The ugliness of the early sound era is on parade in Alibi, a cops and robbers yawn that features both figuratively and literally a lot of bad actors. Sound was new territory for cast and crew and it shows both in the direction of Roland West and his cast who clearly needed a lot more rehearsal time as they endlessly pause between sentences an attempt to convey menace by locked in mug like facial expressions. West shows no grasp of pacing as he dissembles nearly every taut moment in the film with pregnant pauses followed by bad inflection from his actors who on occasion seem to be winging it on their own.
Only Chester Morris leading with his Dick Tracy chin offers some convincing moments while the rest of the cast seems content just to have their voice picked up by the microphone. West meanwhile allows scenes to linger and linger to a point where you swear you can here crickets chirping. A glowing example can be found in undercover cop Regis Toomey's three minute dying scene that has to be endured to be believed. Was West incapable of saying the word cut?
There are some fine rooftop scenes of dramatic silhouette and neon and interiors that feature some eye popping and audacious art deco design that may well have carried the day if it were a silent. But in the infancy of sound these growing pains make Alibi one big one to watch.
Only Chester Morris leading with his Dick Tracy chin offers some convincing moments while the rest of the cast seems content just to have their voice picked up by the microphone. West meanwhile allows scenes to linger and linger to a point where you swear you can here crickets chirping. A glowing example can be found in undercover cop Regis Toomey's three minute dying scene that has to be endured to be believed. Was West incapable of saying the word cut?
There are some fine rooftop scenes of dramatic silhouette and neon and interiors that feature some eye popping and audacious art deco design that may well have carried the day if it were a silent. But in the infancy of sound these growing pains make Alibi one big one to watch.