CERT: PG / DIRECTOR: ROBERT SIODMAK / SCREENPLAY: DANIEL FUCHS / STARRING: BURT LANCASTER, YVONNE DE CARLO, DAN DURYEA / RELEASE DATE: JUNE 22ND
After the success of the seminal The Killers, Burt Lancaster and director Robert Siodmak collaborated yet again to create another film noir classic. Criss Cross is brimming with all the requisite noir tropes, illicit passion, greed, murder, and a femme fatale, naturally.
Lancaster stars as Steve Thompson, a man with a fatal attraction to his ex-wife Anna (Yvonne De Carlo). Things are further complicated by the fact that Anna marries notorious criminal Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea). When Dundee discovers that Anna and Steve still have feelings for each other Steve does the only thing he can do. He convinces Dundee that he only met with Anna to get Dundee’s help in robbing an armoured car that he will be driving. The criminal falls for the ruse, which sets everyone on a path to violence and death.
Siodmak’s taut and stylised direction, combined with the razor sharp dialogue of Daniel Fuchs’ script, slowly and expertly builds the tension right through to the nihilistic dénouement. The seething sensuality between the gorgeous DeCarlo and Lancaster sizzles of the screen. A memorable scene has Lancaster’s Steve asking DeCarlo’s Anna on a date, in the form of an argument.
Eureka’s The Masters of Cinema 4K restoration of Criss Cross is simply magnificent. The picture is clear and sharp, and really pops off the screen. This is how a restoration should look, and is proof positive that restorations can look absolutely stunning without resorting to the detested DNR. The sound, too, is powerfully distinct. There is a separate audio effects and soundtrack viewing option, which really highlights Miklos Rozsa’s punchy score.
Other special features include audio commentary by film author Lee Gamblin, and actor Rutanya Alda. Here they take a deep dive into the biographies of Lancaster and De Carlo. Canadian-born De Carlo was to be Universal Pictures’ Lauren Bacall. Despite being multi-talented, De Carlo’s career wasn’t to reach those heights. It wasn’t until she agreed to play Lily Munster in The Munsters that she truly found fame, and then she only agreed as she was almost penniless.
Adrian Martin provides a more scholarly insight into Criss Cross, and highlights the differences between Don Tracy’s novel and the film. There is also the radio adaptation with Lancaster reprising his role from the film. The sound quality is truly exceptional; it could have been recorded today. It makes for an interesting listen as there are differences from the film, the ending in particular is subtly different.
Criss Cross doesn’t quite pack the same punch that The Killers does, but it comes darn close, and if you have an affectation for the films of this era then this is an indispensable gem.
