Louis Hayward, Jane Wyatt, and Lee Bowman star in "House by the River," a 1950 film directed by Fritz Lang. According to the interview on the DVD, this film for some reason was "lost" and later located.
The film is a Gothic drama. Hayward plays Stephen Byrne, a snake and an unsuccessful writer. One day, while his wife (Wyatt) is out of the house, Stephen makes a pretty aggressive pass at the family maid, Emily (Dorothy Patrick). When she starts screaming, Stephen winds up killing her. Panicked, he begs his crippled brother John (Lee Bowman) to help him get rid of the body. John is sick of baling out his brother, but does so because Stephen lies to him, stating that his wife is at the doctor's because she's pregnant. John reluctantly helps. Emily's disappearance causes a lot of publicity, which helps the sale of Stephen's books and inspires him to write one about her death as his marriage deteriorates. Meanwhile, suspicion falls in the wrong quarters.
This is an excellent film by Lang, with some of the action taking place in the dark, narrow house and on the river, which has become a tremendous threat to both Stephen and John. At times it's downright creepy.
This film was made by Republic, and this isn't what one would call an A list cast or budget, yet under Lang's direction, it's an A film. All three of the stars would enjoy solid careers in television, as would many of the supporting players.
Louis Hayward's career was a strange thing. Handsome, smooth, with a caressing voice, he made a wonderful Simon Templar in "The Saint in New York" and appeared in several top films, including "The Count of Monte Cristo," "And Then There Were None," and "Anthony Adverse." It seemed like all systems go. But mega-stardom was not to be; the majority of his films were weak entries. He became wealthy acting and producing on television. Hayward is excellent here, embodying the cold opportunistic and amoral Stephen. Lee Bowman is very good as John, doing some of his best work. And Jane Wyatt, who would become known to baby boomers as Margaret Anderson on "Father Knows Best" is lovely as Stephen's unhappy wife.
A must see if you like Lang.
The film is a Gothic drama. Hayward plays Stephen Byrne, a snake and an unsuccessful writer. One day, while his wife (Wyatt) is out of the house, Stephen makes a pretty aggressive pass at the family maid, Emily (Dorothy Patrick). When she starts screaming, Stephen winds up killing her. Panicked, he begs his crippled brother John (Lee Bowman) to help him get rid of the body. John is sick of baling out his brother, but does so because Stephen lies to him, stating that his wife is at the doctor's because she's pregnant. John reluctantly helps. Emily's disappearance causes a lot of publicity, which helps the sale of Stephen's books and inspires him to write one about her death as his marriage deteriorates. Meanwhile, suspicion falls in the wrong quarters.
This is an excellent film by Lang, with some of the action taking place in the dark, narrow house and on the river, which has become a tremendous threat to both Stephen and John. At times it's downright creepy.
This film was made by Republic, and this isn't what one would call an A list cast or budget, yet under Lang's direction, it's an A film. All three of the stars would enjoy solid careers in television, as would many of the supporting players.
Louis Hayward's career was a strange thing. Handsome, smooth, with a caressing voice, he made a wonderful Simon Templar in "The Saint in New York" and appeared in several top films, including "The Count of Monte Cristo," "And Then There Were None," and "Anthony Adverse." It seemed like all systems go. But mega-stardom was not to be; the majority of his films were weak entries. He became wealthy acting and producing on television. Hayward is excellent here, embodying the cold opportunistic and amoral Stephen. Lee Bowman is very good as John, doing some of his best work. And Jane Wyatt, who would become known to baby boomers as Margaret Anderson on "Father Knows Best" is lovely as Stephen's unhappy wife.
A must see if you like Lang.