Strange Confession

For the 1944 film also known as Strange Confession, see The Impostor (1944 American film).

Strange Confession
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	John Hoffman
Screenplay by	M. Coates Webster
Story by	Jean Bart
Based on	Inner Sanctum Mystery by Himan Brown
Produced by	Ben Pivar
Starring	Lon Chaney Jr. J. Carrol Naish Brenda Joyce
Cinematography	Maury Gertsman
Edited by	Russell F. Schoengarth
Music by	Frank Skinner
Production company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	October 5, 1945 (1945-10-05) (United States)
Running time	62 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Strange Confession is a 1945 noir-mystery horror film, and is the fifth installment in The Inner Sanctum Mysteries anthological film series, which was based on the popular radio series of the same name. Released by Universal Pictures and starring Lon Chaney Jr., J. Carrol Naish and Brenda Joyce; the movie was directed by John Hoffman and was later rereleased under the title The Missing Head.

Plot

Jeff Carter (Lon Chaney Jr.) is testing a vaccine for influenza. He is working for tycoon, Roger Graham (J. Carrol Naish), who takes the credit and the profit for Jeff's discovery. Roger cares more about profits than safety. Jeff resigns and is blacklisted by his boss.

Jeff heads to South America to perfect the formula. Graham has used this opportunity to release the drug and romance Jeff's attractive wife, Mary (Brenda Joyce). When Jeff hears that his son has died, he takes revenge.

Cast

• Lon Chaney Jr. as Jeff Carter
• Brenda Joyce as Mary Carter
• J. Carrol Naish as Roger Graham
• Milburn Stone as Stevens
• Lloyd Bridges as Dave Curtis
• Addison Richards as Dr. Williams
• Mary Gordon as Mrs. O'Connor
• George Chandler as Harper
• Wilton Graff as Brandon
• Francis McDonald as José Hernandez
• Jack Norton as Jack
• Christian Rub as Mr. Moore
• Wheaton Chambers as Mr. Reed
• William Desmond as Peanut Vendor
• Jack Perrin as Cop
• Beatrice Roberts as Miss Rogers
• Ian Wolfe as Frederick

Critical reception

Describing the film in TV Guide as "One of the stronger entries in Universal's Inner Sanctum series," critic Craig Butler wrote that it was "tidily entertaining" and "a solidly entertaining way to kill an hour." Writing in DVD Talk, critic David Cornelius described the film as "twenty minutes of pretty good movie mixed with ten minutes of a pretty good movie of an entirely other kind, then spread across thirty more minutes of drabness." Reviewer David Kalat wrote for Turner Classic Movies that unlike most B-movies, the film "tried to dramatize the problems of pharmaceutical companies rushing untested drugs to market - fewer still have dialogue like, 'He had my brain in his head and I had to get my brain back.'"

External links

• Strange Confession at IMDb
• Strange Confession at the TCM Movie Database
• Review of film at Variety