On C List of Movie Reviews

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Criss Cross (1949)

Rate: 6
Viewed: 2/14, 6/24

CCross
2/14: Thirty minutes into Criss Cross, I was skeptical of its place among top noir pictures according to several publications.

Undeterred by the sluggishness and the B-picture feel, I stayed with it to the end, and the movie got better as time wore on. Granted, Criss Cross has it all to fit neatly into the definition of a true film noir, but is it a great picture? I'll say no, but it has a good story, decent acting, and cinematography but lacks the certain verve to be memorable like The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, and The Postman Always Rings Twice.

Worst of all, it's too similar to The Killers which was also directed by Robert Siodmak that starred Burt Lancaster. Hence, I classify it as a remake of the aforementioned picture. No matter what, anything that's film noir with Burt Lancaster is always a treat.

At least, the ending doesn't disappoint. However, I'm left with two questions: how did Anna get ahold of the money, and how did Slim Dundee arrive at the place so frigging fast? Speaking of Slim, Dan Duryea has a lot of unrealized potential and can be more sinister given his sartorial taste. Yvonne De Carlo is perfect as the femme fatale who looks similar to Lauren Bacall.

All in all, although a remake of The Killers, Criss Cross is a good, but not great, film noir.

6/24: Criss Cross is an okay but solid film noir picture.

The first half is slow, but it begins to take off during the second half and has a strong ending. In tremendous shape, Burt Lancaster is right for the role, but the rest of the cast is merely okay. Tony Curtis makes his screen debut. That's how he caught Burt Lancaster's eye by appearing in Trapeze and Sweet Smell of Success some years later. By the way, how did Yvonne De Carlo's character get her hands on the money after what happened during the armored car robbery? If you think about that, you'll realize it doesn't make sense.

All in all, it's the first half that hurts Criss Cross the most.