The Ghoul

Often called the first British horror film of the sound era, The Ghoul stars Boris Karloff as Professor Morlant, a dying Egyptologist who demands to be buried with a sacred jewel he believes will grant him eternal life. When the gem is stolen from his tomb, Morlant rises from the grave to reclaim it, stalking the heirs and hangers-on who have gathered at his gloomy estate. The cast is a remarkable roll of British talent: Cedric Hardwicke, Ernest Thesiger, Dorothy Hyson, and Ralph Richardson in his feature film debut. Produced by Michael Balcon for Gaumont-British and directed by T. Hayes Hunter, the film was considered lost for decades until a print surfaced in the 1980s. It is in the public domain in the United States.