He went for a little walk…you should have seen his face.
While I certainly recognize its place as a
classic monster movie in the cannon of Universal Studios, I have to admit that
The Mummy kind of is a bit sluggish for me sometimes. Karloff remains my main
reason for loving it, as well as, Jack Pierce’s stunning old-age make-up and
mummy wraps for the iconic actor when he is first introduced to us. Little
details also wow/amuse me just as the handprint left behind by Ardeth Bey/Imhotep
where the scroll was stolen, the way Imhotep shirks being touched by Sir Joseph
Whemple (Arthur Byron) because of his “eastern prejudice”, how Sir Joseph’s
son, Frank (..the always dull David Manners) falls instantly in love with
half-English/half-Egyptian, Helen Grosvener (Zita Johann) after they have
briefly met the very night she collapses at the door of the Cairo Egyptian
museum, the way Imhotep (thanks to Karloff’s captivating menace) enters a room
and leaves those who stand before him rather aghast, the obviously memorable “scroll
of Toth theft” where a member of Whemple’s 1921 archeological staff goes mad after witnessing the mummy of
Imhotep snatch the resurrection scroll, the image of bandages dragging on the
floor (pulled away by Imhotep as he leaves the room out the door), and the
allure of Johann who is a descendant of Imhotep’s long lost love, Princess Anck-es-en-Amon
(there is something exotic and hypnotic about her type of beauty and presence,
needed qualities in order for us to believe Imhotep would be willing to risk
everything to have her eternally).
I absolutely love the scene where Edward Van
Sloan (as expert in Egyptian occult matters—similar to his Van Helsing, except
he’s an expert in Egyptian history instead of vampires—Dr. Muller, Helen a
patient of his who has a tendency to defy him thanks to the spell Imhotep has
her under) confronts Imhotep bravely, saying that if he had the power he’d
crush the Egyptian’s dry throat with his own hands! You see Christopher Lee
often forward his hand towards the face of someone, his signet ring a symbol of
total control: this came to me as I was watching a scene where Imhotep does
something similar and the ring’s power stops Muller and Frank right in their
tracks. And, you get lots of wonderful Universal sets mimicking (ancient)
Egypt.
Much like Karloff’s deliberate delivery, his method of speech a laconic
tone, the film is as gradual and methodical, perhaps a bit talky at times but
all of this doesn’t bother all that much. My mind can wander if I’m not careful
which is perhaps not an endorsement for the film’s story and characters, but
that’s not Karloff’s fault as he’s always interesting. His facial close-ups when
his eyes “glimmer” as he has the weaker minded under his mental domination (how
he can affect the beating hearts of humans he considers a threat to his
reincarnating Anck-es-en-Amon into the body of Helen is such an example) and
how Helen’s fate is similar to Mina’s in Dracula, with our heroes unsuccessful
in keeping her from the clutches of Imhotep despite their many efforts to
conceal her from him (there’s even a cool follow up to the handprint earlier
when his hand leaves a dusty residue on Helen’s arm as she tries to pull away
and resist his power). Yep, I still totally dig a lot from this movie; and
because I so love Dracula, The Mummy’s similarities to it are neat to me. Karl
Freund made another film besides The Mummy I love equally, Mad Love, that
proves to
me he should have directed more horror movies. Alas, this would not to be the
case. Our loss.
Much like Karloff’s deliberate delivery, his method of speech a laconic
tone, the film is as gradual and methodical, perhaps a bit talky at times but
all of this doesn’t bother all that much. My mind can wander if I’m not careful
which is perhaps not an endorsement for the film’s story and characters, but
that’s not Karloff’s fault as he’s always interesting. His facial close-ups when
his eyes “glimmer” as he has the weaker minded under his mental domination (how
he can affect the beating hearts of humans he considers a threat to his
reincarnating Anck-es-en-Amon into the body of Helen is such an example) and
how Helen’s fate is similar to Mina’s in Dracula, with our heroes unsuccessful
in keeping her from the clutches of Imhotep despite their many efforts to
conceal her from him (there’s even a cool follow up to the handprint earlier
when his hand leaves a dusty residue on Helen’s arm as she tries to pull away
and resist his power). Yep, I still totally dig a lot from this movie; and
because I so love Dracula, The Mummy’s similarities to it are neat to me. Karl
Freund made another film besides The Mummy I love equally, Mad Love, that
proves to
me he should have directed more horror movies. Alas, this would not to be the
case. Our loss.
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