| Criss Cross | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical Poster | |
| Directed by | Robert Siodmak |
| Produced by | Michael Kraike |
| Written by | Screenplay: Daniel Fuchs Novel: Don Tracy |
| Starring | Burt Lancaster Yvonne De Carlo Dan Duryea |
| Music by | Miklós Rózsa |
| Cinematography | Franz Planer |
| Editing by | Ted J. Robert Siodmak ( August 8, 1900 - March 10, 1973) was a German born American Film director. Daniel Fuchs ( June 25, 1909 - July 26, 1993) was an American screenwriter fiction writer and essayist Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster ( 2 November &ndash 20 October) was an American film Actor and star noted for his athletic physique Yvonne De Carlo ( September 1, 1922 &ndash January 8, 2007) was a Canadian -born American Film and Dapper Dan redirects here For the Prohibition gangster see Danny Hogan. Miklós Rózsa (ˈmikloːʃ ˈroːʒɒ or Miklos Rozsa ( April 18, 1907 - July 27, 1995) was a Hungarian -born Composer Film Cinematographer Franz Planer, ASC ( March 29, 1894 - January 10, 1963) was born in Karlsbad, Austria-Hungary (now Kent |
| Distributed by | Universal International Pictures |
| Release date(s) | January 12, 1949 (U. Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures or Universal City Studios) a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is a major Global American Events 475 - Basiliscus becomes Byzantine Emperor, with a coronation ceremony in the Hebdomon palace in Constantinople Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. S. A. ) |
| Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Criss Cross (1949) is a film noir, directed by Robert Siodmak from a novel by Don Tracy. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The year 1949 in film involved some significant events Events Top grossing films (U Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation Robert Siodmak ( August 8, 1900 - March 10, 1973) was a German born American Film director. This black and white film was shot partly on location in the Bunker Hill section of Los Angeles. The film was written by Daniel Fuchs. Black-and-white is a number of Monochrome forms in Visual arts. Bunker Hill, in the downtown area of Los Angeles California, is a short developed hill with its peak located roughly around 3rd Street. Daniel Fuchs ( June 25, 1909 - July 26, 1993) was an American screenwriter fiction writer and essayist Franz Planer's cinematography creates a black-and-white film noir world. Film Cinematographer Franz Planer, ASC ( March 29, 1894 - January 10, 1963) was born in Karlsbad, Austria-Hungary (now See also Filmmaking Cinematography (from Greek: kinesis κινησις (movement and grapho γραφω (to record is the discipline Black-and-white is a number of Monochrome forms in Visual arts. Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation Miklós Rózsa scored the film's soundtrack. Miklós Rózsa (ˈmikloːʃ ˈroːʒɒ or Miklos Rozsa ( April 18, 1907 - July 27, 1995) was a Hungarian -born Composer [1]
The production nearly derailed when producer Mark Hellinger died suddenly before filming began. Lancaster claimed he was unhappy with the way Siodmak and Fuchs had reworked Hellinger's idea of a racetrack heist into a fatal romantic triangle.
Contents |
Plot
Reuniting with director Siodmak after their success with Ernest Hemingway's The Killers, Burt Lancaster plays Steve Thompson, a man who seals his dark fate when he returns to Los Angeles to find his ex-wife Anna Dundee (Yvonne DeCarlo) eager to rekindle their love against all better judgment. Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21 1899 — July 2 1961 was an American novelist short-story writer, and Journalist. The Killers ( 1946) is an American Film noir about the investigation of a mob murder Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster ( 2 November &ndash 20 October) was an American film Actor and star noted for his athletic physique Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Yvonne De Carlo ( September 1, 1922 &ndash January 8, 2007) was a Canadian -born American Film and
She encourages their affair but then quickly marries mobster Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea). Dapper Dan redirects here For the Prohibition gangster see Danny Hogan. To deflect suspicion of the affair, Steve Thompson leads Dundee into a daylight armored-truck robbery, only to be "criss crossed" when the crime is pulled off.
