The Silver Screen Oasis

The Third Alibi (1961)

This is a very tight little crime thriller. There are no unnecessary scenes nor idle dialogue. There is no need for red herrings as it is laid out in the style of the opening scenes of an episode of: Columbo.

A lousy excuse for a man has an affair with his sister-in-law. Her pregnancy spurs him to devise a scheme to murder his wife. He creates very elaborate alibis for the two of them so that neither will be suspected. All goes according to his plan right up to the point where it does not.

This is a sane and rational approach to the most common alternative to divorce. The only violence is a man being held back when he attempts to strike his wife. The only gore is a short thread of dried blood below a bullet hole. We do not even hear the gunshot. The performances are quite far above average for British B-movies of the era. I suspected the penultimate twist before the end but it then played out to be much more involved than I had imagined. It is the perfect length because it shows only what is necessary.

I truly wish there were more movies of this type with this quality.

7/8.2

This movie is currently available for viewing for free with commercials on: TubiTV

Whatta coinkydink! I just watched The Third Alibi last night! I too thought of Columbo. The brisk tempo, efficient direction by Montgomery Tully, and economical plot indeed resemble a high quality TV episode, but without the obvious and annoying editing for commercial breaks. The twist ending is a neat and tidy cap to a crime that, to me, seemed to be incidental, unresolved, and unpunished. If the actions of the protagonists tested my suspension of disbelief (a woman watches her lover commit a horrific crime; moments later she's eager to hop into the sack with him, seeming to dismiss the ominous revelation of his sociopathic nature), the brevity and swiftness of the story inclined me to keep up with the pace.

Laurence Payne -- who, to me, had a sensitive and erudite quality -- surprised me with a performance that was the antithesis of my perception of him.

According to the Internet Movie Database, Dudley Moore made his film debut in The Third Alibi, uncredited as a "Piano accompanist." Also according to the IMDb, this thriller was shown on American television as an episode of the Kraft Mystery Theater.

Highlight: A musical performance by chanteuse Cleo Laine.

Tubi offers several crackerjack British "B movie" thrillers (e.g., Terror Street, a Hammer Film noir and also directed by Tully; Blackout, another Hammer Film "quota quickie"; and The Break) that are, I think, worthy of a look from crime-drama aficonados.

Street of Shadows with Cesar Romero is also a crisp UK thriller with an unusual music score and on Tubi.

Masha wrote: ↑January 26th, 2023, 4:38 pm The Third Alibi (1961)

This is a very tight little crime thriller. There are no unnecessary scenes nor idle dialogue. There is no need for red herrings as it is laid out in the style of the opening scenes of an episode of: Columbo.

A lousy excuse for a man has an affair with his sister-in-law. Her pregnancy spurs him to devise a scheme to murder his wife. He creates very elaborate alibis for the two of them so that neither will be suspected. All goes according to his plan right up to the point where it does not.

This is a sane and rational approach to the most common alternative to divorce. The only violence is a man being held back when he attempts to strike his wife. The only gore is a short thread of dried blood below a bullet hole. We do not even hear the gunshot. The performances are quite far above average for British B-movies of the era. I suspected the penultimate twist before the end but it then played out to be much more involved than I had imagined. It is the perfect length because it shows only what is necessary.

I truly wish there were more movies of this type with this quality.

7/8.2

This movie is currently available for viewing for free with commercials on: TubiTV

7/8.2

Cute. What does it mean?

I Recommend a British heist -noir film from 1960 titled The Strong Room. It is excellent with a great ending,hopefully it will show on Noir Alley.

laffite wrote: ↑March 31st, 2023, 9:49 am

Masha wrote: ↑January 26th, 2023, 4:38 pm The Third Alibi (1961)

7/8.2

7/8.2

Cute. What does it mean?

my rating

I know that, dear Masha ... but is it not atypical? I'm stuck in the mire of tradition, usually we see a scale of 10, but you have a scale of 8.2. I'm not complaining, just curious. Why 8.2 ??

laffite wrote: ↑March 31st, 2023, 11:25 am I know that, dear Masha ... but is it not atypical? I'm stuck in the mire of tradition, usually we see a scale of 10, but you have a scale of 8.2. I'm not complaining, just curious. Why 8.2 ??

"Be the strange you wish to see in the world." RuPaul

I see. Hope it catches on for you.

Look at it this way, laffite.

Because this country of ours is one of the very few countries that still primarily uses Mr. Fahrenheit's temperature scale, a scale in which for some reason it was decided that water freezes and becomes a solid at 32 degrees and then boils to a gaseous state at 212 degrees, then couldn't it be said that Masha is just showing her inclination towards good ol' "American Exceptionalism" by creating a movie ratings system in which "8.2" is consigned to be the very best movie for your entertainment dollar?!

(...way to go Marsha...you've become the proud American innovator that I always knew you could become...always remember though that all good Americans ALSO never spell certain words with that oh-so unnecessary letter..well..you know what letter that is by now, I'm sure)