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The Inner Sanctum Mysteries
Official film series logo
Based on	Inner Sanctum Mystery by Himan Brown Inner Sanctum Mysteries by Simon & Schuster
Starring	Lon Chaney Jr.
Production company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	1943–1945
Country	United States
Language	English

The Inner Sanctum Mysteries film series consists of American classic-horror mystery films, based on and inspired by the works of Himan Brown, and the stories printed by Simon & Schuster.

The anthological film series as a part of the Universal Horror label, stars Lon Chaney Jr. in a number of similar roles, with plots that do not overlap though they are thematically related. David Hoffman features in each installment as a disembodied head, which floats within a crystal ball and warns the audience that someone in attendance could be a murderer.

The series was released on home video as a collection through various packagings, in 2006.

Origin

The film series originated from the Golden Age radio dramas titled Inner Sanctum and created by Himan Brown; which were in turn based on the Simon & Schuster imprint of the same name. Though the novels are generally associated with mysteries, the imprint was additionally used for drama and romance; with each genre being published in green, blue, and red colored book covers, respectively. Broadcast through Blue Network Programs via radio from January 7, 1941 – October 5, 1952 the series included a total of 511 episodes.

Development and production

In June 1943, Universal struck a deal with Simon & Schuster Inc. for the name "Inner Sanctum". The stories in the series are not based on the narratives found in the pulp novels, nor the radio play adaptations.

Ben Pivar oversaw the production of the series. Initially, Pivar was hired to produce two Inner Sanctum Mystery films each year, with each installment starring Lon Chaney, Jr. and Gale Sondergaard. Sondergaard dropped out of her role prior to principal photography commenced on the first installment. Edward Dein suggested that at Chaney Jr.'s request, the scripts incorporated lines for an audible inner "stream of consciousness" voiceovers that the audience would hear. Director Reginald LeBorg insisted that it was Pivar was just as much as a reason as Chaney for these additions.

Film

Calling Dr. Death (1943)

When Dr. Mark Steele finds himself unable to recollect the last several days of his life, he's further disturbed to learn that his wife Maria has been found brutally murdered. Because of their troubled marriage including the recent occurrences of her unfaithful actions, Dr. Steele begins to wonder whether he was involved with her death as the investigation continues. Disturbed by the situation and hoping to recover his repressed memories, he requests that his nurse Stella perform hypnosis to determine whether he is a scheming murderer.

Weird Woman (1944)

Professor Norman Reed returns home from his trip to the South Seas, with an exotic native woman named Paula. The newlywed couple who are excited to begin their lives together, are surprised to find the townspeople questioning their intentions, as a series of strange occurrences inexplicably begin to happen including the murder of one of Reed's collogues. Though she was raised by a superstitious tribe who believed she was a supernatural being, the Professor is determined to solve the mystery and prove his wife's innocence; to the town, to his wife, and to himself.

Dead Man's Eyes (1944)

A talented painter named David "Dave" Stuart is blinded, when one of his models named Tanya becomes jealous of his relationship with his fiancé Heather and secretly replaces his eyewash with acid. While coping with his new way of life following the incident, the father of his fiancé named the Dr. Stanley Hayden offers to be the donor for a cornea transplant once he should pass away. Following his mysterious and premature death however, its determined that Dr. Hayden died of unnatural causes and Dave finds himself the primary suspect. Separated from the love of his life, who now questions his character, Tanya offers to care for David as he adapts to his new way of life. As the investigation begins, Stuart inherits the corneas as a result of Dr. Hayden's will. Though the initial surgery seems to fail at helping the artist regain his sight, Dave works tirelessly to try and find the true culprit to prove his own innocence, all while the true murderer may be following his every move.

The Frozen Ghost (1945)

while Alex Gregor is a successful illusionist known professionally as "Gregor the Great". One night during his stage show with his fiancé and assistant Maura Daniels, a drunken audience member begins to critique his routine. As Alex becomes angry and places the man into a trance through hypnotism, the man suddenly and inexplicably dies. Though the medical examination determines that it was caused by a heart attack, Alex is overcome with guilt and retires from his stage show believing that the incident was his fault. After his manager George Keene arranges a new job for him, working as a lecturer at Madame Valerie Monet's wax museum, Alex is overwhelmed by the female attention he has acquired from Monet, her niece Nina, and his fiancé who strives to convince him of his innocence. Following an angry confrontation with Monet however, all individuals involved are surprised by her disappearance. As he finds himself the primary suspect in accusations of murder, Alex works tirelessly with Maura determined more than ever to prove his innocence in both situations.

