History, mystery, and a touch of danger: Join us for a screening of Frank Capra’s classic black comedy Arsenic and Old Lace, with special guests from the Rare Books Collection at Queen’s University… who are bringing antique books containing real arsenic!
- BUY ADVANCE TICKETS – General ($13.70+HST) / Members ($11.06+HST) / Youth 17 & Under ($8.85+HST)
Kim Bell and Brendan Edwards from W.D. Jordan Rare Books and Special Collections will kick off the screening with a short presentation on the surprising use of arsenic in 19th-century bookcloth and paper. Discover how this deadly element found its way into everyday objects and the unique challenges it poses for libraries and collectors today. Following the screening, join Kim and Brendan for a Q&A discussion, where you can dive deeper into the connections between arsenic and material culture. You’ll also have an opportunity to examine books from the collection containing arsenic. Don’t miss this exciting exploration of toxic history!
About the Film: Writer and notorious marriage detractor Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) falls for girl-next-door Elaine Harper (Priscilla Lane), and they tie the knot on Halloween. When the newlyweds return to their respective family homes to deliver the news, Brewster finds a corpse hidden in a window seat. With his eccentric aunts (Josephine Hull, Jean Adair), disturbed uncle (John Alexander), and homicidal brother (Raymond Massey), he starts to realize that his family is even crazier than he thought.
| Genre |
Black Comedy
|
| Runtime | 118 minutes |
| Rated | PG |
| Directed By | Frank Capra |
| Starring | Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre |
| Language | English |
| Country |
USA
|
