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This romantic crime drama takes place on an North Carolina tobacco farm during the Great Depression, where a young farmer and his beautiful wife reside and struggle to make a living. Roxy, the heroine, lives a life of isolation and monotony, constantly doing housework and caring for their toddler daughter. She and her husband Aaron can make a living, but are just going through the motions and there doesn't seem to be much love in their marriage. Her husband doesn't seem that interested in her. When a good-looking farm hand named Jack arrives to help her husband with the work in exchange for room and board, it's a disaster waiting to happen. Of course they have a passionate affair and after a while, Aaron suspects what's happening. Most of what happens is predictable and more importantly, it happens very slowly. I give credit to the film, it looks great. The sets, props, and costumes really take us back and the atmosphere is superbly caught. Yet by being so beautifully photographed, it inevitably glamorizes the grueling life of the times. There are a lot of scenes of farm work and while it's no doubt accurate, it slows down the story. The film seems much longer than its 80 minute running time. More importantly, the story itself is mere soap opera. Every plot twist is "been there, done that." Most of the acting is adequate. Anthony Edwards as the husband and Bruce Abbot as the lover are OK. There are some fine actors in secondary roles(Kathy Bates, Clu Gulager), but they're stuck in two-dimensional roles. It's up to Lori Singer in the lead role to carry the film. Yet while she's beautiful, she isn't memorable otherwise. Ironically, her performance sets the tone for the entire movie. For all its visual appeal, there is just no interest in any of the characters.

"Summer Heat" is a movie is all about adultery...something that is a real turn-off for me. But it manages to also be very dull and lifeless...with some very flat performances....and very little heat. This is a bad combination, that's for sure.

The story is set back around the Depression. A husband and wife seem happy enough in this bleak place, but when a studly hired had arrives...the missus drops her knickers. Why? Well, I have absolutely no idea. The film hadn't created enough back story to say she was unhappy in the marriage and she and the hired hand had almost no interaction before all this. Plus she had a baby. As a result, it really makes no sense. Had the husband been an awful jerk, the film would have made a lot more sense.

I don't want to point out anyone in particular, but the acting was a huge problem in addition to the story. Lifeless and flat is really the best way to describe it...and in a story about lust and adultery, it's hard to image this little emotion. This also makes you wonder why the director didn't do something about this or notice it.

Overall, it's a pretty looking bad film. I didn't enjoy it and felt it was very deeply flawed and unenjoyable to watch. So why did I watch the movie in the first place? Well, I've seen just about all of Dorothy McGuire's films and this is one I've never seen, though her role is just that of the narrator and she isn't seen in the movie.

I truly loved this movie. It's one of those storytelling case where the drama surfaced from the soul and the intime connection between the characters. I love the fact that Michie Gleason has given the atmosphere an important role. I really feel every emotion about Roxy thanks to the subtle and delicate performance of Lori Singer. She has been terrific in movies like "Short Cuts" or "Trouble in mind", but here she lets her inside beauty to come out with little touch of tenderness. Roxy is a child woman, who explores the passion and can't control it. But she loves her daughter and she is in the middle of a storm. I think miss Singer has done a wonderful job because you have empathy for Roxy. It is also wonderful to see her interaction with the great Clu Gulager and Oscar winner Kathy Bates in a small, but pivotal role. The music melts my heart. Kim Carnes song is so touching as well as the soundtrack. Summer Heat is a little gem.