Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
A Frank Capra classic and a film i'd never seen before. This comedy thriller is pure Hollywood gold. A tale of a newly married man who discovers his aunts are of the psychotic variety and insanity and murder run in his family.
Cary Grant, Peter Lorre and the whole cast are outstanding but the acting honours go to a superb Raymond Massey as the murderous cousin Johnathan in a role originally written for Boris Karloff who incidentally gets more than the odd mention throughout.
Despite being wickedly funny with some real laugh out loud moments the film is also incredibly sinister and atmospheric at times, including a jump scare at a window which really got me.
Highly recommended.
|