This is one of the better entries in the Edgar Wallace krimi series. There's a heavy emphasis on the fog-bound (supposedly) Soho environment, several sleight-of-hand camera angles (including a great one with Kinski and a mirror), and a creepy denizen-of-the-depths villain known as The Shark, who uses harpoons as his weapons of choice. Eddie Arent contributes his always welcome comic relief as an eccentric nautical wag this time (instead of his usual assistant inspector), and gives a wonderful demonstration of "The Twist" with a local hipster. Of course the inspector falls for a lovely (barely of-age) fraulein. The wacky score contributes greatly.
11 Reviews
Looking good, Klaus!
Coventry22 May 2022
The last 'Krimi'/Edgar Wallace adaptation I watched was "Der Hexer" (a.k.a. "The Magician"), and since that was great, I'm slightly worried the next couple of ones won't live up to its standards. This is already noticeable with "The Inn on the River". Although my expectations were set quite high, based on the plot synopsis of a serial killer in a diving suit terrorizing London and eliminating his/her victims with a harpoon, I found the film rather dull and predictable.
The disappointment mostly comes from the fact our scuba diver isn't a serial killer at all, but merely just the mysterious leader of a smuggling ring. And, with that, we're back in an overly familiar and derivative Edgar Wallace terrain. The regular Krimi-actors star in their usual roles, like Joachim Fuchsberger as the tough Scotland Yard inspector, Eddi Arent as the pointless comic relief, and Klaus Kinski as the sinister guy creeping around the crime scenes and popping up everywhere. Speaking of Klaus, I must say he never looked so good! With his fancy white suits and subtle beard, his character here is the handsomest of all the Krimi-characters he depicted... And there are many! Regarding the climax (as in: the revelation of the culprit), if you pay close attention and think logically, it's fairly simply to guess who's inside the wetsuit.
The disappointment mostly comes from the fact our scuba diver isn't a serial killer at all, but merely just the mysterious leader of a smuggling ring. And, with that, we're back in an overly familiar and derivative Edgar Wallace terrain. The regular Krimi-actors star in their usual roles, like Joachim Fuchsberger as the tough Scotland Yard inspector, Eddi Arent as the pointless comic relief, and Klaus Kinski as the sinister guy creeping around the crime scenes and popping up everywhere. Speaking of Klaus, I must say he never looked so good! With his fancy white suits and subtle beard, his character here is the handsomest of all the Krimi-characters he depicted... And there are many! Regarding the climax (as in: the revelation of the culprit), if you pay close attention and think logically, it's fairly simply to guess who's inside the wetsuit.
Excuse me, is that a harpoon in your chest?
evilskip4 September 1999
This is another in the series of German krimi's based on the works of Edgar Wallace.After sitting through several less than average of these this one rises above the water(pun intended) a bit.
There is a killer called The Shark terrorizing the Thames.He has a propensity to shoot folks with a spear gun.The Shark is also the criminal mastermind behind a gem smuggling ring that is driving Scotland Yard up the wall.Inspector Wade of the River Police is put in charge of the case.
Most of the action centers around a waterfront dive called Mekka.The owners smuggle in contraband whiskey and are tied up with the Shark somehow.Red herrings and double indentities are as usual plentiful.There is also a plot to attain one of the greatest inheritances in England.
The black & white photography adds a lot of flavor to this film. The Thames at night looks to be a place that you don't want to be. The use of night fog is pretty eerie.The sets are well done. You do feel like you're in a very seedy waterfront dive.The plot moves along well and the movie is ably directed. You have to take the acting at face value as you can never really tell with the dubbing.The same stable of actors is used from film to film which is always fun to see them in different roles.
As usual there are some drawbacks. The opening title theme is hysterically funny. It is punctuated with yells, screams and a cuckoo clock.In fact there are so many badly done songs in the first ten minutes you think you're watching a musical. As usual Eddie Arndt plays the broad comic relief which while a staple in this series never fails to irritate.
