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Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre)
- 591 statements
- 116 feature instances
- 76 referencing feature instances
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | type |
TVTItem | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | label |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | page |
ArsenicAndOldLace | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | comment |
Arsenic and Old Lace is a 1939 play by Joseph Kesselring, a Black Comedy parody of murder mysteries. It was adapted for the big screen as a 1944 film directed by Frank Capra and starring Cary Grant, Raymond Massey, and Peter Lorre.Theatre critic Mortimer Brewster doesn't realize it, but he is the most normal member of his family. As the action opens, he has decided to surprise his family with his marriage, and shows up with his new bride Elaine at his aunts' house in Brooklyn. Unfortunately, no sooner is he ensconced in their parlor than Mortimer accidentally uncovers the dark secret of the Brewster insanity; his two sweet old aunts, Abby and Martha, like serving homemade elderberry wine to lonely old men... and sometimes put arsenic in it. Twelve times thus far, to be precise.Since all, or almost all, of the bad things that his family does are directly related to a type of hereditary madness, Mortimer has to try to keep Abby and Martha out of trouble even as "Yellow Fever victims" start piling up in the cellar, buried there by Mortimer's transparently insane older brother Teddy (who strongly resembles, and thinks he is, the late President by that nickname). To keep Elaine in the dark while also keeping her safe, Mortimer stuffs her back into her old room in her father's home across the road and fends off all her attempts to set off on their honeymoon. He also does his best to avoid one of the neighborhood cops, Officer O'Hara, an amateur dramatist who really wants Mortimer to review his play.Then the third Brewster brother, Jonathan, returns after a long exile and some plastic surgery... and things get truly dangerous. Because Jonathan is a vicious (and likely insane) murderer who harbours an intense dislike for Mortimer; with the extremely unwilling aid of his associate 'Dr. Einstein', he plans to fulfill a childhood dream and add Mortimer to his tally of victims in one fell swoop — just as soon as they figure out to do with the body of Jonathan's latest victim, Mr. Spinalzo, who made the fatal error of mocking the fact that (thanks to the aforementioned plastic surgery) Jonathan currently looks like Boris Karloff. Good thing there's still some room in the cellar... | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | fetched |
2024-03-23T05:17:13Z | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | parsed |
2024-03-23T05:17:13Z | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | processingComment |
Dropped link to Bowdlerize: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN | |
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Dropped link to Frankenstein1931: Not a Feature - ITEM | |
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Bowdlerize | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | isPartOf |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_143350c6 | type |
Officer O'Hara | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_143350c6 | comment |
Officer O'Hara: There actually is an officer O'Hara in the film, though without the Oirish accent sported by his predecessor on the beat, Officer Brophy. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_143939c1 | type |
Trailers Always Spoil | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_143939c1 | comment |
Trailers Always Spoil: Subverted. A piece of promotional art spoils the original play's ending by showing Mr. Witherspoon about to take a sip of the poisoned wine as offered by Abby and Martha. However, this ending was never filmed, as Edward Everett Horton was deemed too popular an actor to kill off. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_19211122 | type |
Feel No Pain | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_19211122 | comment |
Feel No Pain: Jonathan is seemingly impervious to pain; Mortimer stomps on his foot, then stabs him in the leg with a fork, and Jonathan doesn't even seem to notice. Mortimer is surprised when a blow to the head actually does have an effect. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_19a5d773 | type |
They Look Just Like Everyone Else! | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_19a5d773 | comment |
They Look Just Like Everyone Else!: Part of the horror (and some degree of Black Comedy) in the story lies in the extremely sharp contrast between Jonathan Brewster (who is as Obviously Evil as they come— looking like Boris Karloff does that) and Abby and Martha Brewster (who are a pair of nice little old ladies who see nothing wrong with having killed twelve people). | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_1f250372 | type |
I Need a Freaking Drink | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_1f250372 | comment |
I Need a Freaking Drink: As Mortimer gets off the phone after a loud, aggravating conversation with the operator, he exclaims in exasperation. After getting off the phone, Mortimer sits down in exhaustion and reaches offhandedly for the wine carafe, only to have Abby and Martha warn him off. This has the side-effect of saving the life of another "Yellow Fever victim". Poor Dr. Einstein's alcoholism is a running gag throughout, and seems to have been a deliberate, clever device to heighten suspense whenever the elderberry wine is within reach. It's also partly responsible for Jonathan's ghastly appearance, since Einstein had seen Frankenstein before he operated on Jonathan and was intoxicated at the time. In the film, Mortimer gets so desperate for a drink that he finishes Dr. Einstein's schnapps and sets up the elderberry wine fake-out himself. He even says the words, "Boy, could I use a drink." The play originally ends with the police commissioner noticing the elderberry wine and the Brewster aunts gladly giving him a glassful. We never find out whether or not the commissioner drinks it, and thus whether or not this would harshen the Brewsters' Laser-Guided Karma. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_20a14df0 | type |
Wrong Genre Savvy | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_20a14df0 | comment |
Wrong Genre Savvy: Played for laughs— Mortimer is an expert in theater tropes and continually comments on how things would turn out if he were actually in a play and trapped in a house with murderers... happily ignoring the fact that that's exactly what's going on. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_216dab44 | type |
Framing the Guilty Party | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_216dab44 | comment |
Framing the Guilty Party: A classic example of this trope, used in at least three ways. Mortimer initially believes that Teddy is responsible for the body in the window seat, so he insists that he be sent to Happydale immediately so he can't be imprisoned for the murder. Later, when Abbey and Martha insist on going with Teddy, Mortimer jumps at the chance to get them committed too, spinning their innocent confession as proof of their insanity. Meanwhile, he sets up Jonathan to be charged not only for the body he brought with him, but by implication his aunts' murders as well. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_21e5b9c7 | type |
Failed a Spot Check | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_21e5b9c7 | comment |
Thanks to Failed a Spot Check, the beat cops are utterly clueless about what's going on in the Brewster house. This is a good thing from Mortimer's point of view with respect to his aunts, but not so great with respect to Jonathan. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_222dc873 | type |
Black Comedy | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_222dc873 | comment |
Black Comedy: To get serial killers and ax crazy murderers past The Hays Code, it was necessary to frame the story as a whimsical comedy about a theater critic discovering his family's hereditary madness. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_22cf536c | type |
