The Mummy’s Hand
Directed by Christy Cabanne
Written by Griffin Jay and Maxwell Shane
1940/USA
Universal Pictures
First viewing/Amazon Instant Video
[box] The High Priest: Children of the night, they howl about the Hill of the Seven Jackals when Kharis must be fed.[/box]
The scares of the original are lost amid the “comic relief” aspects of this feeble remake/sequel.
Many of the story elements of the original are used a second time. Archaeologist Steve Banning (Dick Foran) and his sidekick Babe (Wallace Ford) are stuck in Cairo and broke. Steve insists on spending their last few dollars on a broken vase at the bazaar. The vase is inscribed with hieroglyphics that seem to point the way to the tomb of Princess Ananka. Steve starts looking for money to finance an expedition and runs into the evil Professor Andoheb (George Zucco) who assures him the vase is a fake and furthermore all who have sought the tomb of the princess have been killed. Steve is undeterred and finally secures the money from magician The Great Solvani (Cecil Kellaway). Solvani and his pretty daughter accompany Steve and Babe on the expedition to protect their investment. At the site, the party opens the coffin of Kharis who was buried alive for heresy. The mummy protects the princess’s tomb and the professor sends it on a killing spree in search of life-giving tanna leaves.
The make up does not hold a candle to the original and the many “comic” magic trick scenes between Ford and Kellaway are just not very funny. Predictable “B” level fare.
Trailer
