Product Details

• Actors: Louis Hayward, Jane Wyatt, Lee Bowman, Dorothy Patrick, Ann Shoemaker
• Directors: Fritz Lang
• Format: Black & White, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Kino Video
• DVD Release Date: November 22, 2005
• Run Time: 88 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000BGH2N6
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,480 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "House By the River" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

HOUSE BY THE RIVER - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HOUSE OF EVIL....., November 25, 2005

By 

Mark Norvell (HOUSTON) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: House By the River (DVD)

Moody, brooding period Gothic thriller about a deranged writer (Louis Hayward) who murders his wife's maid (as she's rejecting his advances) and forces his brother (Lee Bowman) to help him dispose of the body. The writer's big gloomy mansion sits by a rolling river and there the brothers toss the body. Blackmail and guilt keep the brother quiet...for a while. Then the writer's frustrated career takes off---with a murder tale. Fritz Lang does wonders with a low budget and an excellent cast. This is a very dark and morbid story based on the novel by A.P.Herbert. Shot in gloomy b&w, the film captures the flavor of a small river town around the turn of the century. Hayward is excellent as the insane writer and Bowman is quietly stoic as his bachelor brother. Jane Wyatt (the mom in "Father Knows Best") is good as Hayward's beautiful, long-suffering wife. The supporting cast is fun...Bowman's big, nagging housekeeper Mrs.Bantam, Dorothy Patrick as Hayward's worldly wise neighbor and, briefly, a young giddy Kathleen Freeman. Many offbeat Lang touches flourish the film throughout and there are some truly eerie scenes. Kino's DVD print is mostly good but dark and there is still some speckling and minor scratches. But, considering the rarity of "House By the River", this is a small complaint. Kino is to be commended for salvaging this goodie. Fans of film noir and Gothic thrillers should enjoy this. Very enjoyable.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A much underrated psychological drama, December 18, 2005

By 

Barbara (Burkowsky) Underwood (Tumut, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: House By the River (DVD)

This is a thrilling crime drama made in 1949, and is one of the many films directed by Fritz Lang who was one of Germany's foremost filmmakers in the silent 1920s era before going to the US in the early 30s. In Lang's very capable and experienced hands, this low budget melodrama becomes quite a high-class drama with convincing characters and psychological suspense which is still exciting and entertaining viewing over half a century later. Lang's use of strong light and shadow contrasts add intensity and mood to many scenes, and his fine attention to detail further enhances the viewer's appreciation of the story and characters. These aspects, along with a fine script (based on a novel) allowed Lang to really bring out the nature of each character which, for me, is the highlight of this film. First there is the contrast between two brothers: one is a struggling novelist whose lust for the housemaid leads to her accidental death, which he then attempts to cover up with the help of his innocent and good-natured brother. Louis Hayward plays the role of Stephen Byrne superbly as the character becomes even more vile, twisted and ruthless, thinking he can get away with murder and even cash in on the housemaid's mysterious disappearance and death. Right from the start, the viewer is already repulsed by Stephen Byrne, but drawn in sympathy to the morally upright brother, John, and Stephen's unsuspecting, loving wife, played wonderfully by Jane Wyatt. Apart from this outstanding trio, I also enjoyed the character of John's gossipy and nagging housemaid, and found the pace, timing and unfolding of the story perfect in every aspect. The picture quality, while black & white, is nice and clear, and the sound is also good on this DVD, making it overall very enjoyable viewing for anyone who likes a good psychological crime drama. There is also a brief interview with the French producer Pierre Rissient, to whom credit is due for making "House by the River" available again, and there are also some colour stills from the film as bonus features on the DVD, both of which I also enjoyed.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars HOUSE BY THE RIVER, October 5, 2005

By 

Stephen M. Leiker (Somerset, Ca United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: House By the River (DVD)

With all the surgings of film noir releases coming out this past year to satisfy all of us to a style and class all their own, and none of them unworthy of purchasing I might add, we have repeatedly been noticing the name of Fritz Lang and by no means unwarranted. Here is another example of his work for your pleasure.
Thick with atmosphere, this is a tale of evil and deception and not to be missed by fans of Louis Hayward.

Louis Hayward (1909-1985) was married to Ida Lupino in the 40's and played the Saint, yep, the SAINT, in the early 50's.

There's some great "Fritz Lang" touches to this little oddity and I think it's worth a look and I believe a keeper.