Alibi (1942 film)

1942 British film by Brian Desmond Hurst

Alibi

U.S. poster

Directed by| Brian Desmond Hurst
Written by| Roy Carter
Jacques Companéez
Brian Desmond Hurst (shooting script)
Herbert Juttke
Lesley Storm (additional dialogue)
Based on| L'Alibi
by Marcel Achard
Produced by| Josef Somlo
Herbert Smith (associate producer)
Starring| Margaret Lockwood
Hugh Sinclair
James Mason
Raymond Lovell
Cinematography| Otto Heller
William McLeod
Edited by|

* Alan Jaggs
* Charles Saunders (as Supervising Editor)

Music by| Jack Beaver

Production
companies

Corona Films
Renown Pictures Corporation
Gainsborough Studios

Distributed by| British Lion Film Corporation (UK)

Release date

* 10 August 1942 (1942-08-10) (UK)

Running time

| 82 minutes
Country| United Kingdom
Language| English

Alibi is a 1942 British mystery film directed by Brian Desmond Hurst and starring Margaret Lockwood, James Mason and Hugh Sinclair.[1][2] The screenplay was by Herbert Juttke, Roy Carter and Jacques Companeez, adapted from the French novel L'Alibi by Marcel Achard.[3]

## Premise

[edit]

Police hunt for the killer of a nightclub hostess in pre-war Paris.

## Cast

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* 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

[edit]

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."[4]

## Critical reception

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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."[5]

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."[6]

Leslie Halliwell wrote "Interesting but disappointing minor suspenser copied from a sharper French original."[7]

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."[8]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Alibi". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
2. ^ "Alibi (1942)". BFI. Archived from the original on 13 January 2009.
3. ^ Goble, Alan (1 January 1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 9783110951943 – via Google Books.
4. ^ Lockwood, Margaret (1955). Lucky Star: The Autobiography of Margaret Lockwood. Odhams Press Limited. p. 196.
5. ^ "Alibi (1942)". Archived from the original on 4 May 2011.
6. ^ "Alibi". Kine Weekly. 303 (1831): 31. 21 May 1942. ProQuest 3127093884.
7. ^ Halliwell, Leslie (1989). Halliwell's Film Guide (7th ed.). London: Paladin. p. 22\. ISBN 0586088946.
8. ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 190\. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.

## External links

[edit]

* Alibi at IMDb
* Alibi at Britmovie
* www.briandesmondhurst.org: official legacy website of the director with filmography including Alibi[usurped]

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Brian Desmond Hurst

* The Tell-Tale Heart (1934)
* Irish Hearts (1934)
* Ourselves Alone (1936)
* The Tenth Man (1936)
* Sensation (1936)
* Glamorous Night (1937)
* Prison Without Bars (1938)
* On the Night of the Fire (1939)
* The Lion Has Wings (1939)
* Dangerous Moonlight (1941)
* A Letter from Ulster (1942)
* Alibi (1942)
* The Hundred Pound Window  (1944)
* Theirs Is the Glory (1946)
* Hungry Hill (1947)
* The Mark of Cain (1947)
* Trottie True (1949)
* Scrooge (1951)
* Malta Story (1953)
* Simba (1955)
* The Black Tent (1956)
* Dangerous Exile (1957)
* Behind the Mask (1958)
* His and Hers (1960)
* The Playboy of the Western World (1962)

* v
* t
* e

Films by Charles Saunders

Director|

* No Exit (1930)
* Trouble in the Air (1948)
* Dark Interval (1950)
* Chelsea Story (1951)
* One Wild Oat (1951)
* Death of an Angel (1952)
* Blind Man's Bluff (1952)
* Come Back Peter (1952)
* Black Orchid (1953)
* Love in Pawn (1953)
* The Scarlet Web (1954)
* The Golden Link (1954)
* Meet Mr. Callaghan (1954)
* One Jump Ahead (1955)
* The Hornet's Nest (1955)
* A Time to Kill (1955)
* The Narrowing Circle (1956)
* Behind the Headlines (1956)
* Find the Lady (1956)
* There's Always a Thursday (1957)
* The Man Without a Body (1957)
* Date with Disaster (1957)
* Kill Her Gently (1957)
* The End of the Line (1957)
* Womaneater (1958)
* Nudist Paradise (1958)
* Naked Fury (1959)
* Strictly Confidential (1959)
* Operation Cupid (1959)
* Dangerous Afternoon (1961)
* Jungle Street (1961)
* Danger by My Side (1963)

Writer|

* Tawny Pipit (1944)
* Come Back Peter (1952)

Portals:

* 1940s
* Film
* London

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