Summary
Midnight Alibi is a 1934 American pre-Code crime comedy drama film directed by Alan Crosland, produced by First National Pictures, distributed by Warner Bros. and starring Richard Barthelmess.[1] Midnight Alibi is an adaptation of Damon Runyon's 1933 short story The Old Doll's House.[2] This was Barthelmess' last film for First National after a 15-year run at the studio. Jack Warner was anxious to get rid of him because the grosses of his films no longer justified his $250,000 salary.
| Midnight Alibi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Alan Crosland |
| Screenplay by | Warren Duff |
| Based on | "The Old Doll House" (1933 short story) by Damon Runyon |
| Starring | Richard Barthelmess Ann Dvorak Helen Chandler |
| Cinematography | William Rees |
| Edited by | Jack Killifer |
| Music by | Heinz Roemheld |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 58 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
A print of the film is preserved at the Library of Congress.[3] The film is also available on DVD on Demand from the Warner Archive.[4]
Plot edit
A gangster returns to New York after some time in Europe and falls in love with Joan, unaware that she's the younger sister of his bitter rival, Angie the Ox. After an attempted hit on him, he seeks refuge in the home of an old lady, who tells him of her own romance many years ago with a man who looked just like him. Their friendship will prove useful later when he's accused of murder.
Cast edit
- Richard Barthelmess as Lance McGowan
- Ann Dvorak as Joan
- Helen Chandler as Abigail
- Helen Lowell as The Old Doll
- Henry O'Neill as Ardsley
- Robert Barrat as Angie the Ox
- Robert McWade as Senator
- Purnell Pratt as Wilson
- Harry Tyler as Hughie
- Paul Hurst as Babe the Butcher
- Arthur Aylesworth as Louie the Blind Man
- Vincent Sherman as Black Mike
References edit
- ^ The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Midnight Alibi
- ^ NYTimes.com: Movie Review Midnight Alibi - Old Doll's House
- ^ Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress page 116, c.1978 by The American Film Institute
- ^ dvd-on-demand; Warner Archive
External links edit
- Midnight Alibi at IMDb
- Midnight Alibi at the TCM Movie Database
- Midnight Alibi at AllMovie
