Her Alibi
| Her Alibi | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Bruce Beresford |
| Produced by | Keith Barish |
| Written by | Charlie Peters |
| Starring | |
| Music by |
Georges Delerue Frank Fitzpatrick (Music Supervisor) |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 94 minutes |
| Language |
English Romanian |
| Budget | $15 million |
| Box office | $18 million |
Her Alibi is a 1989 American romantic comedy film directed by Bruce Beresford, written by Charlie Peters and starring Tom Selleck, Paulina Porizkova, William Daniels and James Farentino.
Plot
Phil Blackwood (Selleck) is an American mystery novelist who comes across a dazzling Romanian murder suspect named Nina (Porizkova) when she is arraigned in the courtroom he is visiting. Instantly falling for her, Blackwood poses as a Roman Catholic priest in order to meet her while Nina is held pending her continued arraignment. Finding her wearing a crucifix necklace (which would be forbidden in her communist homeland), he assumes she's innocent when she does not confess to the murder. With the help of his publisher and friend, Sam (Daniels), Blackwood invents an alibi ("We're having an affair.") for Nina to secure her release.
Nina then takes up residence with Blackwood, serving as the inspiration for a novel that will decide the fate of his and Sam's careers in writing and publishing, all while evading operatives from Romania's Securitate, one of whom committed the murder to stop Nina and her family's defection to America. The climax of the film takes place during The Funeral of Grimaldi, a jovial memorial service in which many clowns gather to celebrate the life of Joseph Grimaldi.
Cast
- Tom Selleck as Phil Blackwood
- Paulina Porizkova as Nina
- William Daniels as Sam
- James Farentino as Frank
- Hurd Hatfield as Troppa
- Victor Argo as Auran
- Patrick Wayne as Gary Blackwood
- Tess Harper as Sally Blackwood
Reaction
The film was met with negative reviews, earning a 14% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 21 reviews.
Although it was Porizkova's best-known film appearance, her role as Nina in Her Alibi earned her a 1990 Golden Raspberry nomination for Worst Actress.
External links