House by the River
House by the River is a 1950 American murder mystery film starring Louis Hayward, Lee Bowman and Jane Wyatt. Regarded by some as a film noir, the Victorian era feature was directed by Fritz Lang, based on the 1921 novel of the same title by A. P. Herbert. Plot A rich novelist, Stephen Byrne, who lives and works by a river, accidentally kills his attractive maid after she begins screaming when he makes a drunken pass. The writer manipulates his brother, John, who is physically impaired with a limp, to help him dispose of the body. Making use of a sack, which Stephen has borrowed from John for carrying firewood, they stuff the maid inside and dump her into the river. Days later, the sack and body float up and pass Stephen's house. He goes onto the water and desperately tries to retrieve it, but fails. The police recover the bundle and, because John's initials have been stencilled on the sack, it is all traceable to him. An inquest is held and, to Stephen's great pleasure, a cloud of suspicion hangs over John, who is tortured by his role in the situation and contemplates suicide. He and Stephen's wife, Marjorie,