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Alibi

Name: Alibi
Director: Roland West
Released: 1929
Duration: 91 min

Representation Score

0.6/10

Minimal

1929

Director

Roland West

Runtime

91 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Alibi (1929) operates as a standard genre piece that adheres to the conventional social and narrative structures of its time. The plot centers on male criminality and law enforcement, reinforcing traditional power dynamics. The film lacks intentional diversity in character representation. Female characters like Joan are used primarily as plot devices rather than having their own choices, and the cast appears culturally homogeneous. Ultimately, the film presents a straightforward crime narrative that prioritizes procedural morality over any meaningful social critique or diverse representation.

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Category Breakdown

Does Alibi have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities. The story stays within a traditional crime and detective framework.

How does Alibi portray gender?

Limited

Gender roles in the film rely on era-specific clichés. Joan is used mainly to support the protagonist's alibi, lacking independent influence within the male-dominated environment.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Alibi?

Minimal

The narrative focuses on a homogeneous social structure typical of early 20th-century crime dramas. There are no mentions of diverse casts or non-Anglo-Saxon characters.

How does Alibi represent religion and culture?

Limited

The film follows standard procedural morality and traditional institutional roles. It lacks any secularist themes or deconstruction of established social frameworks.

Does Alibi include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no mention of characters with visible or invisible disabilities. The narrative does not address neurodivergence or physical impairments.

Present on Screen

The film provides a clear, focused exploration of prohibition-era crime and detective methods.

Limited or Absent

Female characters lack ability to act, serving primarily to facilitate male-driven plots.
There is a notable absence of racial, ethnic, or LGBTQ+ diversity within the character arcs.
The story reinforces traditional social hierarchies without challenging them through diverse perspectives.

Official Synopsis

Chick Williams, a prohibition gangster, rejoins his mob soon after being released from prison. When a policeman is murdered during a robbery, he falls under suspicion. The gangster took Joan, a policeman's daughter, to the theater, sneaked out during the intermission to commit the crime, then used her to support his alibi. The detective squad employs its most sophisticated and barbaric techniques, including planting an undercover agent in the gang, to bring him to justice.

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