After the breakup of his 7-month marriage to Anna (Yvonne DeCarlo), Steve Thompson (Burt Lancaster) leaves town for awhile. Needing to get Anna out of his system, he drifted for a time, and then eventually returned to Los Angeles and his former job at an armored truck company. Anna is never far from Steve's mind, though, and he begins haunting their old hangouts, hoping to run into her. One evening, he does, and although she had begun seeing gangster Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea) after their divorce, Anna is still very much interested in reconnecting with Steve. She convinces him that they need to try again to make a go of things, but shortly after saying that, she ends up marrying Slim.
Of course, Steve is destined to run into the now-married Anna, and after she informs him that Slim beats her and that he and his gang are killers, the two fall into an affair; however, with Slim watching Anna's every move, it's not long before he learns of it. Trying to protect Anna, Steve claims there is nothing going on between them, that they were only together because Steve wanted her to contact Slim about the two of them partnering together in an armored truck robbery. Now Steve, who is really a good guy at heart, finds himself the "inside man" on a major heist. Will he go through with it? And will Anna really leave Slim and run away with Steve after the job is done?
Criss Cross is an interesting, exciting film, with good performances by all. Dan Duryea oozes nastiness here---he's his usual wonderful, sleazy self. Burt Lancaster, whose characters I find almost always a bit rough around the edges, was super as the man who wants to be good, but who is drawn to a bad woman. And Yvonne DeCarlo...wow, she was a stunning beauty in 1949. The only thing I've ever seen her in is The Munsters, and I would never in a million years have believed she was a beautiful woman. But she was gorgeous here!! I was beyond in love with her hairstyle. Another thing---to my mind, the film offers a surprise ending---truly, I never saw that ending coming! I love surprise endings like that.
The film is out on DVD and should be quite easy to track down. If you are a Burt Lancaster, Dan Duryea, Yvonne DeCarlo, or film noir fan, I am sure you will enjoy this one. Hope you get a chance to see it.
Happy viewing!!
This sounds like an interesting film. I did see Yvonne DiCarlo in another film....can't remember the title, but she played a really interesting character...and she looked beautiful. I didn't recognize her, because she wasn't in her Munsters garb from the tv show :) Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather :)
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I watched "Casablanca" today for the first time. I loved it! He did too.
ReplyDeleteI, too, have seen Yvonne DeCarlo in something before. Her name and face is very familiar.
We've been enjoying some sunny days and hope you are too.
Best,
Bonnie
This sounds really good Patti, an exciting plot.
ReplyDeleteA while back I saw a film and the leading woman in it was so stunning, I couldn't believe it when I found out it was Yvonne DeCarlo...she really was a beauty. I had only ever known her as Lily Munster before that also!
Mmm, sounds like a great film. I love anything with Burt Lancaster so I'll have to add this it my Netflix queue.
ReplyDeleteDid you see his swashbuckling comedy "The Crimson Pirate"? I just love that movie so much!
Yvonne DeCarlo was gorgeous and a very good actress. I've never seen this film but if it's film noir I'll like it for sure. She was still very pretty when she made "McClintock" with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. Stephanie Powers plays the daughter of estranged parents....fun film !
ReplyDeleteLove that film! (and the end..) As always enjoyed your review very much, Patti!
ReplyDeleteSeems like a few of us equate Yvonne DeCarlo with Lily Munster. Yet she was so much more than that! And she was SO pretty!! I definitely want to wear my hair the way she wore hers in "Criss Cross."
ReplyDeleteBonnie, I'm so glad you finally had a chance to see the fabulous "Casablanca"...glad also that you enjoyed it. I totally love that movie. It's about time for a re-watch.
Carissa, I have never seen "The Crimson Pirate"...never even heard of it. I haven't seen Burt Lancaster in anything other than a drama film, so I can hardly imagine him in a comedy.
Nonna, I have never seen "McClintock". I don't have a high John Wayne tolerance, so I haven't seen very many of his films.
I fell in love with Dan Duryea when I first saw Scarlett Street years and years ago. Now, anything with him in it i have to see! He's great as a good guy too, very sweet and caring, which is what I assume his real personality was like from reading about him :)
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