All in all a small cut above the average in this series.
There is a killer called The Shark terrorizing the Thames.He has a propensity to shoot folks with a spear gun.The Shark is also the criminal mastermind behind a gem smuggling ring that is driving Scotland Yard up the wall.Inspector Wade of the River Police is put in charge of the case.
Most of the action centers around a waterfront dive called Mekka.The owners smuggle in contraband whiskey and are tied up with the Shark somehow.Red herrings and double indentities are as usual plentiful.There is also a plot to attain one of the greatest inheritances in England.
The black & white photography adds a lot of flavor to this film. The Thames at night looks to be a place that you don't want to be. The use of night fog is pretty eerie.The sets are well done. You do feel like you're in a very seedy waterfront dive.The plot moves along well and the movie is ably directed. You have to take the acting at face value as you can never really tell with the dubbing.The same stable of actors is used from film to film which is always fun to see them in different roles.
As usual there are some drawbacks. The opening title theme is hysterically funny. It is punctuated with yells, screams and a cuckoo clock.In fact there are so many badly done songs in the first ten minutes you think you're watching a musical. As usual Eddie Arndt plays the broad comic relief which while a staple in this series never fails to irritate.
All in all a small cut above the average in this series.
Good Edgar Wallace adaptation
dbborroughs17 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Using a spear gun as a weapon of choice the Shark kills those who cross his path leaving a trail of dead in the Thames. Investigating the matters the police discover that all of the deaths seem connected to a smuggling operation.
Dark and moody Edgar Wallace adaption is an enjoyable mystery. I've been making my way through the films in the series over the past couple of weeks and this is one of the more solid entries. It helps that the setting is not the typical English manor house but instead the environs in and around the river. Helping things along is a great cast, many of whom have appeared all through the series including Klaus Kinski.If one wants to see Kinski's range as an actor one need only watch the films he appears in this series since he's often very different in each one. I really recommend this film as an enjoyable film to curl up with on a dark and stormy night.(I've seen it a couple of times now and enjoyed each viewing)
Dark and moody Edgar Wallace adaption is an enjoyable mystery. I've been making my way through the films in the series over the past couple of weeks and this is one of the more solid entries. It helps that the setting is not the typical English manor house but instead the environs in and around the river. Helping things along is a great cast, many of whom have appeared all through the series including Klaus Kinski.If one wants to see Kinski's range as an actor one need only watch the films he appears in this series since he's often very different in each one. I really recommend this film as an enjoyable film to curl up with on a dark and stormy night.(I've seen it a couple of times now and enjoyed each viewing)
Excellent Krimi flick
The_Void6 July 2009
This is another film made in Germany in the sixties, based on a story by Edgar Wallace, and directed by Alfred Vohrer. It's also one of the best films of its type. The plot is typical of Edgar Wallace; it's wacky and features a plethora of strange and unique characters. As the title suggests, the film makes a river (the Thames, naturally) its central setting and this is very important for the plot as it focuses on a murderer with a strange modus operandi. Scotland Yard have been called in to investigate a series of murders happening on the river - witnesses have reported seeing a man in a wetsuit and all of the victims are found to have been killed by a harpoon - thus leading the murderer to be nicknamed 'The Shark'. Inspector Wade is called in to look into the murders and it soon becomes apparent that they may have something to do with a local smuggling operation. His efforts are concentrated on one family in particular that owns a bar and, allegedly, a large fortune also.
Alfred Vohrer stylishly directs the film, and seems to have a fascination with mirrors - as there's plenty of shots featuring characters' reflections. The plot is well worked and the way that the investigation is presented is interesting; although to be honest I would have proffered to have seen more of The Shark. A murderer swimming around a river and shooting people with a harpoon gun is a fascinating idea, but it's not capitalised upon as much as it could have been. The central cast is good and features many familiar Krimi faces - including Joachim Fuchsberger, Eddi Aren't and Klaus Kinski, who has a small but memorable role as a smuggler. There's plenty of good set pieces to keep the interest up, although the focus of the mystery is not on the identity of The Shark but on the reasons for the killing; meaning the final unveiling of the villain at the end is a bit of a moot point; although it does at least come as a surprise. Overall, this is an excellent Krimi that works in spite of a couple of problems and it will certainly be of interest to fans of the genre.
