Just Before Dawn (1946)

She finished her career as an uncredited dancer in "The Jolson Story" and only had a few credited parts in her entire career (which only lasted a couple of years anyway) but she was pretty and competent and makes you wonder whatever happened to her and a lot of actresses like her who just could not break out of the extra ranks. She didn't last long in this movie either - it being one of the rare ones where the heroine disappears half way through. Actually there were a few plot inconsistencies but with William Castle directing, a lot of good quirky moments also. Dr. Ordway (Warner Baxter) is suddenly called, one night, to a neighbour's housewarming because one of the guests, a diabetic, collapses and a doctor is needed to administer insulin. The insulin has been switched however and Ordway finds he has injected poison. The neighbours seem a bit odd as well - the Travers (Mona Barrie and Robert Barrett) suddenly announce they are being divorced and as soon as the murder is committed, the house goes on the market. As Ordway cynically says "was the house bought to commit the murder in"??Just before his death the man utters a cryptic quotation "I've given you one face" - which leads the determined doctor to a macabre funeral parlour. As Ordway investigates he comes to realise that the victim, Walter Foster (George Meeker, who had a much larger part in the last Crime Doctor movie) had few friends - he was keeping his sister, Claire (Roberts) from marriage by emotional manipulation and ,because he had spent all his inheritance, he was hoping to convince Claire to hand over her share, which had been sensibly invested. Mrs. Travers is also under suspicion - she had transferred a lot of bonds over to Foster to set him up in business but then found out he was in love with another woman, Connie Day (Peggy Converse) who also disappears.The "Crime Doctor" series was always solid in the story lines, although as the series progressed less was made of Ordway's personal life and he became just another brainy sleuth but, because of the dependable Warner Baxter, always believable. The creepy morgue is were everything happens with two of the more sinister "film noir" players, Martin Kosleck and Marvin Miller casting an evil shadow over things. Miller, who was effective as the blind pianist in "Deadline at Dawn" here plays henchman Casper Castello and in one of the more bizarre scenes takes oddball Louie to the doctors, ostensibly to have him diagnosed but really to kill Ordway, which he triggers by telling Louie that the kindly doctor does indeed want to lock him up!! He then grabs the hapless Louie and throws him out the window!! Fortunately Ordway has not been killed, only temporarily blinded, an affliction he uses to find the real killer!!Fingerprints being erased, plastic surgery going horribly wrong and disguises that are uncanny make this entry one of the weirdest but best!!

Just Before Dawn (1946) ** 1/2 (out of 4) William Castle directed this 7th entry in the Crime Doctor series. This time out the doctor (Warner Baxter) is called to a house to give insulin to a diabetic but it turns out to be poison so the good guy has to track down the bad guys. This was a pretty good entry but it's also pretty much just like all the rest. The film, and series, is entertaining but it's hard to get too excited about them. Baxter is his usual self but the supporting cast isn't too lively this time out. Director Castle brings some nice touches to the film but the major plot twist at the end is easy to see coming.

High-quality mystery that attempts a lot and delivers in a serious, solid manner. Warner Baxter as always does fine work with a kind of personal and professional integrity.This film is well-directed by someone who obviously knows the mystery genre. There is such immediate, sinister danger lurking over Dr.Ordway and everyone else that the plot remains taught from start to finish. Also enhanced by good plot twists, especially near the beginning and near the end. There are three very sinister bad guys, as portrayed with evil believability by Martin Kosleck and the actors portraying his henchmen. The henchman named Casper is every bit as threatening as the killer "Lash Canino" in Bogart's "The Big Sleep".First-rate character actor Charles D. Brown is excellent as the police inspector. Robert Barratt and Mona Barrie are solid and watchable as a couple caught up in the story.

This time Dr. Ordway (WARNER BAXTER) is involved in a plot concerning diabetics and insulin with the reliable MARTIN KOSLECK as the villain of the piece who is not above switching a bottle of insulin for poison and making Dr. Ordway the unsuspecting killer.While there are plenty of suspects who might have wanted the deceased man out of the way, the plot hinges mostly on sinister doings at the Ganss Mortuary run by Kosleck who is prone to dispose of anyone who is going to reveal information to Dr. Ordway.It's a good old-fashioned mystery with some creepy characters among the villains assisting Kosleck and the plot is less murky than some of the others in the crime doctor series. There's a clever plot twist with the doctor using supposed blindness as deception in catching the killer.Summing up: One of the better entries in the crime doctor series.