The Third Alibi

A woman (Patricia Dainton) hears her murder being planned by her husband and sister in "The Third Alibi," a British film from 1961, directed by Montgomery Tully.

Dainton is Helen Martell, a woman with a weak heart, whose composer husband Norman (Laurence Payne) is having an affair with her sister Peggy (Jane Griffiths).

While he's rehearsing his new sure to bomb musical, with wonderful Cleo Laine singing a horrendous song, Peggy drops by the theater to tell him she's pregnant. She insists that he must divorce Helen, who flatly refuses.

Norman plans the murder carefully, including Peggy's alibi. Since Helen overhears the whole thing, she's not home to be murdered. Norman, however, discovers Peggy dead later that evening.

Neat film with a fabulous twist, and it's not what you think.

Laurence Payne plays a skunk composer who is married to a beautiful woman (Patricia Dainton) but he decides that she isn't enough. So he starts a torrid affair with his wife's sister (Jane Griffiths). How low can you go? Although Payne loves no one but himself he decides to ask for a divorce so to please a nagging Griffiths. When his wife refuses to give him a divorce Payne and Griffiths concoct a murder plan to get rid of Dainton for good. Unfortunately for the pair, Dainton learns of their plan and sets out with a little plan of her own. As one would expect there are a few twists and turns to the finale that keep the viewer entertained.

There are tons of these low budget British crime films from this era. This one is slightly above the average with a nice screenplay and good performances across the board.

What a clever little mystery this is, it is incredible how many of these forgotten gems are out there. I would have imagined this was made as a low budget b movie, but it is fully deserving of praise. Very good performances all round, Laurence Payne and Jane Griffiths are both very good, but it's the performance of Patricia Dainton that stole the show in her final on screen performance, a truly natural beauty, she plays a very soft, frail and dutiful wife, who possesses more then is shown on the surface. I love how complex the plot is, it is full of knots, twists and turns, it's a film you watch and have no idea which way it's going to go, you are guessing until the very (shock) end. It features a small cameo for Cleo Laine.

The plot is so good it could quite easily be remade into some cosy modern day mystery. It starts fairly slowly, and you could be forgiven for losing interest, but it's one of those that if you stick with you will totally get caught up in, the ending is so good too. I love a good mystery and this ticks all the boxes.

I'm glad I found it, 8/10

An interesting murder mystery that plays havoc with a conventional narrative, THE THIRD ALIBI is one of those intriguing, long-forgotten British thrillers that's well worth a watch for modern audiences. The plot involves the thorough scoundrel Laurence Payne and his efforts to do away with his lovely but ailing wife, played by the eternal Patricia Dainton, so that he can be with lover Jane Griffiths.

There's a neat preamble to the central murder as the characters go through rehearsals; the COLUMBO writers would be proud of the painstaking attention to detail here. In the second half, things become more confused when they don't go exactly to plan, and the film becomes both unpredictable and appealing. My only real complaint is with the moral code of the time which means that certain plot events are easily guessable and quite contrived.

The film was made by the short-lived Eternal Films, who seemed to routinely employ the workmanlike Montgomery Tully as director. They mostly put out low rent crime films although they also dabbled in horror (THE HOUSE IN MARSH ROAD) and comedies (THE CUCKOO PATROL). Dainton gives a fine, fragile performance in this movie, and Griffiths (TREAD SOFTLY STRANGER) does well as the third party involved. Watch out for cameos from singer Cleo Laine and the one and only Dudley Moore, the latter uncredited, but you can see him playing the piano in one scene.

Its outline may remind you of "sudden fear" starring Joan Crawford,Jack Palance and Gloria Grahame : the victim knows her husband and his mistress are going to kill her for she eavesdropped on their conversation which revealed their ominous plans.Besides ,a tape recorder plays a prominent part in the plot.But it's a good murder mystery on its own :the screenplay (based on a play) is well constructed ,and even the manslaughter on the road has its raison d'être(the final picture packs a real wallop) .Even the title is well chosen .

The sisters ' feud is a little derivative: it's once again the "my kid sister was spoilt , they had only eyes for her " well-known tale ;but the film is short , tense ,and there's never a dull moment .Directing is not very inventive ,but the suspenseful script will keep you glued to your seat till the very end.