Chekhov's Gun | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_22cf536c | comment |
Chekhov's Gun: When Mortimer and Aunt Abby take a moment to look at a picture of Jonathan as a kid, you know he's going to figure in the story eventually. Spinalzo's shoes. Einstein appropriates them after he and Jonathan bury the corpse and later he uses one of them to knock Jonathan unconscious. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2317bc85 | type |
Tampering with Food and Drink | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2317bc85 | comment |
Tampering with Food and Drink: Mortimer's aunts spike their homemade elderberry wine with arsenic. | |
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Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2317bc85 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_23c132d9 | type |
Beneath Suspicion | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_23c132d9 | comment |
Beneath Suspicion: Who would suspect two sweet old maiden aunts of being serial killers? Certainly not the Brooklyn police, who pay them social visits on a regular basis, nor their neighbors, nor even their psychopathic nephew. Mortimer only figures it out through stumbling on their latest victim. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_24321e44 | type |
Only Sane Man | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_24321e44 | comment |
Only Sane Man: Mortimer, both metaphorically and literally, and even he begins to doubt it in the end. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_251bbe0e | type |
Genre Blindness | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_251bbe0e | comment |
Genre Blindness: Discussed Trope. When Dr. Einstein suggests Mortimer should be Genre Savvy enough to comprehend the danger he's in (Mortimer is a theater critc), he makes the mistake of remarking that characters in plays at least act intelligently. Mortimer then proceeds to explain the frequent use and abuse of the Idiot Ball in plays, fittingly unaware that he's holding it. | |
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Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_251bbe0e | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_253be057 | type |
Body-Count Competition | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_253be057 | comment |
Body-Count Competition: Jonathan is shocked to discover that his aunts are murderers, but even more shocked to discover that they've been every bit as successful as he is. An argument ensues over how many kills he gets to count. | |
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Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_253be057 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_26eb6287 | type |
Funny Background Event | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_26eb6287 | comment |
Funny Background Event: Teddy's reaction to Mortimer's attempt to persuade the police to commit his aunts. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_281de59f | type |
Extremely Short Timespan | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_281de59f | comment |
Extremely Short Timespan: Everything happens over the course of a single afternoon and evening. (Which, in the movie version, happens to be Halloween.) | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_297170d3 | type |
Halloween Episode | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_297170d3 | comment |
Halloween Episode: An opening title introduces the film as "a Hallowe'en tale of Brooklyn", and the Brewster sisters are later shown handing out pies and pumpkins to a gaggle of trick-or-treaters. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_29ee1e5b | type |
Regional Riff | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_29ee1e5b | comment |
Regional Riff: The Max Steiner score sets the scene with a Standard Snippet of "The Sidewalks of New York"— suitably rendered in the minor. Also when the Asian woman winks at Elaine at the marriage office, a slight Oriental Riff occurs. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2a090d00 | type |
Lampshade Hanging | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2a090d00 | comment |
Lampshade Hanging: Mortimer, a theatre critic, complains about a character in a play being handed the Idiot Ball, not realizing that he's describing himself. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2ae29c0d | type |
The Dreaded | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2ae29c0d | comment |
The Dreaded: The mere mention of Jonathan inspires fear in all who know of him. Abby and Martha, who are friendly to everyone, and serial killers to boot, react with terror as soon as they realize who they're talking to. Elaine has never even met Jonathan, but as soon as he says his name, she shrinks and tries to excuse herself. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2b7ae239 | type |
Forced Euthanasia | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2b7ae239 | comment |
Forced Euthanasia: The majority of the plot hinges on Mortimer Brewster discovering that his elderly aunts are serial killers who poison homeless men who arrive at their house looking for the room they have for rent. They believe that they are doing them a kindness after they noticed the tenant who died from a heart attack (and became their stressor) looked so peaceful once he passed away and they want to help other "poor, lonely men" find the same peace. | |
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Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2b7ae239 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2c77fae3 | type |
Darkness Equals Death | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2c77fae3 | comment |
Darkness Equals Death: No dead bodies are ever seen in full light. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2d4d16d9 | type |
I Know You Know I Know | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2d4d16d9 | comment |
I Know You Know I Know: Jonathan and Mortimer engage in a battle of wits over which one will leave the home, based on what each thinks the other knows about all the murders. Jonathan gains the upper hand by threatening to expose Mortimer's aunts. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2d4fa515 | type |
Ax-Crazy | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2d4fa515 | comment |
Ax-Crazy: Jonathan is a psychopathic murderer who travels the world only a few steps ahead of the police. He'll kill you for any reason, or no reason, but especially if you tell him he looks like Boris Karloff. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2f913008 | type |
Insanity Defense | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_2f913008 | comment |
Insanity Defense: Used preemptively; Mortimer hopes that, by getting Teddy and his aunts committed to Happy Dale, they won't be sent to prison for murder if/when their crimes are eventually discovered. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3149c4b0 | type |
It Will Never Catch On | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3149c4b0 | comment |
It Will Never Catch On: | |
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Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3149c4b0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_319e4a2f | type |
Even Evil Has Standards | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_319e4a2f | comment |
Even Evil Has Standards: Parodied with Aunt Abby, who readily admits to having poisoned twelve men, but is outraged at Mortimer's suggestion that she would "stoop to telling a fib." Played straight with Dr. Einstein. He's intimidated enough by Jonathan that he won't stand up to him, no matter how despicable the crime at hand, and has most likely helped him in committing a murder or two at least. But when Jonathan declares his intention to kill Mortimer, the Doctor tries desperately to get Mortimer to leave the house to save him; and later, when Jonathan says in a fit of rage that he'll kill Teddy, Einstein absolutely refuses and tries to physically stop him. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_35f57671 | type |
Minion with an F in Evil | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_35f57671 | comment |