Alfred Vohrer stylishly directs the film, and seems to have a fascination with mirrors - as there's plenty of shots featuring characters' reflections. The plot is well worked and the way that the investigation is presented is interesting; although to be honest I would have proffered to have seen more of The Shark. A murderer swimming around a river and shooting people with a harpoon gun is a fascinating idea, but it's not capitalised upon as much as it could have been. The central cast is good and features many familiar Krimi faces - including Joachim Fuchsberger, Eddi Aren't and Klaus Kinski, who has a small but memorable role as a smuggler. There's plenty of good set pieces to keep the interest up, although the focus of the mystery is not on the identity of The Shark but on the reasons for the killing; meaning the final unveiling of the villain at the end is a bit of a moot point; although it does at least come as a surprise. Overall, this is an excellent Krimi that works in spite of a couple of problems and it will certainly be of interest to fans of the genre.
Oliver! by the Thames
feindlicheubernahme4 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Overall, I thought this was a slightly better effort than the previous one I saw: The Door with Seven Locks. This was mostly due to its unique setting; this time, we were on the waterfront, rather than in the concrete jungle. Every time we were in the Mekka, though, I did half expect Nancy to jump out and give us a rousing rendition of Oom-Pah-Pah.
Joachim Fuchsberger and Brigitte Grothum were back as the leads, three films after we last saw both in The Strange Countess. Incidentally, Grothum is still professionally active, her latest roles to date being in WaPo Berlin in 2021 and 2022, at 86 and 87 years of age respectively.
Good old Klaus Kinski was also back. Amazingly, this time it seemed he really was good - a policeman, no less. That must be a first. He was doing so many of these films at this point that one wonders whether he had aspirations to join Arent as an every-episode cast member. Unfortunately, hindsight tells us that, if he did, his dream remained unrealized and he instead had to make do with becoming an international superstar.
The standout cast member for me was Elisabeth Flickenschildt as Mrs Oaks. I didn't realize until after I'd finished watching that she was also Mrs Revelstoke in The Terrible People. Now it makes sense; she was great in that as well.
As for the plot, it was all right, the usual stuff but decently done. The villains outfit was pretty ludicrous and it takes a larger suspension of disbelief than usual to accept that he could go around doing the things he did on land without easily getting caught. It was also pretty clear just who was in the outfit by the halfway point. And I didn't quite understand what the connection was between The Shark and Leila was. I had thought they were separate storylines and linked only through Oaks and Broen, but then he tried to kidnap her!
I'm deducting a point from my score because of the damned kiss at the end. It had been clearly established that Leila was only 18 years old and I had - foolishly - believed that the writers wouldn't wade into such murky waters just for the sake of adding a romance angle, that the inspector's interest in her was purely as a father figure looking out for her safety. I should have known better.
Joachim Fuchsberger and Brigitte Grothum were back as the leads, three films after we last saw both in The Strange Countess. Incidentally, Grothum is still professionally active, her latest roles to date being in WaPo Berlin in 2021 and 2022, at 86 and 87 years of age respectively.
Good old Klaus Kinski was also back. Amazingly, this time it seemed he really was good - a policeman, no less. That must be a first. He was doing so many of these films at this point that one wonders whether he had aspirations to join Arent as an every-episode cast member. Unfortunately, hindsight tells us that, if he did, his dream remained unrealized and he instead had to make do with becoming an international superstar.
The standout cast member for me was Elisabeth Flickenschildt as Mrs Oaks. I didn't realize until after I'd finished watching that she was also Mrs Revelstoke in The Terrible People. Now it makes sense; she was great in that as well.
