 Brooks Atkinson of "The New York Times" reviewed the play in its issue of 10 February 1932 when he claimed that, "the minuteness of the facts involved and the meticulousness of the play construction make "The Fatal Alibi" a rather difficult crime play to follow in the theatre".He further said that the cast was "excellent" and singled out Laughton's performance as "an immensely entertaining exercise in poster portraiture", however, "Since Mr. Laughton enjoys playing the part, a guileless theatregoer may enjoy watching him.But colorful acting, slightly detached from the flow of narrative, can also temper a drama's illusion.