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.
Horror