Minion with an F in Evil: Dr. Einstein's effort to get Mortimer the hell out of the house and spare him a grisly fate seems genuine. He's very sweet to Teddy and won't abide killing him when Jonathan threatens it, and when Jonathan tries to kill Officer O'Hara, the Doctor knocks him out before he can. He's also very courteous to Abby and Martha. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_389f6c7b | type |
Sugary Malice | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_389f6c7b | comment |
Sugary Malice: This movie is based upon the notion that a certain pair of sweet old ladies are inviting gentlemen over to drink homemade wine and then poisoning them. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_392372f9 | type |
Actor Allusion | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_392372f9 | comment |
Actor Allusion: The comments about Jonathan looking like Boris Karloff in the play — Boris Karloff originated the role on the stage. In fact, the only reason Karloff didn't play the role in the film was that he couldn't get out of his contract playing that role in the Broadway production. The producers of the play were worried ticket sales would drop if they lost their big-name star, even for a short time. In the movie, Mortimer leans against a tombstone with the name "Archibald Leach" (Cary Grant's real name). The casting of Peter Lorre as a crazed German surgeon in the film may be a callback to Mad Love. | |
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1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_392372f9 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3c0a4666 | type |
Noodle Incident | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3c0a4666 | comment |
Noodle Incident: Whatever the "Melbourne Method" involves. Local productions vary on its description, which is usually improvised by the cast members portraying Jonathan and Dr. Einstein. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3c0a4666 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3c0a4666 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3c0a4666 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3e8c87a3 | type |
Dated History | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3e8c87a3 | comment |
Dated History: Mortimer explains that his family's history of insanity goes way back because one of his ancestors used to scalp Indians. Although this comment was used at the time to indicate his family's unusual behavior, it is widely known now that colonists did scalp Native Americans on a regular basis, with colonies offering bounties to whites (and other Natives) who did so. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3e8c87a3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3e8c87a3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3e8c87a3 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3eb0f889 | type |
Pun-Based Title | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3eb0f889 | comment |
Pun-Based Title: On "Lavender and Old Lace". | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3eb0f889 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3eb0f889 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_3eb0f889 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_41df5e28 | type |
Body in a Breadbox | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_41df5e28 | comment |
Body in a Breadbox: The window seat is apparently Abbey and Martha's temporary corpse storage; Jonathan finds it a convenient place to stash his latest victim as well. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_41df5e28 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_41df5e28 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_41df5e28 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5111ff0 | type |
Kill the Poor | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5111ff0 | comment |
Kill the Poor: What the aunts have been doing for some time now. They sincerely believe, in their insanity, that it's an act of kindness. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5111ff0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5111ff0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5111ff0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_51c70be6 | type |
Obliviously Evil | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_51c70be6 | comment |
Obliviously Evil: The sweet little old ladies genuinely have no idea that poisoning multiple people makes them Serial Killers. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_51c70be6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_51c70be6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_51c70be6 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_537dd8fe | type |
Affably Evil | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_537dd8fe | comment |
Affably Evil: Abbey and Martha are genuinely sweet, charitable old ladies who advertise a room for lonely old men... and then poison them. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_537dd8fe | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_537dd8fe | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_537dd8fe | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_53d45fa8 | type |
Back-Alley Doctor | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_53d45fa8 | comment |
Back-Alley Doctor: Dr. Einstein is a back alley plastic surgeon whom Jonathan keeps around so he can change his face as needed. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_53d45fa8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_53d45fa8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_53d45fa8 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_56515a39 | type |
Artistic License – History | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_56515a39 | comment |
Artistic License – History: Despite thinking he's Teddy Roosevelt, Teddy's knowledge of his own history is shaky. Yellow fever victims weren't Goethals' department, they were that of head of sanitation William C. Gorgas. Thanks to his efforts, yellow fever was eradicated on the isthmus before Goethals took over the project. Goethals was a colonel for most of his tenure on the isthmus, and wasn't promoted to general until 1915 under the Wilson administration. Due to the immense amount of digging it would require, the Americans resumed work on Culebra Cut almost immediately upon taking over the canal zone and kept it up until the very end. The locks weren't begun until later. Averted with the number of "locks": the original Panama Canal project really did have twelve locks, just like the Brewsters' cellar. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_56515a39 | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_56515a39 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_56515a39 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5963b221 | type |
Eviler than Thou | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5963b221 | comment |
Eviler than Thou: Jonathan, upon learning of his aunts' murders, insists on demonstrating that he is a more capable Serial Killer than they are. In fact, he's really not shocked at all by the murders, but instead that Martha and Abbey got away with them while living in a comfortable home in Brooklyn, whereas Jonathan has been pursued all over the world by police. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5963b221 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5963b221 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5963b221 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_59907e4f | type |
Police Are Useless | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_59907e4f | comment |
Police Are Useless: Thanks to Failed a Spot Check, the beat cops are utterly clueless about what's going on in the Brewster house. This is a good thing from Mortimer's point of view with respect to his aunts, but not so great with respect to Jonathan. In the movie, the police captain who finally recognizes Jonathan as a wanted man manages to listen to and repeat a perfect description of his accomplice Dr. Einstein, who is right in front of him, without recognizing him. Officer O'Hara is a special example. He walks into a room with a man tied up and gagged... and all he can think about is how much it reminds him of the play he's writing. Then spends the next eight hours explaining the plot. He doesn't finish the first act. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_59907e4f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_59907e4f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_59907e4f | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5f70322e | type |
