Arsenic and Old Lace was filmed in 1941.
Arsenic and Old Lace is a 1944 American dark comedy film directed by Frank Capra , starring Cary Grant , and based on Joseph Kesselring 's play Arsenic and Old Lace . Hull and Adair , as well as John Alexander ( who played Teddy Brewster ) , were reprising their roles from the 1941 stage production . Hull and Adair both received an eight-week leave of absence from the stage production that was still running , but Karloff did not as he was an investor in the stage production and its main draw . The entire film was shot within those eight weeks .