Blind Alibi

Ostensibly, a programmer, but I thought a semi-interesting one. How can I say that? Probably, because I am a sucker for Ace, the Wonder Dog. He wasn't just another poochie with a languid kisser, but a trained thespian who could take down a bad guy or gal with consummate aplomb. In all his scenes he made Richard Dix look almost human or at least as spry as a petrified stick.

The story was more than a bit convoluted, but then it was written by three different writers and that barely gave each of them twenty minutes to tell their inclusion. Also, working in an art museum filled with rare antiques is not the kind of thing that can be readily spared a fanciful story. Say what you may, blindness is not easily explained at any story pitch,even if you have a wonder dog to introduce to the world.

Not a common story arc and filled with dread at every corner; these are just a few of the excitements of a mostly forgotten B-movie. Pull your chair closer to the screen lest you become blinder than the stooge Mr. Dix played.

Richard Dix is an artist with a nice little Parisian garret. His sister asks him to retrieve some letters that are being used to blackmail her. He almost succeeds in stealing the letters but the packet slips away, concealed in a shipment of artworks on its way to a California museum. Dix moves west and hatches a plan to get into the museum: He pretends he is blind and hangs out in the museum studying and making copies of its sculptures.

Once in the museum, Dix digs around when he can, hoping to stumble on the packet. Whitney Bourne plays the beautiful museum director who takes an interest in Dix, little knowing his real purpose there. Eduardo Ciannelli and Paul Guilfoyle are a couple of crooks working for the blackmailers--they are also after the letters and Guilfoyle even picks up a job as a museum guard.

Dix and Bourne do their best but the far-fetched plot is never remotely believable. Weak dialog, predictable characters....I hate to say it but there just isn't a lot to recommend about this one.

Ace the Wonder Dog has a featured role as Dix's seeing eye dog. Unfortunately, even Ace's scenes aren't particularly convincing.

Ace the Wonder Dog, RKO's answer to Rin Tin Tin -- not that anyone had asked the question -- is introduced in this Richard Dix programmer.

Dix was a leading star at RKO from 1929 through 1940, but for RKO this meant handsomely mounted B movies that his loyal fans would go to see, and which could be used to introduce interesting new talent, like Ace. Here Richard Dix pretends to be blind in order to recover incriminating letters that might result in his sister being blackmailed -- don't ask me why his being blind would help.

Richard Dix ambles through the movie with his usual muscular performance. It is unsurprising he had his fans. Even the fact that this movie ends with a closeup of Ace the Wonder Dog doesn't fool anyone. A talented performer, yes, but we was no Richard Dix.

In Paris, American sculptor Richard Dix (as Paul Dover) tries to retrieve some scandalous love letters sent by his beautiful sister Frances Mercer (as Ellen). He fails in the attempt, but Mr. Dix tracks the love letters to a Los Angeles museum. Donning dark glasses, Dix disguises himself as a blind man and buys the seeing-eye dog Ace (as Ace). Fetching museum manager Whitney Bourne (as Julia Fraser) catches Dix' eye. She may lead Dix to his sister's love letters, and write a few of her own. Murderously nasty Eduardo Ciannelli (as Mitch) causes trouble for the duo - or trio, if you count Ace...

The German Shepherd Ace does very well in his first feature film performance. "Ace the Wonder Dog" was RKO's version of Warner Bros.' Rin Tin Tin, then the #1 animal star at the box office. This slow-moving film is most notable for being Ace's debut. He was a good dog, but only the collie Lassie could ever approach the level, and long-term popularity, of Rin Tin Tin. Directed by the prolific Lew Landers, this story is a stretch from beginning to end, the height being Dix posing as a blind man in order to inconspicuously feel around a museum for clues leading to his sister's old love letters.

**** Blind Alibi (1938-05-20) Lew Landers ~ Richard Dix, Whitney Bourne, Ciannelli, Frances Mercer

Primarily a vehicle to showcase Ace the Wonder Dog and gowns by Renié. Premise of why the hero needs to pretend he is blind in order to gain access to museum is not sufficiently believable, especially when thieves figure out that all they need to do is get hired on as janitors in order to accomplish the same end. I find Richard Dix wooden in his delivery and cannot understand why Whitney Bourne would find him appealing. Eduardo Ciannelli is excellent as the thief. Richard Dix making an "iron" pancake in Paris could have been funnier as could have the thieves arguing over fifteen and twenty cents when blackmail is at stake. Not a great movie, but the premise could have been more interesting. Moves way too slow to really hold your interest.