Public Domain Soundtrack | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5f70322e | comment |
Public Domain Soundtrack: The aunts' Leitmotif, used extensively in the Max Steiner score, is "Happy Land," an 1850 hymn with words by Andrew Young and music arranged by Leonard T. Breedlove. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5f70322e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5f70322e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_5f70322e | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6168d81c | type |
Mistaken Confession | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6168d81c | comment |
Mistaken Confession: Played straight, when Jonathan thinks the police have caught him, but they're really talking about O'Hara. Subverted when the aunts innocently confess right in front of the police captain, forcing Mortimer to resort to a Sarcastic Confession plus Refuge in Audacity to convince him that the tale is a product of their insanity. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6168d81c | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6168d81c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6168d81c | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_649f5bec | type |
Creepy Souvenir | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_649f5bec | comment |
Creepy Souvenir: Not intended as such, but Abby and Martha have a cabinet containing the hats of all the men they've killed. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_649f5bec | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_649f5bec | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_649f5bec | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_65df51a8 | type |
That Poor Cat | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_65df51a8 | comment |
That Poor Cat: During the scene where Teddy's moving the "Yellow Fever victim" to the "canal", he apparently steps on a cat's tail. The cat is seen in an earlier scene coming out of the cellar. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_65df51a8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_65df51a8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_65df51a8 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_67b9dd47 | type |
Repeating So the Audience Can Hear | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_67b9dd47 | comment |
Repeating So the Audience Can Hear: The police captain's conversation with his precinct, during which he repeats Dr. Einstein's "Wanted!" Poster description word for word so the audience can see Einstein's increasingly panicked reaction. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_67b9dd47 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_67b9dd47 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_67b9dd47 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6a47a1e2 | type |
Knight of Cerebus | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6a47a1e2 | comment |
Knight of Cerebus: Jonathan's appearance makes the story take a sharp turn into nightmareville, as he is insanely cruel and sadistic and makes the viewers take him seriously, unlike the cute and naively murderous aunts. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6a47a1e2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6a47a1e2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6a47a1e2 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6a993504 | type |
Audio Adaptation | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6a993504 | comment |
Audio Adaptation: The Screen Guild Theater aired a radio adaptation in 1946, starring Eddie Albert as Mortimer and Boris Karloff as Jonathan. You can hear it here. Best Plays performed another radio version in 1952, with Donald Cook as Mortimer and Karloff as Jonathan. It can be heard here. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6a993504 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6a993504 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6a993504 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6d6e3015 | type |
Cloudcuckooland | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6d6e3015 | comment |
Cloudcuckooland: Brooklyn. To the point where a title card at the beginning of the film takes pains to distinguish the borough from "the United States proper". | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6d6e3015 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6d6e3015 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6d6e3015 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6ec4232f | type |
Casting Gag | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6ec4232f | comment |
Casting Gag: Usually invoked with some of the larger productions; aside from Boris Karloff playing a character that just happened to look quite a bit like himself, Bela Lugosi took over the role of Jonathan after Karloff went back to Universal, the idea now being that his face had been altered to resemble Dracula's. Fred Gwynne took the role in a 1969 TV movie version, and in the 1986–87 Broadway revival Jonathan was played by Abe Vigoda (who looked uncannily like Karloff in the right makeup), with Jonathan Frid replacing him for the subsequent national tour. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6ec4232f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6ec4232f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6ec4232f | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6eeba1f2 | type |
"Shut Up" Kiss | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6eeba1f2 | comment |
"Shut Up" Kiss: Just when things are about to get resolved, Elaine comes running up the stairs, having snuck in through the cellar to confront Mortimer, screaming about how there really are bodies buried down there. To keep everything from being ruined, he smothers her with kisses until she's so relieved that he's paying attention to her again that she forgets about the murders. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6eeba1f2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6eeba1f2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6eeba1f2 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6efc0f64 | type |
Mischievous Body Language | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6efc0f64 | comment |
Mischievous Body Language: Shortly after Mortimer and Lorraine are married and return to his family home, Lorraine playfully comments that she doesn't like the look in his eye, and that her father had preached a sermon against it just the Sunday before. Mortimer counters with a grin that that was just on Sundays. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6efc0f64 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6efc0f64 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_6efc0f64 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7286e96d | type |
Idiot Ball | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7286e96d | comment |
Idiot Ball: In addition to Mortimer's Genre Blindness above, Officer O'Hara gets to hold it, especially after seeing Mortimer tied up upon his return to the Brewster house. Dr. Einstein tries to pass it off as something Mortimer was demonstrating as happening in a play (which is actually somewhat accurate), and O'Hara refuses to untie Mortimer until he's had a chance to explain his play! | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7286e96d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7286e96d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7286e96d | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7301ae04 | type |
Serial Killer | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7301ae04 | comment |
Serial Killer: Abby and Martha. Jonathan might or might not be one— it's uncertain whether his 13 murder victims were merely a byproduct of a life of crime, or true Serial Killer murder-for-murder's-sake. The fact that he sometimes tortures them, as he apparently did in Melbourne and prepares to do with Mortimer, hints towards true Serial Killer. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7301ae04 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7301ae04 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7301ae04 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7719cf90 | type |
