The Ghoul

The Ghoul is a 1933 British horror film starring Boris Karloff and featuring Harold Huth, Dorothy Hyson, Ernest Thesiger, and Cedric Hardwicke; Ralph Richardson made his film debut. Plot Professor Henry Morlant (Boris Karloff), a great Egyptologist, thinks that the ancient jewel which he calls the "Eternal Light" will give him powers of rejuvenation if it is offered up to the ancient Egyptian god Anubis. But when Morlant dies, his servant Laing (Ernest Thesiger) steals the jewel. While a gaggle of interlopers, including a disreputable solicitor (Cedric Hardwicke) and a fake parson (Ralph Richardson), descend on the Professor's manor to investigate or steal the jewel for themselves, Morlant returns from the dead ("when the full moon strikes the door of my tomb", he predicted before dying) to kill everyone who has betrayed him. Cast Boris Karloff as Professor Henry Morlant, renowned Egyptologist Cedric Hardwicke as Mr. Broughton, the Professor's solicitor Ernest Thesiger as Laing, the Professor's clubfooted servant Dorothy Hyson as Miss Betty Harlon, the Professor's niece and one of his two heirs Anthony Bushell as Ralph Morlant, the Professor's nephew and one of his two heirs Kathleen Harrison as Miss Kaney, Miss Betty Harlon's flatmate and movie's comic relief Harold Huth as Sheikh Aga Ben Dragore, who sold the jewel to the Professor D. A. Clarke-Smith as Mahmoud Ralph Richardson as Nigel Hartley, false parson Jack Raine as Davis, Mr. Broughton's chauffeur (uncredited) George Relph as Doctor (uncredited) Release and preservation Loosely based on a 1928 novel by Frank King (and subsequent play by King and Leonard J. Hines), The Ghoul was produced by Gaumont British and released in the UK in August 1933. Release in the US followed in January 1934, with a reissue in 1938. The film was financially successful in the UK, but performed disappointingly in the US. The only film made during a brief contract dispute with Universal Studios, The Ghoul also marked the first time in over two decades that Karloff had acted in Britain and the British film industry.