Taglines: Egypt’s ancient loves live again in evil!
The Mummy’s Curse movie storyline. Draing of a bayou swamp area in Louisiana is halted when superstitious Cajun workmen learn one of their crew has been mysteriously murdered. They whisper fantastic tales about mummies being buried in the area. Pat Walsh (Addison Richards), boss on the project is annoyed at their fear and furthered angered when Dr. James Halsey (Dennis Moore) of the Scripps Museum, and his associate, Dr. Ilzor Zandaab (Peter Coe) arrive to search for the mummies of Kharis (Lon Chaney Jr.) and Princess Ananka (Virginia Christine), believed buried in the swamp.
Walsh’s niece and secretary, Betty (Kay Harding)shows interest in both the story and Halsey. Bulldozers unknowingly uncover the mummies, and that night Dr. Zandaab secretly meets Ragheb (Martin Kosleck, a workman, who takes the scientist to a hidden monastery. There, Kharis lies in a sarcophagus. Zandaab is actually an Egyptian priest and Ragheb is servant. Zandaab revives Kharis with a brew of Tan leaves, Kharis goes in search of his beloved Princess Ananka, whom the sun has transformed into a beautiful young woman. But the transformed Ananka is not all that interested in Kharis.
The Mummy’s Curse is a 1944 American Universal Pictures horror film, directed by Leslie Goodwins. It is the third and final sequel to that company’s The Mummy’s Hand of 1940. The film is the sequel to The Mummy’s Ghost (1944). The film is the fifth entry in Universal Pictures’ original Mummy franchise. It marks Lon Chaney, Jr.’s final appearance as Kharis, the Egyptian mummy.
The action of this film, which continues the story of Kharis and his beloved Princess Ananka, is supposed to take place in the same swampy location that was the setting of The Mummy’s Ghost. But while the earlier movie was explicitly set in rural Massachusetts, this film strongly implies that the swamp is in Louisiana, with references to Cajuns and bayous. Furthermore, if one follows the continuity of the “Kharis” series, this film would have to take place in the late 1990s.
The Mummy’s Curse made use of footage from two of Universal’s previous mummy films, The Mummy (1932) and The Mummy’s Hand (1940). In the book It Came from Bob’s Basement: Exploring the Science Fiction and Monster Movie Archive of Bob Burns, a book by horror and film collector Bob Burns, Burns has the last surviving piece of Jack Pierce’s makeup which is the mask worn by Lon Chaney Jr. in this film.
About the Story
The Southern Engineering Company is trying to drain the local swamp for the public good. However, the efforts are being hampered by the superstitions of the workers, who believe the area to be haunted by the mummy and his bride.
Two representatives of the Scripps Museum, Dr. James Halsey (Dennis Moore) and Dr. Ilzor Zandaab (Peter Coe), arrive on the scene and present their credentials to the head of the project, Pat Walsh (Addison Richards). They have come to search for the missing mummies, buried in the swamp years earlier. Their conversation is interrupted by the news that a workman has been murdered in the swamps. Evidence at the scene convinces Halsey that the murderer has found the mummy of Kharis.
Later that evening, Zandaab sneaks into the swamp and meets Ragheb (Martin Kosleck). Ragheb is a disciple of the Arkam sect, and Zandaab is secretly a High Priest. The follower killed the worker that unearthed Kharis, and has taken the immobile monster to a deserted monastery.
Zandaab explains the legend of Kharis and Ananka to Ragheb as he brews the tana leaves, giving instructions on their use. The old sacristan of the monastery (William Farnum) intrudes on their ritual, and is promptly executed by a risen Kharis.
Meanwhile, the mummy of Ananka (Virginia Christine) rises from the swamp after being partially uncovered by a bulldozer during the excavation. She immerses herself in a pond and the mud is washed away, revealing an attractive young woman.
Cajun Joe (Kurt Katch) finds the girl wandering listlessly in the swamps, calling out the name “Kharis”. He takes her to Tante Berthe (Ann Codee), the owner of the local pub, who aids the girl. Later, Kharis finds her there and murders Berthe, as Ananka flees into the night.
Ananka is soon found lying unconscious beside the road by Halsey and Betty Walsh (Kay Harding), the niece of Pat Walsh. While in their care, and although apparently suffering from amnesia, the girl displays an incredible knowledge of ancient Egypt. Her stay at Halsey’s camp is again interrupted by the appearance of Kharis, and the kindly physician, Dr. Cooper (Holmes Herbert), is killed. She again takes flight, and Halsey and the others go in search of her.
Fleeing the monster after he attacks and kills Cajun Joe, she comes to Betty’s tent seeking refuge. However, Kharis is not far behind. He enters the tent and whisks away his Princess, leaving the horrified Betty unhurt.
Betty asks Ragheb for his help in finding Dr. Halsey. The treacherous disciple has other ideas, and takes her to the monastery instead. Zandaab, having already administered the tana fluid to the young Ananka, is angered to find Ragheb making advances on Betty. He orders her death, but Ragheb kills him instead. Halsey arrives, tracking them from the camp after finding Betty’s tent destroyed. A struggle ensues between Ragheb and Halsey, until Kharis intervenes. The creature, sensing Ragheb’s betrayal, advances on his former ally.
The Mummy’s Curse (1944)
Directed by: Leslie Goodwins
Starring: Lon Chaney, Jr., Dennis Moore, Kay Harding, Virginia Christine, Addison Richards, Peter Coe, Martin Kosleck, Kurt Katch, Ann Codee, Holmes Herbert, Napoleon Simpson
Screenplay by: Bernard Schubert
Cinematography by: Virgil Miller
Film Editing by: Fred R. Feitshans Jr.
Costume Design by: Mal Caplan
Set Decoration by: Victor A. Gangelin, Russell A. Gausman
Art Direction by: John B. Goodman, Martin Obzina
Music by: William Lava, Paul Sawtell
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: December 22, 1944
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