Warner Oland is Charlie Chan in a mystery about an ancient curse and a mummy’s tomb in Egypt. Look for Rita Hayworth in a bit part as servant girl Nayda. In the credits she’s listed as Rita Cansino, her real name..
Professor Arnold opens a tomb. One of the workers collapses and dies. Enter Charlie Chan. He’s been hired by the French Archeological Society to investigate fake artifacts. On hand is Carol Arnold the Professor’s daughter, her brother Barry, Archeologist Tom Evans, Their driver Snowshoes (Stepin Fetchit), Professor John Thurston and Dr.Racine.
Professor Arnold left a month ago and they haven’t heard from him. Charlie wants a look at a mummy inside a case. It’s put in front of an X-Ray machine. There’s something funny going on. The mummy has a bullet in its chest. They unwrap it and it’s Professor Arnold. Upstairs Carol screams. She’s found passed out on the floor the victim of drugged cigarettes.
As things move along Charlie, Tom and Snowshoes visit the tomb. The ghost of an ancient God tries to scare them off. The only one who is scared is Snowshoes. Outside someone tosses a rock from above trying to wipe out Charlie. Later when they revisit the tomb a secret panel is discovered that leads to an underground river. Tom dives in. He goes into a room and it’s loaded with treasure and Professor Arnold’s clothes. Someone puts a couple bullets into Tom.
Back at the house Barry is playing his violin when he collapses and dies. Tom is slowly recovering. Carol blames all the tragedy on Charlie and he leaves. Sure he does.
The movie is slow but it’s fun to watch it unravel to the solution. This is only Rita Hayworth’s third movie appearance.
Rita Hayworh as Nayda
