In this silly and somewhat inexplicably hailed farce, a stunning-looking and perpetually baffled Cary Grant is pitted against his two gullible, murderous aunts (Josephine Hull and Jean Adair) and his long-lost brother (Raymond Massey), a career criminal who returns with a mangled face courtesy of his very own alcoholic plastic surgeon (Peter Lorre). The story is so fervent and the goofiness so prevalent that the duality between comedy and gravity is all but lost, but the film does still have that lightweight, screwy charm and the occasional amusing set-up. Grant overdoes his performance, for better or worse. He was nevertheless much funnier and more nuanced both before and after this picture, which is only recommended for those who prefer their farces to be really farcical.
Review of Arsenic and Old Lace