Strange Confession (1945)

When a scientist named Jeff Carter is pushed to complete his work on a vaccine to fight influenza, he finds himself at odds with his boss who is a pharmaceutical tycoon named Roger Graham. Believing that Graham only wants the riches and notoriety, Carter refuses to release the vaccine until more testing has been completed. Requesting more time, Jeff travels to South America for continued testing. Seeing an opportunity, Roger romantically pursues Jeff's wife Mary, and makes an executive business decision by prematurely releasing the vaccine. Returning from his trip, Jeff learns the ill-fated news about his wife, and learns that his son has died as a result of administration of the vaccine. Filled with rage, Jeff resolves to exact vengeance by any means necessary. Following the completion of his plans, Jeff approaches a renowned lawyer to confess his actions, where it is questioned whether a murder has occurred or a series of different events instead.

Pillow of Death (1945)

Wayne Fletcher, a successful attorney engages in an affair with his secretary Donna Kincaid, while the pair plan to be married once he divorces his wife. Unfortunately, his wife is found dead by suffocation however, and Wayne finds himself the primary suspect of the murder. As he seeks to prove his innocence, a questionable medium claims that she has contacted the spirit of his wife and supports the case that he is guilty. When a series of deaths in the same manner begin to occur one by one, Wayne works tirelessly to prove his own innocence. He is disturbed in the process however, when he begins to have visions of his dead wife, and begins to question his own sanity.

Main cast and characters

With the exception of the final film Pillow of Death, the continuing thread throughout each film was an introductory scene with a floating head within a crystal ball portrayed by David Hoffman. It led with a warning the audience that even the most innocent man could be a potential murderer.

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Additional crew and production details

Reception

In their book Universal Horrors (2007), authors Tom Weaver, Michael Brunas and John Brunas as "half-dozen feeble melodramas" that has little to recommend beyond camp value. The described their overall reception to film buffs and historians as missed opportunities, comparing them unfavorably to set by Columbia's Whistler films. Ken Hanke in his book A Critical Guide to Horror Film Series (1991) said with the exception of Werid Woman, the series was not overtly horror film oriented. Hanke found the series the films as having "delusions of intellectualism". He summarized that the films are neither as strong as Universal's horror output of the 1930s but not as uninteresting as detractors often insist.

Kim Newman reviewed the series in Sight & Sound in 2021, describing it as "straddling whodunnit and horror" and that "the films vary in quality but mostly deliver as strange entertainment."

Critical modern analyses

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References

1. ^ Weaver, Brunas & Brunas 2007, p. 380.
2. Mortensen, Adam (2006). "Inner Sanctum Mysteries: The Complete Film Collection Blu-ray Review". Geeky Hobbies. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
3. ^ Brown, Himan (2002). "On accepting his American Broadcast Pioneer Award". himanbrown.com. Himan and Melina Brown. Archived from the original on January 18, 2006. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
4. Grams, Martin (October 4, 2013). "Debunking the Myths of Inner Sanctum Mystery...or Mysteries". Martin Grams Blog. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
5. "Calling Dr. Death (1943)". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
6. ^ Weaver, Brunas & Brunas 2007, p. 379.
7. ^ Weaver, Brunas & Brunas 2007, p. 382.
8. "Calling Dr. Death". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
9. "Weird Woman". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
10. Schell, Brian (January 21, 2020). "Dead Man's Eyes (1944) Review". The Horror Guys. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
11. "The Frozen Ghost". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
12. "Strange Confession". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
13. "Pillow of Death". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
14. Weaver, Brunas & Brunas 2007, p. 390.
15. Weaver, Brunas & Brunas 2007, p. 438.
16. Weaver, Brunas & Brunas 2007, p. 475.
17. Weaver, Brunas & Brunas 2007, p. 493.
18. Weaver, Brunas & Brunas 2007, p. 510.
19. Weaver, Brunas & Brunas 2007, p. 384.
20. Hanke 1991, p. 169.
21. Hanke 1991, p. 170-171.
22. Newman 2021.
23. "Calling Dr. Death". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
24. "Weird Woman". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. March 1944. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
25. "Dead Man's Eyes". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. 19 September 2006. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
26. "The Frozen Ghost". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. June 1945. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
27. "Strange Confession". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. 5 October 1945. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
28. "Pillow of Death". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved June 24, 2022.

Sources

• Hanke, Ken (1991). A Critical Guide to Horror Film Series. Garland Publishing. ISBN 1138965421.
• Lyons, Arthur (2000). Death on the Cheap : The Lost B Movies of Film Noir. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0306809966.
• Newman, Kim (March 2021). "Inner Sanctum Mysteries". Sight & Sound. Vol. 31, no. 2. p. 86.
• Weaver, Tom; Brunas, Michael; Brunas, John (2007) . Universal Horrors (2 ed.). McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-2974-5.

• Film series
• Film series introduced in 1943
• Inner Sanctum Mystery
• Universal Pictures franchises