As for the plot, it was all right, the usual stuff but decently done. The villains outfit was pretty ludicrous and it takes a larger suspension of disbelief than usual to accept that he could go around doing the things he did on land without easily getting caught. It was also pretty clear just who was in the outfit by the halfway point. And I didn't quite understand what the connection was between The Shark and Leila was. I had thought they were separate storylines and linked only through Oaks and Broen, but then he tried to kidnap her!
I'm deducting a point from my score because of the damned kiss at the end. It had been clearly established that Leila was only 18 years old and I had - foolishly - believed that the writers wouldn't wade into such murky waters just for the sake of adding a romance angle, that the inspector's interest in her was purely as a father figure looking out for her safety. I should have known better.
My first exposure to Krimis
udar5510 June 2005
This 1962 mystery is the first exposure I've had to the Edgar Wallace krimi adaptations. I enjoyed it quite a bit although the mystery was a bit too convoluted. There is even a "So and so did this because..." explanation towards the end but I still have a few questions. Anyway, the film is about a killer named The Shark who is killing people in London with a speargun. He is able to get away because he dresses in a scuba outfit and uses the city sewer lines to escape. Inspector Wade (Joachim Fuchsberger) of Scotland Yard is on the case.
The film has a lot going for it, especially in the Theremin themed bits involving The Shark. The image of the killer in an all black wetsuit is atmospherically shot and suitably creepy. Dick Maas was definitely impressed by it because he used it to similar effect in the 80s action thriller AMSTERDAMNED. Another plus is a young Klaus Kinski in a major supporting role as sleazy French businessman. On the downside, the film features some awkward comic relief in the form of the bumbling Barnaby character. And, as I mentioned earlier, it does get confusing for a bit. At one point three men in black scuba suits are running around. However, the end revelation of who The Shark is pretty unexpected and director Alfred Vohrer does his best to send you off the track.
The film has a lot going for it, especially in the Theremin themed bits involving The Shark. The image of the killer in an all black wetsuit is atmospherically shot and suitably creepy. Dick Maas was definitely impressed by it because he used it to similar effect in the 80s action thriller AMSTERDAMNED. Another plus is a young Klaus Kinski in a major supporting role as sleazy French businessman. On the downside, the film features some awkward comic relief in the form of the bumbling Barnaby character. And, as I mentioned earlier, it does get confusing for a bit. At one point three men in black scuba suits are running around. However, the end revelation of who The Shark is pretty unexpected and director Alfred Vohrer does his best to send you off the track.
Harpoon hassle
Horst_In_Translation18 March 2016
Warning: Spoilers
"Das Gasthaus an der Themse" or "The Inn on the River" is another German black-and-white film based on an Edgar Wallace novel. This one is from 1962, so almost 45 years old. The runtime is also the usual as this one here stays slightly under 90 minutes. The director is Alfred Vohrer, who despite being more known for his Winnetou works, also worked on quite a few of these Wallace films. The trio of writers who adapted the novel for the film also had lots of experience with Wallace films before and after. I am generally not a big fan of these films, but that is rarely a fault of lead actor Fuchsberger or the supporting cast. It is just that the story is rarely interesting and honestly very similar in all these films. A police investigator is working on a case in search of a high-profile gangster who is usually somehow disguised. The detective and we only find out at the very end who the criminal really is. A touch of Scooby-Doo, but not half as entertaining.
As for this film here, the killer appears in diving gear and kills with his harpoon. Honestly, compared to previous villains, this was a pretty stupid outfit and made it even harder for me in taking this film seriously. Of course, as usual with these films there is also a damsel in distress in there who needs protection from the detective when the killer targets her. Of course, he manages to kill everybody as always, but not the most helpless character. This is what really hurts these films in terms of credibility. So yeah, the story is weak in this one too and even the presence of Klaus Kinski before stardom cannot save this film from being honestly mediocre. I have not read Wallace, so I am not sure if the adaptations are always the problem or the base material. In any case, despite one or two memorable scenes, this is not a good watch. Thumbs down and this film is proof of how bad the 1960s were in terms of German cinema. Don't watch. Also, on a side-note, this film is officially a sequel of another Wallace movie about a "criminal frog". This does not make sense though as the Frog does not appear in here and none of the other characters from that earlier film do either. I guess they just wanted to cash in by including that reference in the title. Pretty pathetic if you ask me.
