Strange Confession is a 1945 Inner Sanctum film noir mystery horror film, released by Universal Pictures and starring Lon Chaney Jr., J. Carrol Naish and Brenda Joyce. The film was directed by John Hoffman and was later rereleased under the title The Missing Head. The "Inner Sanctum" franchise originated with a popular radio series. 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.'" References External links Review of film at Variety 1945 films American mystery horror films American black-and-white films Films based on radio series Universal Pictures films 1945 mystery films 1945 horror films Film noir Medical-themed films American films about revenge Films directed by John Hoffman 1940s American films