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
Old Lace (comics) The Pride Old Lace was briefly under the control of Alex Wilder while Gertrude was unconscious, but Gertrude quickly took control back when she came to. Seconds before Gert's death, she was able to pass her telepathic link with Old Lace to her boyfriend Chase Stein, since her death would have killed Lace as well via their telepathic link. Even though Old Lace has a telepathic bond with Chase now, she has been shown to have some free will. This is first shown when Old Lace attacks a vampire named Topher, despite Gertrude telling her to stop and again when