Chandu the Magician (1932)

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Chandu the Magician (1932) – W. C. Menzies & M. Varnel

Previously a radio serial, the titular magician (who learned his trade from the yogis of the East) is called to Egypt to stop evil Roxor who has stolen the plans for a death ray and plans to use it! Bela Lugosi makes a great diabolical Roxor but Edmund Lowe is just serviceable as Chandu (though not for lack of trying).  The direction by art department stalwart William Cameron Menzies (Things to Come, 1936) and Marcel Varnel keeps things moving with some surprises (secret doors and the like) and only a few dull moments.  Special effects boost the scenes where Chandu uses his magic and the sets are better than average.  There is a love interest (Irene Ware) and also a teenage daughter (June Lang) who gets kidnapped and put up at a slave auction (remember this is “pre-code”).  There are a lot of white people playing Egyptians or Indians and, if there weren’t some on both the good side and the bad side, the racism might be a bit more overt.  But fortunately, everything is played with good humour and the main source of comic relief is a drunken British ex-soldier, now servant (played by character actor Herbert Mundin, also seen in The Adventures of Robin Hood, 1939).  All told, an okay adventure story with elements that elevate it beyond the standard for the usual b-pictures of the day.