Alibi (1929)
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43% of critics liked it
(7 reviews) -
50% of users liked it
(194 ratings)
Director Roland West was a moody and mysterious Hollywood character, who insisted upon making his pictures in utter secrecy and filming only at night. This may explain the overall foreboding atmosphere of Alibi, West's first talking picture. Chester Morris portrays a ruthless gangster who must… More Director Roland West was a moody and mysterious Hollywood character, who insisted upon making his pictures in utter secrecy and filming only at night. This may explain the overall foreboding atmosphere of Alibi, West's first talking picture. Chester Morris portrays a ruthless gangster who must establish an alibi after pulling off a warehouse robbery. Regis Toomey and Pat O'Malley are the detectives assigned to get the goods on Morris. Full of vicious bravado when he's on top of a situation, Morris turns into a craven coward when he's trapped--but not before coldbloodedly gunning down true-blue policeman Toomey, who then launches into one the longest and most lachrymose death scenes in the history of movies. Alibi was based on the play Nightstick, written by John Wray, J.C. Nugent and Elaine Sterne. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Roland West
- Written By
- J.C. Nugent, Elaine S. Carrington, Roland West
- Genres
- Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Apr 20, 1929 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Variety Staff, Variety
Lots of reliable excitement, de luxe production values and general audience satisfaction.
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Mordaunt Hall, New York Times
It is by far the best of the gangster films, and the fact that it is equipped with dialogue makes it all the more stirring.
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, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Gritty, exciting low-budget crime melodrama.
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Fernando F. Croce, Slant Magazine
Alibi is awkwardly suspended between the gliding camera of silent cinema and the stagnant medium-shot of early talkies.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The story pales when viewed in modern times and the acting that was thought so wonderful at the time, is simply atrocious by modern standards.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Chester Morris
as Chick Williams (No. 1065)
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Harry Stubbs
as Buck Bachman
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Mae Busch
as Daisy Manning
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Eleanor Griffith
as Joan Manning
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Irma Harrison
as Toots
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Regis Toomey
as Danny McGann
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Al Hill
as Brown
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Elmer Ballard
as Soft Malone
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Kernan Cripps
as Trask
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Purnell Pratt
as Pete Manning
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Pat O'Malley
as Tommy Glennon
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DeWitt Jennings
as O'Brien
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Virginia Flohri
as Singer
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Edward Jardon
as Singer
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James Bradbury Jr
as Blake
- Diana Beaumont
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Ed Brady
as George Stanislaus David
- Eleanore Griffith
