Criss Cross

Synopsis: Romantic, obsessive Steve Thompson is drawn back to L.A. to make another try for Anna, his former wife. However, Anna belongs now to the L.A. underworld. Steve believes he can rescue her, ignoring the advice and warnings of people who would try to save him. He commits himself to a dangerous course of action that quickly takes everyone somewhere unintended.
Director(s): Robert Siodmak
Production: MCA Universal Home Video
  1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
7.6
Rotten Tomatoes:
100%
NOT RATED
Year:
1949
84 min
454 Views


Anna.

Steve, i had to see you.

He'll get wise.

The last minute,

you'll ruin everything.

I slipped out.

He was dancing.

Oh, steve,

i keep thinking and thinking.

Will you just

not think about it?

[Car door closing]

I'm so worried about you.

I'm all sick inside.

Oh, if it was only all over now.

If it was only this time tomorrow.

You know what to do?

Have you got it right?

Suppose you get hurt.

Remember,

you'll go to the cottage

at palos verdes.

Suppose something

goes wrong.

You'll wait there.

It'll take time.

A few weeks.

Why do you say weeks?

Why not days?

Just stay at the house

at palos verdes.

Don't try to get in touch

with anyone. Don't do

anything until i get there.

I'll hate it.

I'll hate it every minute

until you're with me again.

You better get back

before he starts

lookin' for ya.

I don't want him

to see the two of us

coming in together.

Go on back.

Steve.

All those things

that happened to us...

everything that went before...

you'll forget it.

You'll see.

I'll make you forget it.

After it's done,

after it's all over

and we're safe,

it'll bejust you and me.

You and me,

the way it should've been

all along from the start.

Be careful.

Why, yes, indeed,

mr. Dundee.

Just a few moments ago

i noticed her pass by.

I didn't ask, did you

notice her pass by?

I asked, did you know

where she went?

Well, no, no.

I just didn't... oh!

There she is, mr. Dundee.

Now there is mrs. Dundee.

[Rhumba]

[Rhumba continues,

singers vocalizing]

Where have

you been?

Outside.

Just a minute.

What do you mean,

"outside"?

In the parking lot.

What'd you go

out there for?

Because it looked like rain.

I wanted to tell the boy

to put the top up on the car.

Why'd you have to

go yourself?

Because i had the car keys.

I had to give the keys

to the boy, didn't i?

Why didn't you send

a waiter? Or waxie

or one of the fellas?

What are you asking me

questions for?

Why don't you answer them?

Will you shut up

and leave me alone?

What are you

lookin' at?

Nothin'.

Anybody ask you

to stick around

and get an earful?

No, you see,

i was just...

get outta here!

Yes, mr. Dundee.

Thank you, mr. Dundee.

This rotten line

of work.

The rotten class

of people you have

to put up with.

[Forced chuckle]

Good evening, folks.

Good evening.

How are you tonight?

Table for four, huh?

Follow me.

Why don't you go outside,

steve, and find some other

place down the street?

What's the matter

with this place,

lieutenant?

Pete.

The name is pete.

I'm your friend.

You know what's the matter

with this place.

He's giving a farewell party,

isn't he? I just dropped in

to say good-bye.

He didn't invite you.

[Snickers]

The way you know everything.

Look, they're goin' to detroit.

Let them go.

Be intelligent.

Stay outta there.

Stay outta trouble.

[Steve] why should

there be trouble?

Who's kidding who?

You walk in there

and two minutes later,

you'll start swinging.

[Steve]

The way you know everything.

The way you got it all figured out!

There'll be a fight.

You gonna pull me in?

You gonna send me up too?

All right, forget it.

Just excuse me for getting nosy.

That's all right, lieutenant.

That's your business.

[Rhumba continues]

[Stops]

[Audience applauding]

Go on, honey.

Go on out and dance.

But i don't wanna dance.

Go on. Find yourself

a partner.

Take the girls

to the powder room, harriet.

What for? I just

fixed my face.

Go on, dear.

Beat it.

See ya later, baby.

Hello, stevie. Glad you

were able to make it.

Frank, if they're

gonna fight in there,

why don't you stop it?

Not me. I never butt in.

These days, it don't pay.

You can't have people

brawling around.

Gives the place a bad name.

- Pretty soon,

nobody will want to come in.

- You'll come in.

You're my best customer,

morn till night.

She sits on that stool so much

that, frankly, someday i think

she's gonna get stuck to it.

Hey, i thought mr. Thompson

was a friend of yours.

Aw, let them

punch their heads off.

I give it up.

I don't care anymore.

[Rhumba]

You always wanted

to get slim dundee.

Now's your chance.

What do you mean?

He's got

a knife on him.

I didn't say nothin' now,

remember.

[Glass breaking]

[Excited shouting]

[Object clatters on floor]

Just a friendly argument,

lieutenant.

Just scufflin' around.

This is too good

to be true, slim.

I was hoping

to get something on you

before you left town.

This is between me and dundee.

I'm not swearin' out any complaints.

You sure you know

what you wanna do?

This is just between

him and me.

You didn't happen to see anything,

did you, walt?

Not a thing.

Neither did you,

vincent, huh?

Anna, who pulled

the knife?

[Vincent]

What's-a matter with you,

lieutenant?

She's his wife.

You can't get a wife to testify

against her husband.

Everybody knows that.

Can i go out now

and wash up?

Is that okay with you,

lieutenant?

Go and wash.

Go to... detroit.

If you should happen

to change your mind

before he leaves...

i'll let you know,

lieutenant.

Chump!

What happened?

He didn't come down here tonight

to have a real fight.

It was supposed to be a phony.

Strictly for the cop's benefit.

What went wrong?

Why did you have to

pull a knife, slim?

He flared up. In the middle

of everything he started to ask

a bunch of screwball questions.

What time did he

come in here tonight?

Where was he?

Was he in the parking lot?

The parking lot?

Don't be foolish, slim.

Let bygones be bygones.

Do you realize how much dough

there's gonna be in that truck

tomorrow morning?

In six figures.

Six figures!

This is no time

to be sore and blow up.

Why should you throw away

the only chance of a lifetime?

After all the plannin',

all the hopin'.

What i say is, let's not be foolish.

I say, let's go right ahead.

Don't you realize

it's even better now?

That cop in there,

he'll never guess in a million years

you both are in a deal together.

Chance of a lifetime.

Six figures, slim.

I went off my head.

I appreciate it,

what you told the cop.

That's the way to talk!

That's the ticket!

What about the third man

on the truck? Don't forget

you gotta do the driving.

[Slim]

Can you get rid

of that third man?

Don't worry.

I'll get rid of him.

I'll be doing the driving.

Then it's all okay.

It's on.

Sure.

That's the ticket!

That's the way to be!

Boys, excuse me, but i

got a date with my baby!

[Cackling]

I had to lay down

the law.

I told my wife,

"no more ordering

on the telephone."

But it's legitimate.

The store charges

for delivery service.

I know, but compare.

Soap powder:

At the great western market,

Six cents difference, huh?

Tomato juice:

Two cans for a quarter.

At the western,

- Yeah, i see your point.

- You bet your life. It all adds up.

Hiya, bailey.

Hello, bailey.

Hello, pappy.

Pop.

Hiya, andy.

Where's thompson?

Isn't he working today?

He's working.

Steve's

the outside man.

We were discussing

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Daniel Fuchs

Daniel Fuchs (June 25, 1909 – July 26, 1993) was an American screenwriter, fiction writer, and essayist. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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