The Mummy's Hand (1940)

In Egypt, Andoheb travels to the Hill of the Seven Jackals in
answer to the royal summons of the High Priest of Karnak. The
dying priest of the sect explains the story of Kharis to Andoheb,
involving the theft of sacred tana leaves that can restore life
to the dead Princess Ananka, who Kharis secretly loves. Kharis'
penalty upon being discovered is to be buried alive, without a
tongue, and the tana leaves are buried with him. During the cycle
of the full moon, the fluid from the brew of three tana leaves is
to be administered to the creature to keep him alive. Should
despoilers enter the tomb of the Princess, a fluid of nine leaves
will restore movement to the monster.


Meanwhile in 1940, down on his luck archaeologist Steve Banning
and his sidekick, Babe Jenson, discover the remnants of a broken
vase in a Cairo bazaar. Banning is convinced it is an authentic
ancient Egyptian relic, and his interpretation of the hieroglyphs
on the piece lead him to believe it contains clues to the
location of the Princess Ananka's tomb. With the support of the
eminent Dr. Petrie (Charles Trowbridge) of the Cairo Museum, but
against the wishes of Andoheb, who is also employed by the
museum, Banning seeks funds for his expedition. Banning and
Jenson meet an American magician, Solvani (Cecil Kellaway), who
agrees to fund their quest. His daughter Marta is not as
convinced, thanks to a prior visit from Andoheb, who brands the
two young archeologists as frauds. The expedition departs in
search of the Hill of the Seven Jackals, with the Solvanis
tagging along. In their explorations, they stumble upon the tomb
of Kharis, finding the mummy along with the tana leaves, but find
nothing to indicate the existence of Ananka's tomb. Andoheb
appears to Dr. Petrie in the mummy's cave and has the surprised
scientist feel the creature's pulse. After administering the tana
brew from nine leaves, the monster quickly dispatches Petrie and
escapes with Andoheb, through a secret passageway, to the temple
on the other side of the mountain. The creature continues his
periodic marauding about the camp, killing an Egyptian overseer
and eventually attacking Solvani and kidnapping Marta. Banning
and Jenson set out to track Kharis down, with Jenson going around
the mountain and Banning attempting to follow the secret passage
they have discovered inside the tomb.


Andoheb has plans of his own. Enthralled by Marta's beauty, he
plans to inject himself and his captive with tana fluid, making
them both immortal. Jenson arrives in the nick of time, and guns
down Andoheb outside of the temple, while Banning attempts to
rescue the girl. However, Kharis appears on the scene and
Banning's bullets have no effect on the immortal being. Marta
overheard Adoheb tell the secret of the tana fluid and tells
Banning and Jenson that Kharis must not be allowed to drink any
more of the serum. When the creature raises the tana serum to his
lips, Jenson shoots the container from his grasp. Dropping to the
floor, Kharis attempts to ingest the spilled life-giving liquid.
Banning seizes the opportunity to overturn a brazier onto the
monster, engulfing it in flames. The ending has the members of
the expedition heading happily back to the United States with the
mummy of Ananka, and the spoils of her tomb.