Real humor is not forced, but in a case of this surge TV version of "Arsenic and Old Lace", it became a case of too much of everything. A swell cast is gathered together to take on the long-running Broadway play, and while certain things work, the direction, pacing and production design takes this version down several notches. Several other changes aide in making it a disappointment in spite of the presence of Helen Hayes and Lillian Gish as a two lovable murderous old ladies and Fred Gwynne as their psychotic nephew.
For those who only remember the 1944 movie directed by Frank Capra and starring Cary Grant, it can't get any better even though Raymond Massey was brought in to sub for Boris Karloff. As Karloff died in February of 1969, the key line of "I killed him because he said I look like Boris Karloff" has been changed to "I killed him because he said I look like Frankenstein's monster." Fred Gwynne is made up to look and sound so much like Karloff that there is no resemblance at all to his version of the Frankenstein monster in the hit TV sitcom "The Munsters". He speaks with very funny facial contortions that reminded me of a Karloff performance where are his splt personality resulted in an unintentionally funny pickle puss.
Ms's Hayes and Gish seem so much like sisters that it's hard to believe that they are not. They are a perfect substitution for Jean Adair and Josephine Hall from the very famous movie, and in spite of the cheap production design and unfortunate audience laughter (filmed live), they come off on unscathed. As Mortimer, "Hogan's Heroes" star Bob Crane does his best, but in retrospect, he's no Cary Grant.
Miscast are Jack Gilford as Gwynne's sidekick (he seems like he'd be more appropriate as one of the old ladies victims) and David Wayne as the brother who thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt. Given a bad wig and beard, he just looks ridiculous. Cameos by Billy DeWolfe and Richard Deacon are fine but unremarkable, even if DeWolfe does his trademark schtick. As for Sue Lyon in the herione role, she has so little to do that takes the end credits to even remember her being there. There is a funny bit in the credits though that did have the audience in stitches, and in spite of my blase feelings towards the whole event found that charming. I've seen the early sixties TV production that did feature Karloff, and that production is much better than this.
For those who only remember the 1944 movie directed by Frank Capra and starring Cary Grant, it can't get any better even though Raymond Massey was brought in to sub for Boris Karloff. As Karloff died in February of 1969, the key line of "I killed him because he said I look like Boris Karloff" has been changed to "I killed him because he said I look like Frankenstein's monster." Fred Gwynne is made up to look and sound so much like Karloff that there is no resemblance at all to his version of the Frankenstein monster in the hit TV sitcom "The Munsters". He speaks with very funny facial contortions that reminded me of a Karloff performance where are his splt personality resulted in an unintentionally funny pickle puss.
Ms's Hayes and Gish seem so much like sisters that it's hard to believe that they are not. They are a perfect substitution for Jean Adair and Josephine Hall from the very famous movie, and in spite of the cheap production design and unfortunate audience laughter (filmed live), they come off on unscathed. As Mortimer, "Hogan's Heroes" star Bob Crane does his best, but in retrospect, he's no Cary Grant.
Miscast are Jack Gilford as Gwynne's sidekick (he seems like he'd be more appropriate as one of the old ladies victims) and David Wayne as the brother who thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt. Given a bad wig and beard, he just looks ridiculous. Cameos by Billy DeWolfe and Richard Deacon are fine but unremarkable, even if DeWolfe does his trademark schtick. As for Sue Lyon in the herione role, she has so little to do that takes the end credits to even remember her being there. There is a funny bit in the credits though that did have the audience in stitches, and in spite of my blase feelings towards the whole event found that charming. I've seen the early sixties TV production that did feature Karloff, and that production is much better than this.