It Began with a Twist of Fate | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7719cf90 | comment |
It Began with a Twist of Fate: In the backstory, if the first tenant the aunts took in hadn't had a heart attack and died, they never would have been inspired to become serial killers. In the story proper, if Reverend Harper hadn't come over for tea, meaning Abby had to hide the body of her latest victim in the window seat rather than in the cellar, and if Mortimer hadn't later opened that window seat by chance, the whole plot would have gone very differently. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7719cf90 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7719cf90 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7719cf90 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_79a0e313 | type |
Bolivian Army Ending | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_79a0e313 | comment |
The play originally ends with the police commissioner noticing the elderberry wine and the Brewster aunts gladly giving him a glassful. We never find out whether or not the commissioner drinks it, and thus whether or not this would harshen the Brewsters' Laser-Guided Karma. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_79a0e313 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_79a0e313 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_79a0e313 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7b454a57 | type |
White Sheep | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7b454a57 | comment |
White Sheep: Mortimer. Justified at the end when Abbey and Martha reveal that he was adopted. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7b454a57 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7b454a57 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7b454a57 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7eebe99c | type |
The Alcoholic | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7eebe99c | comment |
The Alcoholic: Dr. Einstein drinks to "calm his nerves", which he needs a lot with Jonathan around. Jonathan's scarring is due to Dr. Einstein being drunk while performing plastic surgery. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7eebe99c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7eebe99c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_7eebe99c | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_819b6384 | type |
Sympathetic Murderer | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_819b6384 | comment |
Sympathetic Murderer: The aunts. Emphatically not Jonathan, though. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_819b6384 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_819b6384 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_819b6384 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_823c6e3e | type |
Large Ham | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_823c6e3e | comment |
Large Ham: Teddy Brewster, oh so very much. Mortimer also sort of becomes one over the course of the proceedings. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_823c6e3e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_823c6e3e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_823c6e3e | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_83a55c8e | type |
Napoleon Delusion | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_83a55c8e | comment |
Napoleon Delusion: Teddy thinks he's Theodore Roosevelt. And the stairs are San Juan Hill. CHAAAARGE!... *ding*. In the film adaptation, Dr. Witherspoon asks Mortimer if he could persuade Teddy to think he's Napoleon,note "Yes, Bonaparte" as they already have quite a few Theodore Roosevelts at Happydale and another one would mean trouble amongst the patients. At one point, one of his aunts mentions that they tried to convince him to be George Washington, just to change things up; he retreated into his bedroom for a week and refused to be anyone. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_83a55c8e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_83a55c8e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_83a55c8e | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_85bbb76c | type |
Suckiness Is Painful | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_85bbb76c | comment |
Suckiness Is Painful: Mortimer, while Bound and Gagged, is forced to spend hours listening to Officer O'Hara describe the (horrible) play he wants to write. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_85bbb76c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_85bbb76c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_85bbb76c | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_884e513b | type |
Medium Awareness | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_884e513b | comment |
Medium Awareness: Teddy, in some productions, provides several asides to the audience. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_884e513b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_884e513b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_884e513b | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_8928fe5f | type |
Dead Man's Chest | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_8928fe5f | comment |
Dead Man's Chest: The window seat, home to two different bodies throughout the play. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_8928fe5f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_8928fe5f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_8928fe5f | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_90e31482 | type |
Laser-Guided Karma | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_90e31482 | comment |
Laser-Guided Karma: After a very long time of successfully being serial killers (and one unwitting but quite willing accomplice), all of the insane Brewsters are placed in jail or the nuthouse by Mortimer, the family's White Sheep. The only one who escapes is Dr. Einstein, and how willing his complicity to Jonathan's crimes actually is remains up in the air. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_90e31482 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_90e31482 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_90e31482 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_911b32ce | type |
Not My Lucky Day | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_911b32ce | comment |
Not My Lucky Day: Mortimer gets married, which should be the happiest day of his life. Then he discovers that his aunts are serial killers, and things just get worse from there. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_911b32ce | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_911b32ce | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_911b32ce | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_958f1f57 | type |
Maiden Aunt | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_958f1f57 | comment |
Maiden Aunt: Abby and Martha never married, but they seem to have raised both Jonathan and Mortimer. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_958f1f57 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_958f1f57 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_958f1f57 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_970c790a | type |
Big Bad | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_970c790a | comment |
Big Bad: Jonathan is the only truly malicious character in the movie and the only one out to get Mortimer, as well as the villain of the climax. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_970c790a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_970c790a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_970c790a | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_98650fc7 | type |
Deconfirmed Bachelor | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_98650fc7 | comment |
Deconfirmed Bachelor: Until very recently, Mortimer was a very strong opponent of the institution of marriage, having even written books about his feelings. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_98650fc7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_98650fc7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_98650fc7 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_9c0dc5cd | type |
