Heat Wave (1954)
"The House Across the Lake" (original title)

An American writer living in England gets entangled in a scheme by a beautiful blonde to murder her rich husband.

Director:

Ken Hughes

Writers:

Ken Hughes (novel), Ken Hughes (screenplay)

Stars:

Alex Nicol, Hillary Brooke, Sid James

Cast

Cast overview:
Alex Nicol	...	Mark Kendrick
Hillary Brooke	...	Carol Forrest
Sid James	...	Beverly Forrest (as Sidney James)
Susan Stephen	...	Andrea Forrest
Paul Carpenter	...	Vincent Gordon
Alan Wheatley	...	Inspector MacLennan
Peter Illing	...	Harry Stevens
Gordon McLeod	...	Doctor Emery
Joan Hickson	...	Mrs. Hardcastle
John Sharp	...	Mr. Hardcastle
Hugh Dempster	...	Frank
Monti DeLyle	...	Head Waiter

Storyline

An American writer living in England gets entangled in a scheme by a beautiful blonde to murder her rich husband.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | writer | american | narrated by character | duplicity | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 April 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

Heat Wave

Filming Locations:

Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hammer Film Productions, Lippert Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

68 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

User Reviews

British "Double Indemnity"-style mystery, w/ two US leads

Released in the US by Lippert as "Heat Wave", The House Across The Lake (actually a more accurate title, although Heat Wave suggests some of Hillary Brooke's smoldering sensuality!) is yet another film owing a debt to both Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice. American Alex Nicol stars as a heavy-drinking writer who lives across the lake from Hillary Brooke, a scheming Black Widow temptress who teases various men she meets while being married to a wealthy but distant husband (yes, all the cliches are here, but they play well!). Needless to say, Nicol begins a friendship with the husband while falling for the ravishing Ms. Brooke, and any lover of noir thrillers can probably predict the way the film develops. Still, it is well-played by the leads and by the British supporting cast, and Mr. Nicol convincingly portrays a man beaten-down by life, who is brought to the point where he has nothing to lose. I won't give away the ending, but it seems somewhat of a surprise while it is happening, which is what a good mystery should do, even if it is constructed from well-known plot elements of the genre. If you like post-war B&W noir-tinged mysteries of this type, it's a good way to spend 85 minutes on a rainy day--and another opportunity to re-acquaint yourselves with the two underrated American stars, Alex Nicol and Hillary Brooke (fans of Ms. Brooke should check out the early 50s gem CONFIDENCE GIRL, co-starring Tom Conway, for a real Hillary Brooke tour-de-force).