Steve Thompson (Burt Lancaster) returns to Los Angeles after a few years and despite his own misgivings and warnings from friends and family hooks up with his ex-wife Anna (Yvonne De Carlo) who is now involved with a hood named Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea) and this sets him on a dangerous path Though this is not amongst the best 'noir's', Criss Cross is overall a good film that uses many of typical 'noir' elements quite well. We have people trapped by their circumstances, we have double crosses, we have a heist and we have a femme fatal. Outside of the story elements we have some great use of light and shadow that along with the music (Miklós Rózsa) sets the appropriate mood for some typical 'noir' locations. Admittedly though the story is not really one of the films strength's, it's fairly straightforward and predictable though some parts work better.
The film opens with what I assume is a helicopter shot over Los Angeles which looks fairly impressive, especially given that this is 1948. There is also some nice use of crane and some other high angle shots. The neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles where the film was partially shot along with a few other locations are used effectively in the film as well and integrate effectively with the sets.
I found both Lancaster and Duryea fairly effective, but I have seen better work from both of them, I didn't think De Carlo really worked although she had her moments. I'm not entirely sure why Yvonne De Carlo didn't work for me in the role, but every once in a while I could help but hear Lily Munster in her voice. Another voice that may seem familiar to some is that of the raspy Percy Helton as Frank the bartender who is a fairly memorable character actor. The film also features the debut of Tony Curtis in brief appearance as a dancing partner for De Carlo.
The novel upon which the film is based was again adapted in 1995 by Steven Soderberg as 'Underneath'.
The film opens with what I assume is a helicopter shot over Los Angeles which looks fairly impressive, especially given that this is 1948. There is also some nice use of crane and some other high angle shots. The neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles where the film was partially shot along with a few other locations are used effectively in the film as well and integrate effectively with the sets.
I found both Lancaster and Duryea fairly effective, but I have seen better work from both of them, I didn't think De Carlo really worked although she had her moments. I'm not entirely sure why Yvonne De Carlo didn't work for me in the role, but every once in a while I could help but hear Lily Munster in her voice. Another voice that may seem familiar to some is that of the raspy Percy Helton as Frank the bartender who is a fairly memorable character actor. The film also features the debut of Tony Curtis in brief appearance as a dancing partner for De Carlo.
The novel upon which the film is based was again adapted in 1995 by Steven Soderberg as 'Underneath'.