What Is Criss Cross About?
The premise of Criss Cross in 305 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the restless sprawl of post‑war Los Angeles, Steve Thompson drifts back to the city that both haunted and housed his past. A former wanderer haunted by a bitter divorce, he clings to the familiar rhythm of his old job—a steady, if unglamorous, life as an armored‑car guard. The city’s neon‑slick streets and the perpetual hum of traffic echo his internal conflict, offering a gritty backdrop where every mile traveled feels like a step between redemption and resignation.
The personal stakes tighten when Anna, his ex‑wife, resurfaces in a life far removed from the one they once imagined. Now wed to the imposing gangster Slim Dundee, she remains tethered to Steve by a secret, volatile attraction that flirts with both longing and danger. Their clandestine meetings pulse with the tension of a forbidden romance, underscored by the ever‑present threat of Dundee’s world—an undercurrent of organized crime that looms like a dark cloud over the glittering façade of the city.
When the three become entangled, Steve finds himself thrust into a precarious dance of loyalties, where the promise of a simple job dissolves into a web of double‑crosses and uneasy alliances. The tone shifts to classic film‑noir, blending sharp dialogue with a brooding atmosphere that makes every hallway, every night‑shift watch, feel charged with unseen peril. The notion of “criss‑crossing” loyalties becomes a metaphor for the characters’ tangled motives, hinting at a narrative where trust is as fragile as the armored vaults they protect.
Against this backdrop of smoky bars, rain‑slicked streets, and the relentless grind of an everyday hustle, the film swirls with intrigue. Steve’s internal battle between duty and desire, Anna’s pursuit of security amid chaos, and Dundee’s ominous presence set the stage for a story that explores how love, ambition, and survival collide when the lines between the law and the underworld blur.
What Happens in Criss Cross?
The complete story of Criss Cross, from the first scene to the last, in 451 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Steve Thompson returns to Los Angeles after two years of drifting, trying to shake off a painful divorce and hoping to see his ex-wife Anna, a prospect that torments him as he clings to the routine of his old job. Despite every warning, he resumes his role as a driver for an armored-truck company, letting the familiar grind pull him back into a life he’s not sure he wants but can’t completely escape.
Fended off by Steve’s family and friends, she marries the mobster Slim Dundee, yet the heartache underneath the arrangement doesn’t stop her from engaging in a clandestine affair with Thompson. The tension between loyalty and desire tightens, drawing the two closer even as their world grows more dangerous.
Caught together by Dundee, Thompson leads him and his gang into an armored-truck robbery caper, a plan that seems flawless in theory but quickly spirals into chaos as the heist spirals out of control. The operation unravels amid confusion and gunplay, the clock ticking as every failure compounds the danger.
Infuriated that his elderly partner — a close family friend who was supposed to have been left unharmed — is gunned down, Thompson abandons the plan mid-heist and a furious exchange of fire erupts between him and Dundee, each wound marking a bitter turn in their deadly gambit.
In the aftermath the severely injured Thompson is hailed as a hero, credited with fending off the robbers and saving half the payroll, even as the moral weight of the night pummels him with unanswered questions and a ruined life.
Dundee sends a man to the hospital to kidnap him and bring him to his hideout, but Thompson counteroffers with a bold choice: he’ll pay the driver $10,000 to take him instead to Anna’s hiding place, hoping to reunite with the woman he loves and reset the broken course of their lives.
Anna is there, with all the stolen loot. Thompson believes they will go back to the original plan — to double-cross Dundee and disappear with the money so they can start anew together.
Seeing that he would only slow her down, Anna reveals her resolve to look out for herself and take the entire haul, leaving Thompson behind. He insists that his feelings were never about the money, only about her, but she remains unmoved, choosing survival over the past.
Dundee arrives, having assumed Thompson would bribe the driver and lead him to the lovers. Declaring that he too has fallen for Anna, he shoots both, with Anna dying in Thompson’s arms. As Dundee turns to flee, sirens wail and headlights wash over his face, signaling the end of their volatile triangle and the price of loyalty, love, and betrayal.
