Criss Cross

Media:	DVD
Directed by:	Robert Siodmak
Starring:	Burt Lancaster, Yvonne De Carlo
Release date:	06 July, 2004
List price:	~~$14.98~~
Our price:	$13.27 that is 11% off!

Criss Cross

Average rating: Stars

Hard-bitten fun in glorious black and white

An armored car driver (Burt Lancaster) involves himself in a robbery scheme in order to protect both himself and his ex-wife (Yvonne de Carlo), whom he still loves and is now married to a local gangster (Dan Duryea). This is a hard, uncompromising example of film noir, featuring great performances and generating true suspense. The finale of this film is certainly no cop-out and demonstrates that, although films of the 40s were not as graphic as those of today, they were nevertheless often edgier and tougher than most of what comes out now.

Criss Cross - Burt Lancaster, Yvonne De Carlo

Obsession vs Greed in a Great Classic Film Noir.

"Criss Cross" is based on the novel of the same name by Don Tracy and directed by the great noir director Robert Siodmak. Obsessive behavior, the hallmark of so many Siodmak films, is the story's driving force. Steve Thompson (Burt Lancaster) returns to Los Angeles after a year's absence, still preoccupied by thoughts of his brief marriage two years ago. Unable to forget his lovely, passionate ex-wife Anna (Yvonne DeCarlo), Steve tries to rekindle their relationship. But Anna runs off to marry her gangster boyfriend, Slim Dundee (Dan Duryen). Unhappy in her new arrangement, Anna begins to see Steve again. When Dundee catches them together, Steve concocts an explanation on the spot that he believes will save them from Dundee's wrath: Steve tells Dundee that he wants his help in carrying out an armored car heist.

In great noir tradition, Steve and Anna are a man with a weakness and a woman with an agenda. Much of the story is told in flashback with voiceover narration by Steve, who seems to think that his problems were fated instead of the result of his own obsession. There is a bit of morbid irony when Steve's old friend, police Lieutenant Ramirez (Stephen McNally), points out that if Anna has double-crossed him, Steve may get away with his crime, but if she hasn't, Steve is a dead man. So much for loyalty. Burt Lancaster fills the bill nicely as a basically good man who does dumb things. And Yvonne DeCarlo has an unaffected manner that makes Anna very seductive. "Criss Cross" is truly enjoyable top notch film noir.

The DVD: There is a theatrical trailer (2:20 minutes). Captions are available for the film in English. Subtitles are available in Spanish and French.

Burt Lancaster, Yvonne De Carlo - Criss Cross

Criss-Crossed on an Average DVD for this Classic Noir

Robert Siodmak's "Criss Cross" is a stylishly bleak, torrid and brilliant mÃ©nage a trois of shadowy intersecting lives in which all the multilayered plot entanglements are tainted with a threat of violence and ultimately lead to ruin and betrayal. Burt Lancaster is Steve Thompson, a love-struck mama's boy who returns from a one year sabbatical after his painful divorce from the love of his life, Anna (Yvonne DeCarlo) only to discover that Anna is eager to rekindle their love. The lure is not without its own subtext. Against his better judgment, Steve jumps into the deep end of the pool, so to speak, and once more, ignites his tawdry lust that ends miserably when Anna decides to better herself - financially, at least - by marrying mobster, Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea). But Anna isn't quite ready to give up her playtime with her former husband. When the two are nearly exposed by one of Slim's bodyguards, Steve plots against Slim by saying that the two are planning on an armored-truck robbery, one which results in a maelstrom of greedy, godless passion from which no one escapes.
THE TRANSFER: Universal has done a bare bones job of remastering "Criss Cross" for DVD. The gray scale is very well balanced with deep solid blacks and whites that are clean. There's a hint film grain and some age related artifacts. Also there's more than a hint of edge enhancement and pixelization that tends to distract from a visual presentation that, overall, is a considerable improvement over previously issued VHS tapes. There are, unfortunately, no extras on this disc. Nevertheless, it is a good disc to add to your library of classic cinema.