Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

this movie reminds me of my mom's black and white tv. It was probably the first or only one she bought when she was living on her own after separating from dad, cheap but functional. wow - just think you could still get a black and white tv in the early 80's. It was a little 12" (wow, computer screens are bigger now) with its own antenna on top - that of course eventually broke off and was replaced/reinforced with tin foil - and the channel turns were on dials - they made hard clicks, you could burn calories turning those channels; your whole hand and palm were involved, couldn't just use one finger like with our buttons today.

But anyhoo, in my random memory progression - I remember watching this movie when I was little on the set. I remember storing it in my memory banks as a child because after reading this trivia book on the presidents, I somehow decided that Teddy Roosevelt was my favorite. Then when I stayed up (relatively)late one night - not really flipping channels cos it wasn't possible - I came across this movie that had Teddy Roosevelt in it! Who knew presidents did movies?! That's all really funny or endearing now cos 1) notice the obvious lack of timeline in the young childs mind; and 2) for a really long while I didn't even know that that movie was an "old" movie - I thought if I was to see it on my dad's tv it'd turn color, lol.

Isn't it funny what makes you remember things? When I came into conscious thinking about the movie I was greatly thrilled with it. It's one of the funniest movies in the world and every time its on u cant turn away, because it'll make you laugh. Cary Grant is my fav old movie actor, and now IMDB tells me that he thought this was one of the worst performances in all his films b/c it was over the top. yeaaaah, BUT every new time I see it, I find I am laughing more at his subtle performances in the movie. There is a lot of him panicking and trippin over chairs, but there are also the much more funny parts where he really doesn't say anything and hopelessly whimpers cos he knows he is in a nuthouse; I enjoy those moments the most.