Wikipedia / Strange Confession
Wikipedia / Strange Confession
Strange Confession is a 1945 noir-mystery horror film directed by John Hoffman and starring Lon Chaney Jr., J. Carrol Naish and Brenda Joyce. It 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, the movie 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 for Jeff's discovery and 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.'"
References
External links
Review of film at Variety