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Crime Cult Classic

A sinister tale of murder, guilt, and sibling betrayal along a shadowy riverside.

HOUSE BY THE RIVER

WOMEN SPOKE OF HER with Scorn...MEN THOUGHT OF HER with Longing!

1950 · 1h 28m · NR · Crime / Drama / Thriller · IMDB TMDB

A deranged writer murders a maid after she resists his advances. The writer engages his brother's help in hiding the body, causing unexpected problems for both of them.

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Vault Note

Even writers with a taste for melodrama rarely go this far over the edge.

Programmer's Pick

Fritz Lang steers this smoky noir down a river of moral decay, with Louis Hayward channeling the kind of desperate menace only an unsuccessful writer could muster. Throw in a fraught brotherly dynamic and a corpse in the water, and you’ve got a psychological thriller that keeps the guilt festering just beneath the surface.

— SassyFlix Programmer
Quick Answer
What is House by the River about?

House by the River is a 1950 American crime drama thriller directed by Fritz Lang about a failed writer who murders his maid and enlists his brother to help cover up the crime, leading to tragic consequences.

Details & Specs
Director
Fritz Lang
Writers
Mel Dinelli, A.P. Herbert
Release
1950
Runtime
1h 28m
Country
United States of America
Language
English
Also Known As
Floodtide, Das Todeshaus am Fluss, Die Villa am Ufer, La casa del río, Original title: House by the River

Synopsis

The unsuccessful writer Stephen Byrne tries to force his servant Emily Gaunt sexually while his wife Marjorie Byrne is visiting a friend and accidentally strangles her. His crippled brother John Byrne coincidently comes to his house in that moment, and Stephen asks him to help to get rid of the corpse and avoid an scandal, since his wife would be pregnant. The naive and good John helps his brother to dump the body in the river nearby his house. Stephen uses the disappearance of Emily to blame her and promote his book. When the body is found by the police, all the evidences points to John, and he becomes the prime suspect of the murder.

Why Cult

Fritz Lang Noir

Directed by Fritz Lang, this film delivers the bleak visual style and twisted psychology that made him a master of film noir.

Twisted Sibling Dynamics

The fraught relationship between the Byrne brothers is pushed to breaking as guilt and suspicion swirl around a deadly crime.

Riverbank Crime Cover-Up

A botched attempt to dispose of a body in the river gives this story its moody, fatalistic edge.

Psychological Breakdown

From traumatic flashbacks to mounting paranoia, the film dives deep into the unraveling minds of those caught in the crime.

Questions from the Vault

What is House by the River about? +

House by the River follows a failed writer who murders his maid and persuades his brother to help dispose of the body, only to have suspicions and guilt spiral out of control.

When was House by the River released? +

House by the River was released in 1950.

Who directed House by the River? +

Fritz Lang directed House by the River.

How long is House by the River? +

House by the River has a runtime of 88 minutes.

What genre is House by the River? +

House by the River is a crime, drama, and thriller film.

Where can I watch House by the River? +

You can watch House by the River on SassyFlix.

Themes & Keywords

Murder Death Cigarette Smoking Corpse Husband Wife Relationship Telephone Call Kiss Based On Novel Dead Body Strangulation Photograph Dancing Party Police Detective Looking At Oneself In A Mirror Sexual Attraction