Alibi is a 1942 British mystery film directed by Brian Desmond Hurst and starring Margaret Lockwood, James Mason and Hugh Sinclair. The screenplay was by Herbert Juttke, Roy Carter and Jacques Companeez, adapted from the French novel L'Alibi by Marcel Achard.
Contents
Premise
Police hunt for the killer of a nightclub hostess in pre-war Paris.
Cast
Margaret Lockwood as Helene Ardouin
Hugh Sinclair as Inspector Calas
James Mason as Andre Laurent
Raymond Lovell as Prof. Winkler
Enid Stamp-Taylor as Dany
Hartley Power as Gordon
Jane Carr as Delia
Edana Romney as Winkler's assistant
Rodney Ackland as Winker's assistant
Elisabeth Welch as singer
Olga Lindo as Mlle. Loureau
Muriel George as Mme. Bretonnet
George Merritt as Bourdille
Judy Gray as Josette
Philip Leaver as Dodo
Production
It was the first time Lockwood worked with James Mason. She said Mason wanted star billing and was unhappy at being given feature billing. She said the film "was anything but a success" but enjoyed working with him saying he "was a wonderful artist and extremely easy to work with. He was one of the people who helped me to enjoy making that rather bad film and to enjoy getting back into the routine of my work again."
Critical reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Here is a bright film with a bit of everything in it ...The film is well directed, and Margaret Lockwood makes an appealing Helene, with James Mason playing opposite to her. Raymond Lovell is first-class as the sinister Winkler, and Rodney Ackland as his assistant and Principal Villain No. 2, plays up to him well, introducing an element of melodrama. The other members of the cast team up to make the whole a creditable production."
Kine Weekly wrote: "Here we have a melodrama which deals with the psychological as well as physical aspect of crime. The intelligent approach demands a litle co-operation from the audience, but, although its style is less pugilistic than that adopted by its American counterparts, it seldom lessens its grip. Neither does it spare any expense. Its principal planks are its lifelike characterisation, near light relief, suspenseful climax and realistic and colourful impression of pre-war Paris night life. It definitely has a touch of class."
Leslie Halliwell wrote "Interesting but disappointing minor suspenser copied from a sharper French original."
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "good", writing: "Quite credible remake of French thriller L'Alibi."