A pair of identical twins perform daring feats on the circus trapeze. During a friendly business discussion with the manager, one of them gets offered a lottery ticket. This will turn out to be the winning ticket to a huge prize. However, the official letter announcing the win gets intercepted by two grifters who cook up a nasty little scheme...
"Dual Alibi" is an exceptionally well-plotted and atmospheric thriller - I suppose it's best described as a noir thriller ? - set in the world of the circus. It tells a dark story about two brothers, one of whom falls in love with a beautiful woman, not realizing that the said woman is a venal and deceitful creature working hand in glove with an equally despicable partner. Both brothers are tricked and manipulated with masterful ease - at one point they even turn upon each other - until they discover the full extent of their betrayal. Now it's the twins, formerly model citizens of blameless repute, who are about to resort to crime...
Herbert Lom (who was, at that time, a very handsome man with a great deal of charisma) gives an impressive dual performance. He succeeds in giving both twins slightly different personalities : one of them is the more coolly observant and rational, the other one is the more impulsive and romantic. The special effects used to create the "twin" phenomenon are superb. As a viewer you really believe that you are watching two separate individuals.
The circus scenes are impressive, with many a daring act and breath-taking stunt. I'm not, by temperament, a great lover of the circus, but viewers who like the subject will probably feel like they've died and gone to heaven...
The ending seems to suffer from an overdose of the "Crime doesn't pay !" sentiment, which - who knows ? - may have been added in order to appease the censors. Apart from that, a memorable and captivating movie with some VERY clever twists and turns.
"Dual Alibi" is an exceptionally well-plotted and atmospheric thriller - I suppose it's best described as a noir thriller ? - set in the world of the circus. It tells a dark story about two brothers, one of whom falls in love with a beautiful woman, not realizing that the said woman is a venal and deceitful creature working hand in glove with an equally despicable partner. Both brothers are tricked and manipulated with masterful ease - at one point they even turn upon each other - until they discover the full extent of their betrayal. Now it's the twins, formerly model citizens of blameless repute, who are about to resort to crime...
Herbert Lom (who was, at that time, a very handsome man with a great deal of charisma) gives an impressive dual performance. He succeeds in giving both twins slightly different personalities : one of them is the more coolly observant and rational, the other one is the more impulsive and romantic. The special effects used to create the "twin" phenomenon are superb. As a viewer you really believe that you are watching two separate individuals.
The circus scenes are impressive, with many a daring act and breath-taking stunt. I'm not, by temperament, a great lover of the circus, but viewers who like the subject will probably feel like they've died and gone to heaven...
The ending seems to suffer from an overdose of the "Crime doesn't pay !" sentiment, which - who knows ? - may have been added in order to appease the censors. Apart from that, a memorable and captivating movie with some VERY clever twists and turns.