Arsenic and Old Lace (film) that the deep theme of the play and film is the conflict in American history between the liberty to do anything (which the Brewsters demand), and America's bloody hidden past. The contemporary critical reviews were uniformly positive. "The New York Times" critic summed up the majority view, "As a whole, "Arsenic and Old Lace", the Warner picture which came to the Strand yesterday, is good macabre fun." "Variety" declared, "Capra's production, not elaborate, captures the color and spirit of the play, while the able writing team of Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein has turned in a very workable, tightly-compressed
Antwerp lace using the same threads in the pattern as in the ground, or "réseau". Antwerp lace is very similar to Mechlin lace, which was also made in Antwerp. Antwerp lace is heavier and sturdier than Mechlin lace. It has a "cordonnet", or a flat thread outlining the pattern, just as Mechlin lace does. The "cordonnet" was very strong and rather coarse. Antwerp lace was also similar to Binche lace in its "cordonnet". The "réseau" or ground for Antwerp lace varies from the same hexagonal ground as Mechlin lace to a tessellation-pattern featuring a six-pointed star. Antwerp lace was being made during