As for this film here, the killer appears in diving gear and kills with his harpoon. Honestly, compared to previous villains, this was a pretty stupid outfit and made it even harder for me in taking this film seriously. Of course, as usual with these films there is also a damsel in distress in there who needs protection from the detective when the killer targets her. Of course, he manages to kill everybody as always, but not the most helpless character. This is what really hurts these films in terms of credibility. So yeah, the story is weak in this one too and even the presence of Klaus Kinski before stardom cannot save this film from being honestly mediocre. I have not read Wallace, so I am not sure if the adaptations are always the problem or the base material. In any case, despite one or two memorable scenes, this is not a good watch. Thumbs down and this film is proof of how bad the 1960s were in terms of German cinema. Don't watch. Also, on a side-note, this film is officially a sequel of another Wallace movie about a "criminal frog". This does not make sense though as the Frog does not appear in here and none of the other characters from that earlier film do either. I guess they just wanted to cash in by including that reference in the title. Pretty pathetic if you ask me.
Atmospheric German Wallace adaption
Rascar-Capac24 May 2009
Between 1959 and 1972 a stream of 32 (!) films, based on criminal novels from famous British author Edgar Wallace had been produced by the German Rialto film company. "The Inn on the River" is an early example and surely one of the highlights of the series. The film benefits tremendously from the atmospheric black and white photography shot by cameraman Karl Loeb. There are plenty of impressive night scenes with eerie lights and shadows. Foggy canalization funnels, lonesome harbor quays, subterranean and underwater locations capture the audience from the beginning. Though some side aspects of the script seem to be far fetched and only loosely connected with the entire plot, it doesn't distract from the main story line, which is loosely based on Wallace's novel "The India Rubber Man". The film focuses on the police chasing a mysterious Jewel robber known only as the "Shark". Disguised in a black divers suit, he frequently kills in proper style with his harpoon! "The Inn on the Thames", so the exact translation of the German film title, was a huge success, when released in 1962. Apart from the suspenseful crime story, one of the reasons for this might be, that the thriller elements are complimented here more than usual by a simple but effective fairytale-like romance.
The film's young heroine Leila (Brigitte Grothum: very pretty, though she seems rather limited here as an actress) is captured at the sinister harbor Inn "Mekka" just like a 20th century Cinderella. She is repressed by her evil stepmother (excellent: Elisabeth Flickenschild) and threatened not only by the "Shark", but by numerous gangsters around, some of them lustfully longing for the under aged girl. The prince coming to her rescue is of course Scotland Yard's Inspector Wade (in his usual role, handsome Joachim Fuchsberger): he even calls her "Princess" at their first encounter. Wade suspects that the "Mekka" Inn is a smuggler's nest, somehow connected with the "Shark". Among the many doubtful characters he finds here is the sneaky Russian merchantman Gubanow (great: Klaus Kinski, in one of his typical supporting roles, that became a trademark of the series)
As usual in German Wallace Krimis of that time, the film wasn't shot on location. Hamburg and the Elbe river doubled in for London and the Thames. There is only few (badly fitting) original British stock footage from a rowing boat race. Other minus points are the uneven title music and the comical character of Barnaby (Eddie Arend), an eccentric fan of water sports. Arend, who can be funny at times, is allowed to overact so shamelessly, that his screen presence becomes annoying here. Nonetheless, this is a great little thriller. It's impact on filmmakers can be viewed in Dick Maas Horror action flick "Amsterdamned" (1988), which borrowed more than the idea of a killer in a diving-suit from this one.
