The Frog (1937) User Reviews

The Name Of The Frog is .......

[malcolmgsw · 6/10 · 26 March 2012]

For some strange reason this film has not been broadcast for over 50years.Nor unlike its sequel Return of The Frog is it available on video.In the 30s these secret masterminds seemed to be the rage in every country.Edgar Wallace obviously knew that he was on to a good thing when he wrote the original.D.S. Elk played by the rather bumbling Gordon Harker is aided by a moustachioed and rather young Jack Hawkins.There are lots of familiar names in the cast ,including Esme Percey,Felix Aylmer,who is loathe to reveal his calling as the public hangman and Ctril Smith as a hapless policeman ,or so we are lead to believe.Also on view is Noah Beerey brother of Wallace who plays a character who is rather a red herring.The whole film moves along with pace and a lot of humour.It is not difficult to guess who is The Frog.he actually goes by the name of Harry Lime.So i wonder if the writers of "the Third Man" saw this film and decided to name Orson Welles character after The Frog.Just a great shame that this film is not available on video.

"Your move Sergeant Elk"

[richardchatten · 6/10 · 16 August 2022]

With a face like that Gordon Harker could have been playing the title role; but he was actually playing the detective, who plainly inspired his later character Inspector Hornleigh.

As a film it's only so-so, but most of the laughs were obviously intentional. The biggest problem it gave the Hays Office was probably Carol Goodner in a see-through dress. Despite Graham Greene's sniffy review it obviously made sufficient impression for him to later employ the name 'Harry Lime' himself.

Wallace or Harker?

[JohnSeal · 6/10 · 19 August 2022]

The Frog's recent screening at the British Film Institute focused attention on the two major reasons people - well, some of us - are still interested in this very obscure quota quickie. One is star Gordon Harker (who is indeed very entertaining as police Sergeant Elk, and gets the best lines), and the other is prolific author Edgar Wallace, whose novel served as source material for both this film and the later krimi Fellowship of the Frog (1959). There's also effete Esme Percy and handsome Jack Hawkins, as well as a surprisingly effective and relaxed Noah Beery, who was presumably holidaying in Britain when he made this. The film is far better than the sum of its parts, and is jolly good fun: hopefully it will one day appear on home video and become available to a larger audience.