Criss Cross Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
11 key events in the order they happen, from “Thompson returns to LA and resumes his armored-truck job” to “Dundee flees as sirens and headlights wash over him”. 11 events name a place, across 6 locations.
- 1
Thompson returns to LA and resumes his armored-truck job
Steve Thompson returns to Los Angeles after two years of drifting and a painful divorce, tormented by the thought of seeing his ex-wife Anna again. He searches for her, knowing a reunion would reopen old wounds. He also reluctantly resumes his former job as an armored-truck driver to begin rebuilding his life.
When:two years after his divorce Where:Los Angeles
- 2
Anna marries Slim Dundee while pursuing a clandestine affair with Thompson
Anna marries the mobster Slim Dundee despite Steve's family and friends opposing the union. She keeps a clandestine romance with Thompson, keeping him emotionally entangled as she settles into a dangerous new life. The fragile dynamic foreshadows a confrontation that will test loyalties to their limits.
When:early in the story Where:Los Angeles
- 3
Dundee catches the affair and Thompson leads the heist crew
Dundee discovers the affair and, seizing the opportunity, enlists Thompson to lead him and his gang into an armored-truck robbery. Thompson uses his inside knowledge to guide the crew and secure their commitment to the caper. The scheme pulls all three men into a high-stakes collision course with fate.
When:before the heist Where:Los Angeles
- 4
The heist begins and the plan collapses; an elderly partner is killed
The robbery unfolds, but chaos overtakes the plan as the crew struggles to keep control. An elderly partner, trusted to be left unharmed, is gunned down in the crossfire. The escape becomes tangled and violence erupts around them.
When:mid-heist Where:During the heist
- 5
Thompson switches sides and a gunfight erupts
In the heat of the moment, Thompson turns on Dundee and opens fire, rupturing their fragile alliance. A furious gunfight erupts, leaving both men wounded. The heist crumbles as loyalties fracture under pressure.
When:mid-heist Where:Los Angeles
- 6
Thompson is injured but hailed as a hero
In the aftermath, Thompson is severely injured but is hailed as a hero for fighting off the robbers and saving part of the payroll. The public praise contrasts with personal betrayal and loss. He bears the scars of the night while the payroll tally remains incomplete.
When:aftermath Where:Los Angeles
- 7
Dundee arranges a hospital kidnapping to get Thompson
Dundee sends a man to the hospital to abduct Thompson and bring him to a private hideout. The hospital setting heightens the danger as Thompson senses the trap closing in. The attempt reveals how far Dundee is willing to go to control the situation.
When:aftermath of the heist Where:Hospital
- 8
Thompson offers the hospital driver a bribe to drive him to Anna
Thompson offers the hospital driver ten thousand dollars to drive him to Anna's hiding place instead of to Dundee's hideout. The bribe reveals his desperation to reconnect with Anna and defy Dundee's plan. The driver considers the offer, adding a crucial twist to the night's events.
When:after the kidnapping order Where:En route to Anna's hiding place
- 9
Anna reveals her self-preserving resolve at the hiding place
At Anna's hiding place, she reveals she intends to keep all the loot and leave Thompson behind. She shows her self-preserving resolve, prioritizing herself over their past bond. Thompson confesses that his feelings were for her, not the money, but the truth cannot change her course.
When:as Thompson arrives Where:Anna's hiding place
- 10
Dundee arrives, confesses he loves Anna, and tragedy follows
Dundee arrives and declares that he too has fallen for Anna. He shoots both Thompson and Anna, and Anna dies in Thompson's arms. Dundee turns to flee as sirens close in and the night erupts in chaos.
When:confrontation arrival Where:Anna's hiding place
- 11
Dundee flees as sirens and headlights wash over him
Sirens fill the air and headlights sweep over the scene as Dundee tries to flee with the stolen money. Anna lies dead, and Thompson remains wounded, ending the night in a bleak, unresolved aftermath. The city moves on while the tragedy lingers in the memory of those involved.
When:after the shooting Where:Outside Anna's hiding place
Who Are the Main Characters in Criss Cross?
4 characters, among them Steve Thompson (Burt Lancaster), Anna (Yvonne De Carlo) and Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Steve Thompson (Burt Lancaster)
Played by Burt Lancaster
A drifting armored-truck driver who returns to Los Angeles seeking his ex-wife Anna while drifting back into crime. He is torn between a dangerous love and a sense of loyalty to friends and family. His choices blur the line between bravery and foolish risk-taking.
- 💼 Protagonist
- 💔 Romantic
- 🕵️♂️ Risk-taker
-
Anna (Yvonne De Carlo)
Played by Yvonne De Carlo
Steve's ex-wife who marries the mobster Slim Dundee while secretly keeping an eye on her own future. She pursues her own interests even as she uses love as a bargaining chip. Her loyalties shift as the payoff grows closer.
- 💃 Femme Fatale
- 💸 Opportunist
- 💔 Lover
- SD
Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea)
Played by Dan Duryea
A volatile mobster who brings chaos to the caper. He is a rival-turned-lover role who is quick to violence and capable of murder when betrayed. His plan centers on the stolen payroll and personal rivalry with Steve.
- 🕴️ Gangster
- 🔥 Violent
- ⚖️ Calculated
- DL
Det. Lt. Peter 'Pete' Ramirez (Stephen McNally)
Played by Stephen McNally
A lawman on the trail of the caper, he represents the moral order in a world of shifting loyalties. He watches the fragile triangle unfold and reels from the consequences of the heist.
- 🕵️ Detective
- 🧭 Suspense
- 🎯 Investigative
Where and When Is Criss Cross Set?
Criss Cross is set in Los Angeles and California (Late 1940s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Late 1940s
The story unfolds in the immediate postwar era, when cities were rebuilding and crime networks still thrived. The noir mood is sharpened by cynicism, fragile loyalties, and a sense that money and love come with a deadly price. The period shapes the characters’ decisions and the escalating stakes of the heist.
Where
Los Angeles, California
Set in the gritty urban backdrop of Los Angeles in the late 1940s, the film places its drama among sunlit streets, nightclub glitz, and a volatile underworld. The city’s postwar energy and nocturnal corners become the stage for a high-stakes armored-truck caper. The atmosphere blends glamour with danger, driving the tension between love, loyalty, and crime.
- 🏙️ City
- 🕶️ Noir
- 🗺️ Underworld
What Are the Themes of Criss Cross?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Love & Betrayal, Greed & Survival and Violence & Consequences.
-
01
Love & Betrayal
Steve's longing for Anna collides with her self-serving actions and clandestine romance with Dundee. The affair fuels the tension leading to a fateful double-cross. Trust collapses as loyalty is tested and the couple's relationship becomes a liability.
-
02
Greed & Survival
The stolen payroll drives the plot and motivates the players to seize money at all costs. Anna's refusal to help Steve underscores a survival-first mindset. Dundee's greed clashes with Thompson's desire to alter their fates, escalating the danger.
-
03
Violence & Consequences
A failed heist and a deadly shootout redefine each character's fate. Thompson's earlier defense against robbers earns him reluctant hero status while losing half the payroll anyway. Anna dies in Thompson's arms as sirens approach, underscoring the cost of crime.
What Kind of Film Is Criss Cross?
Dark in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bleak
A tense and fatalistic noir that pulls its desperate protagonist deeper into a web of obsession and betrayal, culminating in a bleak and violent conclusion where no one escapes their doomed fate.
- fatalistic
- tense
- moody
- cynical
- desperate
- claustrophobic
- betrayal
- obsessive love
- double cross
- crime of passion
Content notes: murder, graphic shooting, betrayal, domestic tension.
Quiz
How well do you remember Criss Cross? Test yourself on the story.
Where to Watch Criss Cross
Stream it on Fawesome, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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