Okay, one might and could quite ably argue that the Mummy sequels are perhaps the least of any of the Universal Horror franchises, but they are all, for better or worse, for lack of anything else, all quite short in the department of time investment. This makes all of them highly watchable if nothing else as they all do have some of those magical, necessary Universal touches: some quality actors, able directors, brooding music and great set designs - and, oh yeah, a great monster even if on the decline. Coming in at just 61 minutes, The Mummy's Ghost now follows Kharis and a new high priest going off to New England to fulfill Kharis and Anaka's destiny. The film has good ole George Zucco bequeath his desire and servitude to this quest to a young John Carradine. Zucco's brief role is great and Carradine is pretty good as well. You get all the same Mummy stuff here with the 9 Tana leaves under a moonlit sky, a slow striding, almost catatonic Lon Chaney moving about in a decidedly lumbering fashion, those old-fashioned Universal murder scenes(the one with Frank Reicher particularly effective), and, of course, the ridiculous romance between two actors that cannot act - here the lovely Ramsay Ames and the vacuous Robert Lowery. Throw in Barton MacLane as a tough detective and you have all the makings of not-so-classic Universal fare. This Mummy sequel actually has some originality along plot lines and is much better than at least two of the other sequels. I do have some questions; however. A swamp? Really, a swamp in New England? Huh. There are some others about what Kharis does and Anaka, but suffice it to say they are inexplicable too. Lon Chaney gives a bit more range in his performance in this his second time around as the wrapped one, but he is beginning to become camp here - unintentionally I think. There are several scenes with dogs that best Chaney and they are amusing and pathetic as well, not cutesy as I am sure some may have projected. All in all The Mummy's Ghost is one of the better Mummy sequels and will be mercifully short.
Review of The Mummy's Ghost
