Chandu The Magician (1932)

Starring Edmund Lowe, Irene Ware, Bela Lugosi, Herbert Mundin, Henry B. Walthall
Directed by Marcel Varnel & William C. Menzies
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

When his brother-in-law is kidnapped and the man's death ray invention stolen by the villainous Roxor, Chandu, a hero with great hypnotic powers, comes to his rescue. 

Per Wikipedia, this production was based on a radio series, in which American Frank Chandler used his mystic abilities from studies in India to fight dastardly plots as Chandu.  The film adaptation is a compelling feature with a good deal of visual inventiveness, courtesy of its directors, Varnel, and the better known and heralded William Cameron Menzies, as well as acclaimed cinematographer, James Wong Howe.  The filmmakers do a good job of rendering the film's Egyptian locale, and there's some thrilling tracking shots employed by Howe exploring an Egyptian tomb said to house Roxor's hideout.  Lugosi plays Chandu's nemesis Roxor, and his sinister visage is well utilized and the character's willingness to torture his captive for the secrets behind his ray and to pontificate about his plans for the death ray gives the actor a meaty role.  Lowe is just fine as Chandu, a little bland at times, but with a believable hypnotic stare.  Ware plays the Egyptian princess Nadji, who's quite attractive, but one of many white actors playing the roles of Egyptians, and definitely lacks the exoticness her character should have.  I still had to admire her talent for working the lengthy eyebrows the makeup department gives her.  Walthall is present only for comic relief, which I didn't feel the film really needed, and his interchange with a diminutive doppelgänger Chandu creates, although technically well done, is only slightly amusing.  IMDB credits the music score as an assemblage of new and stock music by several uncredited composers, but nevertheless it's a great score with terrific musical flourishes when Chandu sets his mind to work.  Interestingly, when a Chandu film serial was launched a short time later, Lugosi switched roles, playing the hero Chandu.