Not Really Horror

 

 (imdb)

THE EYES OF THE MUMMY-1918-A man, Albert Wendland (Harry Liedtke) becomes obsessed with visiting the tomb of Queen Ma, whose other visitors have had “terrible misfortune” after going there. Wendland can't get anyone to go with him so he goes alone. He meets local Radu (Emil Jannings), who leads him into the tomb and attacks him. Wendland knocks Radu out and investigates, finding a room where he meets a woman also named Ma (Pola Negri) who says she is Radu's prisoner. Wendland whisks her away to Europe and tries to teach her how to act like a European but Radu also goes (with the help of a professor who saved him in the desert) to find her. Wendland gives a party and the male guests are mesmerized by Ma's exotic dance. A variety show agent wants Ma in his show. 2 months later, Ma is a dancing sensation and the professor goes to see her. He brings Radu, now his servant. When Radu sees Ma, the trouble begins. 

 (imdb)

There is no mummy in this silent film production which is good on its own but not really a horror movie. This silent German production was directed by Ernst Lubitsch who later went to Hollywood and directed many famous comedies like NINOTCHKA (1939) and TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942). 

Star Pola Negri (from Poland) made 3 more movies with Lubitsch, after which she came to Hollywood where she was quite popular and successful in silent films for Paramount for a while. Co-star Jannings would go on to work for FW Murnau, eventually coming to the US and winning the first best actor Academy Award in 1929. His film work for Nazi propaganda films during WW 2 finished his career as an actor after Germany's defeat. Actor Harry Liedtke was killed by The Red Army in 1945.

Thanks for reading!

Silent Doll

 

 (imdb)

THE DOLL-1919-In this silent fairy tale from Germany, the Baron (Max Kronert) wants his nephew Lancelot to marry and carry on his bloodline. Lancelot (Hermann Thimig), a real mama's boy starts crying at the thought of matrimony. There's a frenzied chase after Lancelot by all the eligible women in town. He seeks shelter in a monastery run by some glutinous monks who have no money. When they read that the Baron is offering Lancelot 300,000 francs for him to come home and marry, the greedy monks come up with a plan to have Lance marry a mechanical doll. A nutty inventor (Victor Janson) has made a whole batch of them including one that looks like his daughter Ossi (Ossi Oswalda). 

Of course, that's the one Lance wants. Unfortunately, the inventor's abused assistant breaks it and the real Ossi has to stand in. When the inventor finds out the deception his hair turns gray. Lancelot marries her and goes back to the monks. She causes quite a distraction dancing with them. When it's discovered that Ossi is human, she and Lancelot fall in love. 

Director/co-scripter Ernst Lubitsch later came to America and made movies like THE MERRY WIDOW (1935), NINOTCHKA (1939) and HEAVEN CAN WAIT (1943).

Thanks for reading!