Her Alibi

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 has fallen into a rut with predictable plots and declining sales. He is floundering attempting to write a new novel, well behind schedule, and wastes time watching trials in court, where he is known as a regular among other regular spectators. He is stunned when he sees a dazzling Romanian murder suspect named Nina (Porizkova) arraigned in the court. Instantly falling for her, he believes she cannot possibly be a murderer. To assure himself of this, he poses as a Roman Catholic priest in order to meet Nina while she is held pending her bail appearance. Finding her wearing a crucifix necklace (which would be forbidden in her communist homeland), he thinks she's innocent when she does not confess to the murder. With the help of his friend and literary agent, Sam (Daniels), Blackwood invents an alibi ("We're having an affair.") to secure her release under his custody, and he gets Sam to help. However, after Blackwood succeeds in this, Sam raises the frightening idea that she really might be a murderer, and that Blackwood might be in danger.