Heat Wave (aka The House Across The Lake) (1954)

A down on his luck American writer (Alex Nicol) in England meets the wealthy couple across the lake. While he likes the husband (Sidney James) well enough, it's the wife (Hillary Brooke) that he's attracted to even though he knows she's a gold digger and no good. Based on the novel HIGH WRAY by Ken Hughes (CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG) who also directed the film. This B film noir is predictable even if you haven't seen movies like DOUBLE INDEMNITY and THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE. The doomed husband played by Sid James is quite likable and Brooke makes for a formidable cold hearted femme fatale but Nicol is a dud as the dupe. It was nice seeing Brooke in a leading role for a change but unless you're a fan of either her (as I am) or Nicol, chances are you'll find this a waste of time. With Susan Stephen, Paul Carpenter and Joan Hickson.