The Mummy
The Mummy is a 1932 American pre-Code supernatural horror film directed by Karl Freund. The screenplay by John L. Balderston was adapted from a treatise written by Nina Wilcox Putnam and Richard Schayer. Released by Universal Studios as a part of the Universal Classic Monsters franchise, the film stars Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners, Edward Van Sloan and Arthur Byron.
Plot
In 1921, an archaeological expedition led by Sir Joseph Whemple finds the mummy of an ancient Egyptian high priest named Imhotep. An inspection of the mummy by Whemple's friend Dr. Muller reveals that the mummy's viscera were not removed, and from the signs of struggling Muller deduces that although Imhotep had been wrapped like a traditional mummy, he had been buried alive. Also buried with Imhotep is a casket with a curse on it. Despite Muller's warning, Sir Joseph's assistant Ralph Norton opens it and finds an ancient life-giving scroll, the "Scroll of Thoth". He translates the symbols and then reads the words aloud, causing Imhotep to rise from the dead. This snaps Norton's mind, and he laughs hysterically as Imhotep shuffles off with the scroll. Norton is said to later die, still laughing, in a straitjacket.
More details
| author | John L. Balderston Nina Wilcox Putnam Richard Schayer |
|---|---|
| contentLocation | Cairo Egypt Thebes |
| director | Karl Freund |
| editor | Milton Carruth |
| events | archaeological ethics archaeology death death of subject's partner Egyptian mythology reincarnation resurrection romance |
| genre | horror |
| keywords | ancient egypt archaeological archaeological expedition book of the dead buried alive cairo museum curse curse of the pharaohs egyptian museum forbidden love high priest id imhotep isi kill laugh modern society past life sacrilege scroll strike struggle thoth viscera warn |
| musicBy | James Dietrich |
| productionCompany | Universal Pictures |
| publisher | Universal Pictures |
| recordedAt | California |
| theme | monster movie |