies??)

The Stooge (Jerry Lewis’ favorite Lewis and Martin Movie… for good reason.)

Critic’s Choice (Hilarious movie starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball)

To Please a Lady (Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck team up in a fast track movie)

Grand Hotel (Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore)

Hearts Divided (Marion Davies, Dick Powell)

The Quiet Man (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald)

More Old Hollywood Movie Reviews

Classic Hollywood Books & Biographies (Reviews)

Maureen O'Hara's Autobiography 'Tis Herself

‘Tis Herself by Maureen O’Hara
I Know Where I'm Going (Katharine Hepburn Biography) and Princess

I Know Where I’m Going: Katharine Hepburn

 

Debbie Reynolds Unsinkable
Unsinkable: A Memoir by Debbie Reynolds

 

Ginger Rogers Autobiography - Ginger: My Story

Ginger by Ginger Rogers
Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball

Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball
Vitagraph by Andrew A. Erish
Vitagraph by Andrew A. Erish
More Old Hollywood Book Reviews!

Dorothy Dandridge

Dorothy Dandridge Carmen Jones Poster

Getting to Know the Gorgeous and Talented Dorothy Dandridge

My Lucy Obsession

Lucille Ball

Find out just how much I (truly) Love Lucy in the Lucille Ball category. I’m warning you, I call it an obsession for a very good reason…

Legalities…

Aside from pictures of books I review, I do not claim to have taken any of the pictures on this website, nor do I own the pictures – the ones of the stars or the affiliate (product) pictures.  Other, far more talented photographers than me have the credit for the beautiful photos you see. If you would like credit for a photograph or would like one removed, please e-mail me (joitsigers@gmail.com).

Movie posters and promotional photos are used in the belief that they qualify for the Fair Use law. Fair use is a doctrine in the law of the United States that permits limited use of copyrighted material without having to first acquire permission from the copyright holder. Fair use is one of the limitations to copyright intended to balance the interests of copyright holders with the public interest in the wider distribution and use of creative works by allowing as a defense to copyright infringement claims certain limited uses that might otherwise be considered infringement.

When you click through an affiliate (product, book, dvds..) link, I earn a small portion of the money you spend IF you purchase anything. This does not cost you any extra money, of course. This is how I am able to work from home and support my cats! – Joi (“Joy”)

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