Midnight Alibi

Lance McGowan (Richard Barthelmess) returns to New York City after a lousy time gambling on a ship. He starts pushing his way around the town's gambling dens and new mob boss Angie Morley has had enough. To make matters worst, he rekindles his shipboard romance with Angie's younger sister Joan Morley. After getting shot at, he escapes into rich recluse Abigail Ardsley's mansion. He looks exactly like Abigail's former beau Robert Anders (Richard Barthelmess). She recounts their story well into the night. Lance tries to make peace with Angie but terrible events unfold. Lance is arrested for Angie's murder.

Richard Barthelmess gives a fine performance as a gangster with some rooting interest. It doesn't mean that this movie is that good or that his character is actually that nice. He's not a great talkie leading man and his star would fade after the silent era. The flashback section is rather dull except for a bit of pre-Code sexuality. The ending is more the end justifies the means rather than poetic justice. I'm not in love with this but it's fine enough.

Midnight Alibi (1934)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Gangster Lance McGowan (Richard Barthelmess) is on a ship heading back to America when he falls in love with the beautiful Joan (Ann Dvorak). The two don't really find out anything about the other but soon McGowan learns that she's the sister of his rival (Robert Barrat) who he robbed soon after getting back on shore. Now McGowan wants to marry the woman but doesn't know how to get past her brother.

MIDNIGHT ALIBI was a "B" picture that happened to be Barthelmess' final film at Warner Bros. It's interesting to note that the actor became a star after appearing in a few D.W. Griffith films and he remained quite popular throughout the silent era and the early part of the decade but his star began to lose its shine and he found his career pretty much over. This film here certainly wasn't a great way to go out but if you're a fan of the actor or in low-budget "B" movies then there's some nice entertainment to be had here.

Barthelmess is certainly the highlight here as he gives a nice performance as the gangster who finds himself conflicted about what his heart is saying and what he should do in his gangster land. I thought the actor was quite believable and didn't just sleepwalk through the part. Dvorak doesn't have much to do but it's always nice seeing her. Barrat is good as the heavy and Helen Lowell is very good in a brief but important role. Helen Chandler is also good in her small part.

The film manages to be entertaining at just 58 minutes even though there's certainly nothing too original or ground-breaking here. This was meant to play under a bigger and better film and as long as you don't expect too much from it you should find it entertaining enough.

A real First National oddity, in that it's mostly a Damon Runyon comedy, part of a mini-Runyon wave then in Hollywood ("Lady for a Day," "Little Miss Marker"), but it's also a historical romance. There's a lengthy, sentimental flashback to 1880s New York, where the Sky Masterson-ish Barthelmess plays a different character altogether, a glum office boy romancing the boss's daughter. (He looks 30 years too old, and he's not the most natural Runyon hero in the modern sequences, either.) The screenwriter has the right ear for Runyonese, a mixture of modern '30s slang and fanciful preciousness, and it's certainly a handsome production, especially in the flashbacks. But the tone isn't consistent, the resolution is too pat (the title is something of a plot giveaway), and the always-interesting Ann Dvorak looks a little bored in a conventional-leading-lady role.

This movie is a pleasure to watch. It is a romantic gangster comedy. It moves quickly, has several nice plot twists, and allows some involvement with the Richard Bartelmess - Ann Dvorak characters.

Bartelmess looks and acts a lot like Robert Armstrong (king Kong) here. After seeing him in several heroic films, it is a little strange seeing him playing a gangster. He's fine and there is a good chemistry with Ann Dvorak. Helen Chandler appears in a couple of flashback scenes with Bartelmess and nearly steals the movie.

Basically, it is an entertaining hour long film that holds up well after 86 years.

While many people think 'B-movie' means bad movie, the term actually originated to describe the second and lesser film played at a double feature. The A-picture was the longer, more costly and more prestigious film in most cases and the B was made cheaper, more quickly and ran from 50-70 minutes...with most clocking in at about 60. So, when you look at "Midnight Alibi" on IMdb, you'll notice it's 58 minutes in length...clearly a B from Warner Brothers. Despite this, it's actually a very, very good film.

The story begins with Lance McGowan (Richard Barthelmess) returning from a cruise. During this trip, he met and fell hard for Joan (Ann Dvorak)...but they each go their separate ways. Soon you learn that Lance is a gangster....and his nemesis is Angie (Robert Barrat). This is a SERIOUS problem because soon you learn that he has a sister....and it's Joan!! Clearly, any sort of romance between Lance and Joan is going to be an uphill battle...especially when Angie orders some of his men to kill Lance. But they miss and Lance takes shelter in an old woman's mansion. What's next? Well, see the film.

What I liked most about this film is Lance's scenes with the old lady, Abigail Ardsley (Helen Lowell). It is very charming...as is the flashback scene when Abigail befriends Lance and tells him her life story. Overall, a film that managed to rise about the reputation of most Bs, as the story is quite well written as well as the acting. Well worth seeing...and rather charming for a gangster tale!