Before Morning on AllMovie

Based on a 1933 play, this mediocre whodunit was independently produced in New York City with a Broadway cast. Lora Baxter plays Elsie Manning, a famous actress who suddenly finds herself stuck with the dead body of her former lover, James Nichols (Russell Hicks). Dr. Gruelle (Leo Carrillo) offers to take the dead man off her shoulders and pretend that Nichols died from natural causes while under his care. But Elsie disagrees with the arrangement that includes part of the 200,000 dollars she stands to inherit. As it turns out, the good doctor proves to be a homicide detective in disguise and the real murderer is unmasked. Before Morning marked the only feature film of stage actress/playwright Lora Baxter and the screen debut of Louis Jean Heydt, a member of the play's original Broadway cast.