The Alibi (1937)
"L'alibi" (original title)

Paris, 1937. Winckler kills his enemy Gordon, a Chicago mobster, from the stage of a Parisian music hall, where he performs telepathy. He pays another artist, Helene, so that she tells the ... See full summary »

Director:

Pierre Chenal

Writers:

Marcel Achard (story), Jacques Companéez (adaptation),

Stars:

Erich von Stroheim, Albert Préjean, Jany Holt

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Erich von Stroheim	...	Le professeur Winckler
Albert Préjean	...	André Laurent
Jany Holt	...	Hélène Ardouin
Louis Jouvet	...	Le commissaire Calas
Véra Flory	...	Une entraîneuse (as Vera Flory)
Foun-Sen	...	L'assistante de Winckler (as Foun Sen)
Génia Vaury	...	Une entraîneuse (as Genia Vaury)
Made Siamé	...	La secrétaire de Calas (as Madeleine Siame)
Roger Blin	...	Kretz, l'homme de main de Winckler
Philippe Richard	...	John Gordon
Jean Témerson	...	Jojo, l'ami de Dany (as Temerson)
Maurice Baquet	...	Gérard
Pierre Labry	...	Le premier inspecteur
Max Dalban	...	Le second inspecteur
Florence Marly	...	La maitresse de Gordon

Storyline

Paris, 1937. Winckler kills his enemy Gordon, a Chicago mobster, from the stage of a Parisian music hall, where he performs telepathy. He pays another artist, Helene, so that she tells the police they've spent the night together, which doesn't fool Callas, the police officer who investigates the murder. He hires one of his fellow officers in order to seduce Helene.

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Plot Keywords:

paris france

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Genres:

Mystery

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

9 April 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Alibi

Filming Locations:

Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

B.N. Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: La monnaie de l'absolu (1998)

User Reviews

This movie has no more alibi.

Pierre Chenal who made the first version of "postman always rings twice' (le grand tournant) two years later was a minor film noir director.

"L'alibi" has not worn well and has little to grab an audience today.A phony magician (Von Stroheim)commits murder and pays a girl to be his "alibi".A cop (Jouvet) investigates in a very dubious way:one of his colleagues (Préjean) will seduce the girl in order to make her tell the truth.What follows is easy to guess for sure.

Bad screenplay and two great actors are wasted.Best scene shows Von Stroheim talking about French and English vocabulary with Jouvet and wondering at the similarities (discret and discreet).