Quick Nip | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_9c0dc5cd | comment |
Quick Nip: Dr. Einstein carries a flask in his pocket. When it's emptied toward the end, he gets truly desperate, setting up the elderberry wine fake-out. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_9c0dc5cd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_9c0dc5cd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_9c0dc5cd | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_9fb8b0ac | type |
Textual Celebrity Resemblance | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_9fb8b0ac | comment |
Textual Celebrity Resemblance: Forms Jonathan's Berserk Button. "He looks like Boris Karloff!" In the Broadway production of the play, Jonathan was actually played by Boris Karloff— in fact, the reason he wasn't in the film is that the play's producers had him under exclusive contract at the time. There was another run of the play that had Bela Lugosi as Jonathan. For that one the line was changed to, '"Everyone tells me I look like Bela Lugosi!" In yet another version, Tom Baker played the role. He recounts in an audio commentary how one night he gave the line "He said I looked like Jon Pertwee." After that got much applause, the next night he went full out saying, "He said I looked like Tom Baker!" | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_9fb8b0ac | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_9fb8b0ac | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_9fb8b0ac | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a036d3df | type |
Sarcastic Confession | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a036d3df | comment |
Sarcastic Confession: Faced with his aunts innocently confessing to their murders right in front of the police captain, Mortimer desperately attempts to paint their claim as proof of their own insanity by confessing to "his own murders". | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a036d3df | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a036d3df | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a036d3df | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a108f2d2 | type |
Death by Mocking | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a108f2d2 | comment |
Death by Mocking: Mortimer spends a lengthy monologue mocking the foolishness of the protagonist in a play he reviewed, who relaxed his guard in a house with a murderer. Fortunately for Mortimer, he just barely escapes death for his own stupidity. It is implied that at least one of Jonathan's victims was murdered for saying he looked like Boris Karloff. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a108f2d2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a108f2d2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a108f2d2 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a70223 | type |
Karma Houdini | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a70223 | comment |
Karma Houdini: Dr. Einstein sneaks out the door while the police are busy with Jonathan and the family is busy committing the Aunts. Or, at least, he tries to until Mortimer notices him. He asks Dr. Einstein to sign the committal papers for him, after which the good doctor leaves without further incident. The two aunts, who at the end of the play are all committed to Happydale, a fairly comfortable sanitarium, as opposed to being arrested or committed to a hospital for the criminally insane. The end of the play, which is not shown in the film, shows that the aunts go back to their old habits with the warden, which leaves open the possibility that they will be revealed. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a70223 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a70223 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_a70223 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_ae7c8bec | type |
George Washington Slept Here | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_ae7c8bec | comment |
George Washington Slept Here: Referenced in the film when one of the police officers asks if George Washington slept in the old house owned by the two old women. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_ae7c8bec | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_ae7c8bec | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_ae7c8bec | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_af616e40 | type |
Accidental Misnaming | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_af616e40 | comment |
Accidental Misnaming: Teddy, being a bit nutty, doesn't remember the name of Happydale's director correctly. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_af616e40 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_af616e40 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_af616e40 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b1a7cd14 | type |
Tap on the Head | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b1a7cd14 | comment |
Tap on the Head: Lampshaded. Mortimer tells the cops not to bother as it never works, and is surprised when it does. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b1a7cd14 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b1a7cd14 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b1a7cd14 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b41b9606 | type |
Never One Murder | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b41b9606 | comment |
Never One Murder: Mortimer initially assumes that the first body he discovers was an accident or an isolated event, but then Abby and Martha reveal that they have been at their "charity" work for years. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b41b9606 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b41b9606 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b41b9606 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b58b4e3c | type |
Too Dumb to Live | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b58b4e3c | comment |
Too Dumb to Live: Mortimer, Lampshaded by Mortimer himself: | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b58b4e3c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b58b4e3c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b58b4e3c | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b707726f | type |
Hypocritical Humor | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b707726f | comment |
Hypocritical Humor: In the film version, Abby and Martha complain about "scary pictures that frighten people" moments after nonchalantly admitting to poisoning people. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b707726f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b707726f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_b707726f | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bbfaa837 | type |
Knight Templar | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bbfaa837 | comment |
Knight Templar: The aunts sincerely believe that they're being merciful by poisoning old men, because they look so merciful once they're dead. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bbfaa837 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bbfaa837 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bbfaa837 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bc74ef27 | type |
Berserk Button | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bc74ef27 | comment |
Forms Jonathan's Berserk Button. "He looks like Boris Karloff!" In the Broadway production of the play, Jonathan was actually played by Boris Karloff— in fact, the reason he wasn't in the film is that the play's producers had him under exclusive contract at the time. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bc74ef27 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bc74ef27 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bc74ef27 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bce728ca | type |
Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bce728ca | comment |
Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal: A minor case; Dr. Einstein is so squeamish that he tries to convince Mortimer to leave rather than be tortured and killed by Jonathan, and he later helps the police capture him. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bce728ca | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bce728ca | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_bce728ca | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c01027a6 | type |