The film's young heroine Leila (Brigitte Grothum: very pretty, though she seems rather limited here as an actress) is captured at the sinister harbor Inn "Mekka" just like a 20th century Cinderella. She is repressed by her evil stepmother (excellent: Elisabeth Flickenschild) and threatened not only by the "Shark", but by numerous gangsters around, some of them lustfully longing for the under aged girl. The prince coming to her rescue is of course Scotland Yard's Inspector Wade (in his usual role, handsome Joachim Fuchsberger): he even calls her "Princess" at their first encounter. Wade suspects that the "Mekka" Inn is a smuggler's nest, somehow connected with the "Shark". Among the many doubtful characters he finds here is the sneaky Russian merchantman Gubanow (great: Klaus Kinski, in one of his typical supporting roles, that became a trademark of the series)
As usual in German Wallace Krimis of that time, the film wasn't shot on location. Hamburg and the Elbe river doubled in for London and the Thames. There is only few (badly fitting) original British stock footage from a rowing boat race. Other minus points are the uneven title music and the comical character of Barnaby (Eddie Arend), an eccentric fan of water sports. Arend, who can be funny at times, is allowed to overact so shamelessly, that his screen presence becomes annoying here. Nonetheless, this is a great little thriller. It's impact on filmmakers can be viewed in Dick Maas Horror action flick "Amsterdamned" (1988), which borrowed more than the idea of a killer in a diving-suit from this one.
The inn on the river
coltras3517 February 2023
A serial killer named The Shark is terrorizing London by killing his victims with a speargun and then, dressed in a scruba-diver's wetsuit, using the city's sewer tunnels to make his getaway.
Atmospheric thriller that has a great sea setting with an inn on the harbour and plenty of fog and murky underwater scenes. The villain here is a menacing killer donned in a scuba diving outfit and his tool of the trade is a spear gun - this is reminiscent of the slasher films where the fiend is donned in an outfit and uses a particular weapon. Matching him is a very determined police inspector played by Joachim Fuchsberger. Other undesirables are Klaus Kinski who plays a seedy character and stealing the scene is Elisabeth Flickenschildt as the creepy innkeeper who is low enough to sell her niece to an old man. There's plenty to enjoy here- it's fast-paced, focused and has some tense scenes. The killer's identity came as a surprise.
Atmospheric thriller that has a great sea setting with an inn on the harbour and plenty of fog and murky underwater scenes. The villain here is a menacing killer donned in a scuba diving outfit and his tool of the trade is a spear gun - this is reminiscent of the slasher films where the fiend is donned in an outfit and uses a particular weapon. Matching him is a very determined police inspector played by Joachim Fuchsberger. Other undesirables are Klaus Kinski who plays a seedy character and stealing the scene is Elisabeth Flickenschildt as the creepy innkeeper who is low enough to sell her niece to an old man. There's plenty to enjoy here- it's fast-paced, focused and has some tense scenes. The killer's identity came as a surprise.
Scotland Yars Insp. Wade hunts "The Shark" a scuba-diving dressed killer who terrorises London.
Geroellheimer24 August 2005
This was the most successful film of the legendary Edgar Wallace series in Germany which ran from 1959 to 1972."Gasthaus" has an creepy and mysterious atmosphere,filmed in Hamburg along the river Alster, and not on Location in London. Along with a very good story and some nice plot twists, it is a movie i will always like to watch. It has also one of the best casts in the Wallace history. Along with regulars Joachim Fuchsberger,Eddi Aren't Siegfried Schürenberg and the always great Klaus Kinski German movie greats like Elisabeth Flickenschildt,Heinz Engelmann,Brigitte Grothum and Richard Münch ad to the fun.Since the movies are regularly rerun on German TV and the entire series has recently appeared on DVD, be sure to watch this one. Of course to watch the others isn't a bad idea either.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