Background
The film features 1940s film footage of Angels Flight and Union Station in Los Angeles. Angels Flight is a landmark Funicular railway in the Bunker Hill district of downtown Los Angeles California, which claims to be the "shortest
Criss Cross features the screen debut of Tony Curtis (then known as James Curtis). Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz June 3, 1925) is an American film actor Curtis plays De Carlo's dance partner in a key scene at the Round-Up Bar. Once the dance ends, he disappears from both scene and film. Curtis was chosen by the director after many young hopefuls had auditioned for the part. The song Curtis and De Carlo dance to is called "Jungle Fantasy" and is performed by Esy Morales who also makes a cameo appearance in this scene. Esy Morales was a musician born in Puerto Rico in 1916 One of his brothers Noro was also a musician A cameo role or cameo appearance (often shortened to just cameo) is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the Performing arts, such as
Cast
- Burt Lancaster as Steve Thompson
- Yvonne De Carlo as Anna Dundee
- Dan Duryea as Slim Dundee
- Stephen McNally as Det. Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster ( 2 November &ndash 20 October) was an American film Actor and star noted for his athletic physique Yvonne De Carlo ( September 1, 1922 &ndash January 8, 2007) was a Canadian -born American Film and Dapper Dan redirects here For the Prohibition gangster see Danny Hogan. Stephen McNally ( July 29, 1913 - June 4, 1994) was an American Actor remembered mostly for his appearances in many Lt. Pete Ramirez
- Esy Morales and His Rhumba Band
- Tom Pedi as Vincent
- Percy Helton as Frank
- Alan Napier as Finchley
- Griff Barnett as Pop
- Meg Randall as Helen
- Richard Long as Slade Thompson
- Joan Miller as The Lush
- Edna Holland as Mrs. Percy Helton ( January 31, 1894 - September 11, 1971) was an American film and television actor Alan Napier (born Alan W Napier-Clavering; 7 January 1903 &ndash 8 August 1988 was an English character actor Meg Randall (born August 1, 1926 in Clinton Oklahoma) was a film actress Richard Long ( December 17, 1927 - December 21, 1974) was an American Actor best known for his leading roles in several Thompson
- John Doucette as Walt
- Marc Krah as Mort
Critical reception
When released, The New York Times gave the film a mixed review, writing, "A tough, mildly exciting melodrama about gangsters and a dame named Anna who 'gets into the blood' of a guy named Steve and causes him no end of trouble. . . In many ways Criss Cross is a suspenseful action picture, due to the resourceful directing of Robert Siodmak. But it also is tedious and plodding at times, due partly to Mr. Siodmak's indulgence of a script that is verbose, redundant and imitative. However, the writers should be credited with having invested the old triangle-gangster formula with a couple of fresh if not exactly revolutionary twists. "[2]
Film critic Dennis Schwartz recently wrote, "Robert Siodmak . . . directs this cynical film noir of obsessive love and betrayal. It's 1940s film noir at its most influentual as far as style goes, that is further enhanced by the beautiful dark photography of Frank Planer, the tight script by Daniel Fuchs, and the taut pacing by Siodmak. It's based on a story by Don Tracy. . . Siodmak keeps the suspense at a feverish pitch, and the characterizations are well drawn out. Criss Cross is one of the great examples of 1940s film noir at its most tragic. A must see film for fans of the genre. "[3]
Dave Kehr, film critic for the Chicago Reader, lauded the film and wrote, "Robert Siodmak was one of the most influential stylists of the 40s, helping to create, in films such as Phantom Lady and The Killers, the characteristic look of American film noir. The Chicago Reader is an Alternative newsweekly in Chicago, Illinois, USA Phantom Lady ( 1944) is a black-and-white Film noir directed by Robert Siodmak, his first Hollywood noir The Killers ( 1946) is an American Film noir about the investigation of a mob murder But most of his films have nothing more than their pictorial qualities to recommend them--Criss Cross being one of the few exceptions, an archly noir story replete with triple and quadruple crosses, leading up to one of the most shockingly cynical endings in the whole genre. "[4]
The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 100% of critics gave the film a positive review, based on 8 reviews. Rotten Tomatoes is a Website devoted to reviews information and news of Movies. "[5]
Adaptation
The film was remade as Underneath directed by Stephen Soderberg in 1995. The year 1995 in film involved some significant events Events March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris [6]
Awards
Nomination
- Edgar Allan Poe Awards: Edgar, Best Motion Picture, Daniel Fuchs and Don Tracy (novel); 1950.
Notable quote
Detective Lt. Pete Ramirez: I should have been a better friend. I shoulda stopped you. I shoulda grabbed you by the neck, I shoulda kicked your teeth in. I'm sorry Steve.
References
- ^ Criss Cross at the Internet Movie Database.
- ^ The New York Times. Film review, "Burt Lancaster Same Old Tough Guy," March 12, 1949. Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Last accessed: March 22, 2008. Events 238 - Gordian I and his son Gordian II are proclaimed Roman emperor. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
- ^ Schwartz, Dennis. Ozus' World Movie Reviews,. film review, October 26, 2004. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Last accessed: March 23, 2008. Events 1174 - Jocelin, Abbot of Melrose, is elected Bishop of Glasgow. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
- ^ Kehr, Dave. Chicago Reader, film review, 1996-2008. Last accessed: March 23, 2008.
- ^ Criss Cross at Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes is a Website devoted to reviews information and news of Movies. Last accessed: March 23, 2008.
- ^ The Underneath at the Internet Movie Database.
External links
- Criss Cross at the Internet Movie Database.
- Criss Cross at Allmovie. Allmovie (previously All Movie Guide) is a commercial database of information about Movie stars movies and television shows.
- Criss Cross at the TCM Movie Database. Turner Classic Movies ( TCM) is a cable television channel featuring commercial -free classic movies mostly from the Turner Entertainment and Warner
- Criss Cross at Film Noir of the Week by Gary George.
- Criss Cross at DVD Beaver (includes images).
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