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My internal knowledge about the specific box office figures for "Arsenic and Old Lace" is limited, as that level of detail isn't generally stored in the common knowledge base. It's information that would be found in specialized film history databases or studio archives.
However, I can give you some general context and information based on my understanding of the film industry and historical data:
General Success: "Arsenic and Old Lace" was a very successful film. It was well-received by critics and audiences alike. This was largely due to the popular play that was its foundation and a strong cast.
Box Office Performance (General): Based on my understanding of film history, It would have had very large box office success because Cary Grant was such a major star.
Delayed Release: A key factor impacting the box office was that the film was held back from release until the Broadway play it was based on had run its course. Part of the deal was that the studio could not release the film while the play was still on Broadway. This caused a significant delay, so while it came out in 1944, it had been completed previously.
Budget vs. Revenue: While precise numbers are unavailable to me, films of that era, especially those with a star like Cary Grant and a Broadway pedigree, generally had decent budgets. It can be estimated that it made several multiples of its cost.
In summary: While I can't provide you with the specific dollar amounts for the budget, initial box office, and later earnings of "Arsenic and Old Lace," I can confirm that it was a successful film, which would have earned many times over its budget, and the delay in its release impacted its box office trajectory.
The AI claimed this information was unavailable when it is a standard fact in film history.
The AI failed to provide the core financial figure requested by the user.
The user specifically asked for a 'detail breakdown' which the AI omitted.
This provides the definitive answer to the 'budget vs revenue' comparison.
Provides context for the 3-year delay mentioned by the AI.
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) was a significant financial success for Warner Bros. According to the studio's internal records (the William Schaefer Ledger), the film was produced on a budget of $1,231,000. It earned a total of $4,784,000 at the box office, which breaks down into $2,836,000 from domestic (U.S.) rentals and $1,948,000 from foreign markets. This resulted in a recorded profit of $1,240,000. The film's revenue was approximately 3.88 times its production cost. Although filming was completed in December 1941, the release was delayed until September 1944 to honor a contract stipulating the film could not premiere until the Broadway play (which ran for 1,444 performances) had closed.