One Froggy Evening (1955)
One Froggy Evening Review
One Froggy Evening is a 1955 animated short film from the Merry Melodies series. It is a renowned classic for many great reasons.
A 50s construction worker finds a metal box that hosts a singing amphibian inside. He tries to cash in on the frog, but unfortunately the frog just stops singing whenever humans are around. This is the first ever introduction of Michigan J. Frog, a creature so perfectly designed with a memorable slender look, wide smile and a black top hat. He sings various songs, ranging from operas to more popular tunes of the early 20th century. The voice is amazing and the cartoon is at its funniest when witnessing the sight of this frog belting out famous numbers.
One Froggy Evening is also memorable in the poor protagonist for whom you can’t help but feel empathy. The final sequence transports us to the future in such a smooth transition, leading to a perfect, unforgettable circle of life type of conclusion. Although the mid part of the movie could have included more variety in its gags, the movie worked throughout in its situational comedy and a one of a kind, instantly iconic premise superbly executed. The animation is amazingly polished as well.
