Arsenic and Old Lace

[The Guard]

Those interested in classics might appreciate this thread.

Anyone ever seen this movie? I have something of a soft spot for it. It's sort of somehow everything that's good and bad about 40's comedies.

Anyway, I've been offered the stage role of Jonathan Brewster, who is the villain of the piece, a sort of criminal madman with a botched surgery face who reminds people of Boris Karloff. I'm just curious...for those who have seen the film, would a psuedo "Hannibal Lectre" approach work for this character? I really want to play it as seriously as possible, without aping Karloff's own performance. I'd rather ape Hopkins. .

 

[Figs]

Or you could try to put your own original spin on the character. Not knocking your idea to have your performance be inspired by Hopkins performance but you should try messing around with your own ideas and see what you can come up with to put something different into it.

 

[danoyse]

Those interested in classics might appreciate this thread.

Anyone ever seen this movie? I have something of a soft spot for it. It's sort of somehow everything that's good and bad about 40's comedies.

Anyway, I've been offered the stage role of Jonathan Brewster, who is the villain of the piece, a sort of criminal madman with a botched surgery face who reminds people of Boris Karloff. I'm just curious...for those who have seen the film, would a psuedo "Hannibal Lectre" approach work for this character? I really want to play it as seriously as possible, without aping Karloff's own performance. I'd rather ape Hopkins. .

And Boris Karloff originated that role on Broadway - which made all the references to him looking like Boris Karloff even funnier.

I agree with Figs, you should do your own spin on the character. It takes place in a pre-Hannibal Lecter era, it wouldn't make sense to make him like that.

 

[Figs]

And Boris Karloff originated that role on Broadway - which made all the references to him looking like Boris Karloff even funnier.

I agree with Figs, you should do your own spin on the character. It takes place in a pre-Hannibal Lecter era, it wouldn't make sense to make him like that.

Glad you agree with me, I was hoping I wasn't giving The Guard some bad advice.

 

[danoyse]

Glad you agree with me, I was hoping I wasn't giving The Guard some bad advice.

He should definitely do his own thing. Doing Lector will take the audience out of the play and the Karloff jokes won't make any sense. They'll just think you're trying to imitate Hannibal Lecter instead of making the role your own.

 

[Christmas]

Good flick. Grant is pretty funny throughout and the studio made Brooklyn setting looks nice as I remember.

 

[Nivek]

Very funny stage play. I was pushing for this for the senior play in HS, just so we wouldn't do another musical and it would not involve alot of props. I was outvoted and we did the Mikado instead.

 

[gwynplaine]

Great film. Made me realise that Peter Lorre was, on top of everything else, also a wonderful comedic actor. Casablanca, arsenic, the maltese falcon, mad love, M, etc, etc... Man, what a filmo this gentleman had.

 

[The Guard]

Psuedo Hannibal Lectre. I'm not going to do the Hopkins voice, etc. Just...more of a quiet, sinister, intelligent tone than a biting one.

 

[DACrowe]

I love this movie, so much. If it isn't my favorite screwball comedy (what with pictures like His Girl Friday, Philadelphia Story and Bringing Up Baby) it is certainly up there. I loved every minute of this film and have watched it probably a dozen times.

My favorite moment is still Grant explaining to Lorre what an idiot a character in a play was for not knowing he was about to be attacked and killed from behind, while his brother is taking advice for the rope and preparing for the kill right behind. "We're going to Happydale!"


CHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DACrowe]

Oh as for playing him. Well I say to thin ownself be true. But I'd recommend maybe incorporating a more intelligent and intellectual snobbery tone, as that may be interesting, but I don't think you need Hopkins' low hiss, as this character always seems very abrasive and short-tempered.

But go how you want.

P.S. The way you describe the idea you have sounds closer to Olivier in The Marathon Man, really.

 

[The Guard]

I love this movie, so much. If it isn't my favorite screwball comedy (what with pictures like His Girl Friday, Philadelphia Story and Bringing Up Baby) it is certainly up there. I loved every minute of this film and have watched it probably a dozen times.

My favorite moment is still Grant explaining to Lorre what an idiot a character in a play was for not knowing he was about to be attacked and killed from behind, while his brother is taking advice for the rope and preparing for the kill right behind. "We're going to Happydale!"

I actually played the male lead in THE PHILADELPHIA STORY opposite the male lead in this a few years ago. Love the scene you're describing, too. So much comedy potential here. I like the little moments, like when Jonathan comes through the window, there's the musical sting, and he's just like "We're bringing the luggage through here". So many funny little moments.

I've been experimenting with voices and mannerisms for the last week or so. The problem is, everything I come up with, I can think of a role that's done it. It either sounds like Lectre, or it sounds like Jigsaw or Darth Vader, or it sounds like Karlov, or worse, it starts to skew towards Heath Ledger or Mark Hamill's Joker, which I very much do not want. I'm toying with the idea of playing Jonathan as someone who puts on various "acts" for those around him, not just an outright loon. I.E, with the aunts, he'd be more the stiff, stoic movie monster, a more sinister, oozing, intelligent type of scary with Mortimer, almost charming and graceful with Mortimer's girlfriend, and pretty bumbling and normal when confronting almost anyone else. Degrees of control over his personality given a situation.

 

[DACrowe]

I would avoid playing it like Joker or a complete psychopath. I mean go with what works, but I see him being a man who tries to present calm control, but is bubbling with rage and indignation under the surface and it really comes out when he is around MOrtimer. I particularly like the idea of him losing control when he has Mortimer and telling Lorre's character to get the knives and stuff. That is when he should be low, he is finally in full control because he is doing what he is made for...hack and slash.

Just some suggestions.

 

[ChickenScratch]

I was introduced to it through the movie then I saw the play. Cary Grant is my favorite actor so I'm a fan of the movie. It's of an era when movies didnt mind being cute.

 

[The Guard]

They should totally remake this. Clive Owen could be Mortimer Brewster. Heh.

 

[That-Guy]

I was in a production of this a few years back. I played Dr. Einstein.

Yeah, the Lector approach would work but I agree that you should try to put your own spin on it... maybe use some elements of Lector but also include influences of other characters to create a new villain altogether.