An ancient Egyptian priest named Imhotep is revived when a British archaeological expedition finds his mummy and one of the researchers accidentally reads an ancient life-giving spell. Imhotep escapes from the field site and searches for the reincarnation of the soul of his lover.
Acting
Karloff's makeup and minimal movement—devastating.
Cinematography
Shadows so thick you could build pyramids in them.
Direction
Freund's German Expressionist eye rewrote Hollywood horror.
Director
Karl Freund
Boris Karloff
Imhotep / Ardath Bey
Zita Johann
Helen Grosvenor / Princess Anck-es-en-Amon
David Manners
Frank Whemple
Arthur Byron
Sir Joseph Whemple
Edward Van Sloan
Dr. Muller
Bramwell Fletcher
Ralph Norton
Noble Johnson
The Nubian Servant
Kathryn Byron
Frau Muller
Leonard Mudie
Professor Pearson
James Crane
The Pharaoh
Henry Victor
The Saxon Warrior (scenes deleted)
Arnold Gray
Knight (scenes deleted)
Florence Britton
Nurse (uncredited)
Bill Elliott
Party Guest (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Karloff spent eight hours in makeup daily; the bandage-removal scene was shot in one continuous take with no rehearsal.
This is the only Universal monster film where the monster genuinely gets the girl—until she rejects him, anyway.
US
