Arsenic and Old Lace

About this event

Northern Arizona University and the Sedona International Film Festival are partnering to present The Classics, a monthly classic film series. NAU/SIFF Classics will be curated and hosted by School of Communication Professor Emeritus Paul Helford. The series will continue on Tuesday, Oct. 13 with “Arsenic and Old Lace”. The funniest — and perhaps best — Halloween movie ever! Cary Grant is hilarious, Raymond Massey channels Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein’s Monster, and Peter Lorre is perfect. Directed by Frank Capra, this gleefully macabre comedy follows two sweet, matronly aunts who “help” lonely old gentlemen by spiking their homemade elderberry wine with arsenic. Cary Grant stars as Mortimer Brewster, a drama critic and playwright who has famously condemned marriage. Returning home to announce his wedding, he discovers his sweet aunts are serial killers who “help” lonely old gentlemen by spiking homemade elderberry wine with arsenic and burying victims in the cellar. Frank Capra directed “Arsenic and Old Lace” in 1942, but its release was delayed until the Broadway hit closed years later. Most Broadway stars reprised their roles, except Boris Karloff, the theater’s biggest box-office draw. Raymond Massey took the role of Jonathan, Mortimore’s older murderous brother, hilariously evoking Karloff’s Frankenstein’s Monster. Peter Lorre is superb as Dr. Einstein, Jonathan’s plastic surgeon accomplice. Grant disliked his performance, but audiences have always loved it. Paul Helford will introduce the film, provide historical and artistic context, and lead a discussion following the movie. A lifelong film lover Helford has taught and written about films for over 50 years. As a television station manager and award-winning producer, he produced and hosted a weekly classic TV film show. He’s taught high school and college film classes. At NAU he started the film program major in 2006 and has co-directed and co-hosted the NAU College of Arts and Letters film series…