"The Mummy's Hand" opens with scenes lifted from the 1932 Universal film "The Mummy", and that remains about the only connection to the original. George Zucco as Professor Andoheb is entrusted with the secret formula that will bring the dead back to life, but it must be strictly followed, or the result will be uncontrollable power in the Mummy so revived.
Not one, but two veteran B Western stars are brought aboard for this erzats followup to "The Mummy" - Tom Tyler as the bandaged one, and Dick Foran as the central hero Steve Banning, leading an expedition into the Egyptian desert to locate the lost tomb of Princess Ananka. He is assisted by comic sidekick Babe Jenson (Wallace Ford), magician Solvani the Great (Cecil Kelloway) who finances the expedition, and Solvani's daughter Marta (Peggy Moran), at first skeptical but then a more than willing love interest for Foran's character. But the best performance of the lot goes to George Zucco as Andoheb, who takes control of The Mummy, sending him on a mission to maintain his revival by locating the fluid extracted from tana leaves which accompanied his burial. In addition, Andoheb plans to make himself and Marta immortal as his own personal high priestess - what a guy!
When the tomb of Ananka is eventually discovered, it brought me a chuckle. It's HUGE and an elaborately done set, but Banning and his team are constantly frustrated by their inability to find it!
Pay attention during a conversation following the discovery of the Mummy's second victim Ali, the foreman of Banning's digging crew. The name Ali must have been on Dick Foran's mind, because he calls Marta "Molly".
Have fun with "The Mummy's Hand", along with the other Universal "sequels", but don't expect any to come close to the mood, atmosphere, or conviction of the original. Even Lon Chaney couldn't work that magic in "The Mummy's Tomb", "The Mummy's Curse", and "The Mummy's Ghost".
Not one, but two veteran B Western stars are brought aboard for this erzats followup to "The Mummy" - Tom Tyler as the bandaged one, and Dick Foran as the central hero Steve Banning, leading an expedition into the Egyptian desert to locate the lost tomb of Princess Ananka. He is assisted by comic sidekick Babe Jenson (Wallace Ford), magician Solvani the Great (Cecil Kelloway) who finances the expedition, and Solvani's daughter Marta (Peggy Moran), at first skeptical but then a more than willing love interest for Foran's character. But the best performance of the lot goes to George Zucco as Andoheb, who takes control of The Mummy, sending him on a mission to maintain his revival by locating the fluid extracted from tana leaves which accompanied his burial. In addition, Andoheb plans to make himself and Marta immortal as his own personal high priestess - what a guy!
When the tomb of Ananka is eventually discovered, it brought me a chuckle. It's HUGE and an elaborately done set, but Banning and his team are constantly frustrated by their inability to find it!
Pay attention during a conversation following the discovery of the Mummy's second victim Ali, the foreman of Banning's digging crew. The name Ali must have been on Dick Foran's mind, because he calls Marta "Molly".
Have fun with "The Mummy's Hand", along with the other Universal "sequels", but don't expect any to come close to the mood, atmosphere, or conviction of the original. Even Lon Chaney couldn't work that magic in "The Mummy's Tomb", "The Mummy's Curse", and "The Mummy's Ghost".