Dark Alibi (1946)

A public defender enlists Charlie to exonerate one of his clients, an ex-con falsely accused of bank robbery and murder, scheduled for execution in nine days.

Director:

Phil Karlson

Writers:

George Callahan (screenplay), Earl Derr Biggers (based on characters created by)

Stars:

Sidney Toler, Mantan Moreland, Ben Carter

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sidney Toler	...	Charlie Chan
Mantan Moreland	...	Birmingham Brown
Ben Carter	...	Benjamin Brown
Benson Fong	...	Tommy Chan
Teala Loring	...	June Harley
George Holmes	...	Hugh Kenzie
Joyce Compton	...	Emily Evans
John Eldredge	...	Anthony R. Morgan
Russell Hicks	...	Warden Cameron
Tim Ryan	...	Foggy
Janet Shaw	...	Miss Petrie
Edward Earle	...	Thomas Harley
Ray Walker	...	Danvers
Milton Parsons	...	Johnson
Edna Holland	...	Mrs. Foss

Storyline

Three men are convicted of bank robberies, the main evidence against them being that their fingerprints were found at the scenes. However, Charlie Chan believes them to be innocent, and his investigation reveals that they are indeed innocent and that their fingerprints were forged and planted in the prison files to frame them. Charlie sets out to uncover the real bank robbers.

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Plot Keywords:

fingerprints | bank robbery | ex con | detective | prison | 

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Taglines:

THE MASTER OF MYSTERY EXPOSES A GENIUS OF CRIME! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 May 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

Charlie Chan in Alcatraz

Box Office

Budget:

$75,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Monogram Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

61 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The 40th of 47 Charlie Chan films.

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Quotes

Emily Evans: Listen, are you trying to pin something on me?
Charlie Chan: [holding her skimpy dance costume] No, merely at moment trying to figure how you pin upon yourself such very few feathers.

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Connections

Follows The House Without a Key (1926)

User Reviews

Don't take this one too seriously

A nice bit of fluff from the Chan series, but not much to dig your teeth into. No one in law enforcement seen anything in the coincidence of three bank robberies solved in the exact same way - the only evidence is fingerprints - with the money never discovered. Of course, Charlie knows that something is going on. The fun cliché of this Chan episode is the warehouse full of theatrical props - like the fun house and the séance, a great setting for a movie mystery.

Prison is never so wacky as when Tommy Chan and Birmingham Brown are let lose - don't fight it, just go with the silliness. Birmingham's brother Benjamin shows up - as a convict, and the duo repeat their stage act for a bit of comic relief.

No dramatic lighting in this one - Monogram wasn't going to pay for fine cinematography. This episode in the series also suffers from a weak female cast - none of the beauties in gowns that fill earlier efforts. The biggest failure is at the very end - the final reveal comes out of nowhere and is over before you can scratch your head. Still, it's a workmanlike Chan, and that's good enough for an hour's fun.