House by the River

Following the adage that one should write about what one knows, Stephen—an unsuccessful writer living in a Victorian villa by a river—turns to murder. His chance victim is a housemaid who unsuccessfully resists his advances. His accomplice is his younger brother, whom he persuades to help him dispose of the body. But what is consigned to the water eventually resurfaces… An atmospheric gem within Lang’s filmography, shot at Republic Studios—meaning on a low budget and without any stars—which perhaps only adds to its effectiveness. Particularly compelling is the use of light and backlighting, which transforms the characters into silhouettes, as if their moral outlines were blurring as well. (Florian Widegger)