RETURN OF THE FROG (1938)
(a.k.a. NOBODY’S HOME)
Article #1395 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 1-8-2005
Posting Date: 6-7-2005
Directed by Maurice Elvey
Featuring Gordon Harker, Hartley Power, Rene Ray

Inspector Elk from Scotland Yard is called back from a fishing trip to investigate reports of further crimes being perpetrated by criminal known as the Frog.

When a title has the word “return” in it, you’re most likely watching a sequel of some other movie. That’s the case with this one; it’s a sequel to a 1936 movie called THE FROG, which wasn’t listed in the reference work where I came up with this title. I suspect that the earlier movie has no fantastic content, which wouldn’t surprise me, as the fantastic content in this one (science fiction content involving an early form of television, and very meager horror content with the concept of a criminal cult of sorts) is slight. On the plus side, this movie is well-acted, is full of amusing one-liners, and features Una O’Connor. On the minus side, the plot is confusing and it feels alternately rushed and dull. I get the feeling they were trying to shoehorn too much story into its 73 minute running time, and as a result, it feels cramped and doesn’t flow well. It’s based on a story by Edgar Wallace, and would be remade in the early sixties as THE INN ON THE RIVER.