Better than a Bare Bulb | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c01027a6 | comment |
Better than a Bare Bulb: Thanks to his being a theater critic, Mortimer's dialogue is sprinkled with references to how characters in plays act or ought to act in various situations, which are of course precisely applicable to the situations he finds himself in. Unfortunately, he doesn't realize that he, himself, is a character in a play. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c01027a6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c01027a6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c01027a6 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c335b9ec | type |
Irony | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c335b9ec | comment |
Irony: Mortimer is increasingly worried about manifesting the hereditary insanity in his family; given his relations, it's a valid concern. Come the finale, he's ecstatic to learn he's actually adopted and not biologically a Brewster— except that the events of the past 12 hours have likely driven him insane regardless. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c335b9ec | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c335b9ec | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c335b9ec | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c5385ad9 | type |
Horrible Judge of Character | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c5385ad9 | comment |
Horrible Judge of Character: Elaine absolutely refuses to believe it when Mortimer tries to explain to her that insanity runs in the Brewster family, and insists that Abby and Martha are as sane as anyone can be. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c5385ad9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c5385ad9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c5385ad9 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c5f0119c | type |
Insane Troll Logic | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c5f0119c | comment |
Insane Troll Logic: Mortimer pulls off a clever bit of verbal chicanery when trying to get Teddy to sign the papers to commit himself and his aunts to Happy Dale. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c5f0119c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c5f0119c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c5f0119c | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c63e5338 | type |
It Runs in the Family | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c63e5338 | comment |
It Runs in the Family: The Brewster family seems to be subject to hereditary madness. Aside from the characters in the story, dialog reveals that their father had delusions as well. We never find out anything about Mortimer's direct parents, until the ending reveals that he's adopted. As Mortimer remarks: "Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops!" | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c63e5338 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c63e5338 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_c63e5338 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_caa28b82 | type |
Cloudcuckoolander | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_caa28b82 | comment |
Cloudcuckoolander: Teddy, Abby, and Martha are all "out there" in various ways. Teddy is of course the most obvious, and his superficial insanity serves to mask the deeper insanity of the entire family. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_caa28b82 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_caa28b82 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_caa28b82 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_cd336741 | type |
"Wanted!" Poster | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_cd336741 | comment |
"Wanted!" Poster: Apparently, Jonathan and Dr. Einstein feature prominently on one of these at the police station, not that anyone but the captain notices. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_cd336741 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_cd336741 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_cd336741 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_cf92fea8 | type |
Cassandra Truth | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_cf92fea8 | comment |
Cassandra Truth: Aunt Abby is bemused by the appearance of the ceased Mr. Spinalzo in the window seat, and insists that she and Martha had nothing to do with it. Mortimer, well aware that they've poisoned twelve men already, is not inclined to believe her. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_cf92fea8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_cf92fea8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_cf92fea8 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_d45c0b86 | type |
Refuge in Audacity | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_d45c0b86 | comment |
Refuge in Audacity: It's amazing that they managed to get away with portraying murdering old ladies as sympathetic in The Hays Code-era Hollywood. Also see Mortimer's use of this in Sarcastic Confession. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_d45c0b86 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_d45c0b86 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_d45c0b86 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_d777b649 | type |
No Doubt the Years Have Changed Me | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_d777b649 | comment |
No Doubt the Years Have Changed Me: Mortimer does not initially recognize Jonathan due to the latter having undergone multiple plastic surgeries. Jonathan quotes the trope almost verbatim. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_d777b649 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_d777b649 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_d777b649 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_db38d6ca | type |
Torture Technician | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_db38d6ca | comment |
Torture Technician: Dr. Einstein carries a set of precision surgical instruments with him. He uses it for plastic surgery. Jonathan uses it for... other things. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_db38d6ca | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_db38d6ca | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_db38d6ca | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_dc579c91 | type |
Contrived Coincidence | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_dc579c91 | comment |
Contrived Coincidence: Jonathan returns to his family home, after decades on the run, on the evening of the same day that Mortimer finds out their aunts are serial killers. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_dc579c91 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_dc579c91 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_dc579c91 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_de5e9f69 | type |
Bluffing the Murderer | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_de5e9f69 | comment |
Bluffing the Murderer, in a Double Subversion. Mortimer tries to get Jonathan to leave by threatening to tell the police about his dead body. In response, Jonathan threatens to reveal Martha and Abbey's murders. Mortimer then decides to Frame the Guilty Parties by getting his aunts preemptively committed to Happy Dale. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_de5e9f69 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_de5e9f69 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_de5e9f69 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_def5d614 | type |
Suddenly Suitable Suitor | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_def5d614 | comment |
Suddenly Suitable Suitor: Zig-Zagged. Elaine is dizzy in love with Mortimer, but gets increasingly frustrated and angry with him when he seems to be brushing off their honeymoon, then is completely freaked out upon discovering the murders, and then finally folds in Mortimer's arms when he starts paying attention to her again. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_def5d614 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_def5d614 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_def5d614 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_dfa71e43 | type |
Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_dfa71e43 | comment |
Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain: Dr. Einstein doesn't seem to have overtly evil intentions; rather, his alcoholism and lack of self-esteem have led him to become entangled in Jonathan's murder spree (and let's face it; Jonathan is a really scary guy, and for good reason). It's never clear what he's wanted for besides being an accomplice, and he's so pathetic that by the end nobody seems to mind him escaping. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_dfa71e43 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_dfa71e43 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_dfa71e43 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e08ada88 | type |
Famous-Named Foreigner | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e08ada88 | comment |
Famous-Named Foreigner: Dr. Einstein, although it's almost certainly an alias. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e08ada88 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e08ada88 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e08ada88 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e236af66 | type |
Who Would Want to Watch Us? | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e236af66 | comment |
Who Would Want to Watch Us?: Mortimer scoffs at the idea of a play about a man stupid enough to knowingly stay in a house with serial killers. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e236af66 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e236af66 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e236af66 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e43130c1 | type |
Interrupted Intimacy | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e43130c1 | comment |
Interrupted Intimacy: Mainly just implied — this is from The '40s, after all — but it's their wedding night, and Elaine is clearly put out by Mortimer's continued lack of, er, availability. | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e43130c1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e43130c1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e43130c1 | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e462893a | type |
Artistic License – Sports | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e462893a | comment |
Artistic License – Sports: The movie opens with a fight breaking out during a Dodgers-Yankees baseball game... played on Halloween, which would have been comically ludicrous in the early 1940s when the World Series was played in the first week of October. | |
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Insistent Terminology | |
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Insistent Terminology: When Jonathan finds out about what his aunts have done: When Witherspoon asks the disgruntled cab driver to drive him and Teddy back to Happy Dale: | |
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Insane Equals Violent | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e57c714d | comment |
Insane Equals Violent: Zigzagged with the hereditary insanity of the Brewster family. Jonathan Brewster is a Serial Killer and Torture Technician who flies into violent rages at the drop of a hat, but Theodore Brewster is harmless and his only symptom is insisting he's actually Teddy Roosevelt. Abby and Martha fall somewhere in between, as while they have killed a number of people, this is a result of Blue-and-Orange Morality rather than the random violence typical of the trope. | |
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Aside Glance | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e8e3807 | comment |
Aside Glance: Mortimer frequently addresses the camera with his eyes, most particularly in the scene where he's being tied to the chair. His stare at the audience serves to lampshade the Lampshade Hanging. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e8e56799 | type |
Blue-and-Orange Morality | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e8e56799 | comment |
Blue-and-Orange Morality: The aunts have this in regards to their actions. Killing lonely old men is an act of charity, but burying a foreigner next to a Methodist just cannot be done, and one aunt is horrified that Mortimer would accuse them of telling a fib! Probably justified by the fact that they’re insane. | |
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It Was Here, I Swear! | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_e9269f72 | comment |
It Was Here, I Swear!: A Running Gag with the body in the window seat, which Mortimer discovers early in the play, is missing when he goes to check on it later (because Teddy has taken it for burial), and then becomes an entirely different body after Jonathan deposits his own latest victim there. | |
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Ham-to-Ham Combat | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_eb0df85e | comment |
Ham-to-Ham Combat: Capra said that he let the scene-stealers run wild in the film. Cary Grant and Raymond Massey, with Grant playing the fearless hero and Massey menacing him back like a movie monster. Grant briefly does combat with Peter Lorre after Dr. Einstein gets frustrated with Mortimer. In his improv, Grant slips in a quip at Lorre's usual soft, quiet, decidedly non-ham style, saying, "Stop underplaying, I can't hear you!" | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_eb28ab57 | type |
Bound and Gagged | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_eb28ab57 | comment |
Bound and Gagged: Mortimer is tied to a chair and gagged by Jonathan in preparation for torture— Mortimer sets this up himself by describing how a victim in a play was captured. Later, when Officer O'Hara shows up, Dr. Einstein explains it away as Mortimer discussing a play, prompting O'Hara to start talking about his own play. Mortimer doesn't get loose until he gets knocked over in a brawl between Jonathan and the police, which breaks the chair. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_eba6a077 | type |
Cain and Abel | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_eba6a077 | comment |
Cain and Abel: Jonathan apparently liked to torment Mortimer when they were growing up together as children, describing the horrifying things he wanted to do to him. He seizes his current opportunity to consummate that desire. | |
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Mercy Kill | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_f3626b09 | comment |
Mercy Kill: Abby and Martha Brewster, the crazy old women, believe that they are providing this to the homeless people they kill. | |
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Murder Is the Best Solution | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_f6b30338 | comment |
Murder Is the Best Solution: Abbey and Martha's psychopathic break came when a house guest died of a heart attack at their table. They decided that it left him looking so "peaceful" that they had to help other lonely men find the same respite. | |
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| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_f9f2c33 | type |
Running Gag | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_f9f2c33 | comment |
Running Gag: Let's see; there's Teddy's bugle playing (and charging), the constantly disappearing and reappearing body in the window seat, Elaine misunderstanding Mortimer's behavior, the cabby and his ever-escalating fare, Jonathan's resemblance to Boris Karloff, Dr. Einstein's drinking, everyone trying to get Mortimer to review their plays, the obliviousness of the police, who's "going to Happy Dale"... | |
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Brick Joke | |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (Theatre) / int_fe0330fb | comment |
Brick Joke: The shoes belonging to the late Mr. Spinalzo, who Jonathan killed. Dr. Einstein takes them for himself after he and Jonathan bury the corpse. He wears them throughout the rest of the movie and eventually uses one to knock Jonathan unconscious. | |
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