The Mummy (1932)

Director:

Karl Freund

Writers:

Nina Wilcox Putnam (story) and
Richard Schayer (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

22 December 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Romance

Tagline:

It comes to life!

Plot:

In 1921 a field expedition in Egypt discovers the mummy of ancient Egyptian prince Im-Ho-Tep, who was condemned and buried alive for sacrilege...

Plot Keywords:

Egyptology | 1930s | 1920s | Ancient Egypt | Mummy

Cast

Boris Karloff	...	Im-ho-tep, alias 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
Kathryn Byron	...	Frau Muller
Leonard Mudie	...	Prof. Pearson
James Crane	...	The Pharaoh
Henry Victor	...	The Saxon warrior (scenes deleted)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Arnold Gray	...	Knight (scenes deleted)
Leyland Hodgson	...	Gentleman #2 (uncredited)
Eddie Kane	...	Dr. LeBarron (uncredited)
Tony Marlow	...	Police inspector (uncredited)
C. Montague Shaw	...	Gentleman #1 (uncredited)
Pat Somerset	...	Helen's dancing partner (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Bit part (Nubian) (uncredited)

Directed by
Karl Freund

Writing credits
Nina Wilcox Putnam		(story) and
Richard Schayer		(story)
John L. Balderston		(writer)

Produced by
Carl Laemmle Jr.	....	producer
Stanley Bergerman	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
James Dietrich		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Charles J. Stumar		(as Charles Stumar)

Film Editing by
Milton Carruth

Art Direction by
Willy Pogany		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Vera West		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Jack P. Pierce	....	makeup designer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Fred Archer	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Michel Brusselmans	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
James Dietrich	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Heinz Roemheld	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Carl Laemmle	....	presenter

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1932) (USA) (theatrical)
• Realart Pictures (1951) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Screen Gems (1957) (USA) (TV)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (1934) (Austria) (theatrical)

Also Known As:

Cagliostro
Im-Ho-Tep
King of the Dead

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Arabic | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording Sound System)

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Spain:T | Finland:(Banned) (1935) | Finland:K-11 (2004) | Australia:PG | Germany:12 | UK:15 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Mojave Desert, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

So many layers of cotton were glued to Boris Karloff's face to create the wrinkled visage of Imhotep as a mummy that Karloff was unable to move his facial muscles enough even to speak.

Goofs:

Continuity: When we first see Helen, she is smoking a cigarette in a holder. When she turns from the camera she raises it to her mouth; in the next shot it's nowhere to be seen.

Quotes:

Ralph Norton: He went for a little walk! You should have seen his face!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Perfect Scary Movie (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Music from Weiße Hölle vom Piz Palü, Die (1929)

Moody, understated and succinct

Boris Karloff plays Imhotep, a cursed Egyptian buried alive 3700-years-ago, returns to life to claim the reincarnation of his lost-love in this Universal classic. Moody, understated and succinct, The Mummy is one of the best films from Universal's classic horror period. Although much of the success can be credited to first time director Karl Freund, who normally worked as a top cinematographer, and the brilliant make-up artist Jack P. Pierce, it is Boris Karloff who gives the film its resonance. As he previously did with the Frankenstein monster, Karloff imbues this character with an aching sense of humanity which was completely absent later incarnations of the Mummy character. Credit must also be given to the able supporting cast including Zita Johann and the always reliable Edward Van Sloan. Now here's a question. Is the film scary by today's standards? I guess I'd have to say not really. However, I just watched this film again after seeing the American version of 'The Grudge.' 'The Grudge' certainly had me jumping more, but which film did I enjoy more? It'd have to be 'The Mummy.'