Lively, entertaining reviews of, and essays on, old and newer films and everything relating to them, written by professional author William Schoell.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

JUST BEFORE DAWN

JUST BEFORE DAWN (1946). Director: William Castle. 

A fairly absorbing"crime doctor" mystery with Warner Baxter (pictured) as the crime-solving Dr. Ordway. Ordway is called to attend a diabetic patient at a party, but the fellow is found dead and it is discovered that someone replaced Ordway's insulin with poison. We know from the first that Martin Kosleck is somehow tied up in the dirty business, but we don't know who's behind it all until the end. Ordway appears to be blinded by his opponent but carries through in spite of it. An interesting aspect of the film is the excellent make up job given to Baxter so that he can masquerade as a scurvy criminal late in the film. Baxter's acting is also on the beam. A man who gives plastic surgery to criminals is also tied up in the plot. Verdict: 

Not bad! **1/2.

No comments: