Children in the Crossfire

Starring:Julia Duffy, Karen Valentine
Studio: KOCH VISION
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
For the children of Northern Ireland, violence and hatred are a way of life passed from one generation to the next. In "Children in the Crossfire" four children from both sides of the conflict come to America through a special project, and discover each other away from the ravages of their homeland.

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Crossfire was nominated for the 1947 Best Picture Oscar won by Gentleman's Agreement. Gentlemen may propose, if not agree, that Crossfire was better. Like its upscale rival, the film noir raises the specter of anti-Semitism in America: just after World War II, an affable Jew (Sam Levene) is beaten to death by one of several GIs out "crawling." Solving the crime takes all night, but for the audience the killer's identity is scarcely in doubt; Robert Ryan's chilling study in psychopathic bigotry scored him his lone Oscar nomination. He's nearly matched in creepiness by Paul Kelly as an odd nightbird married to sultry Gloria Grahame. Two other worthy Roberts--Young and Mitchum--respectively play the police detective and the Army sergeant wondering which of his guys is a murderer. Incidentally, the hot button in the Richard Brooks novel was not anti-Semitism but homophobia--a sweaty subtext in Edward Dmytryk's film. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

Years of police work have taught Detective Finlay that where there's crime, there's motive. But he finds no usual motive when investigating the beating death of a man. The man was killed because he was a Jew. "Hate," Finlay says, "is like a gun." Robert Young portrays Finlay, Robert Mitchum is a laconic army sergeant assisting in the investigation of G.I. suspects and Robert Ryan plays a vicious bigot in a landmark film noir nominated for five Academy Awards?* including Best Picture. Edward Dmytryk (Murder, My Sweet) directs, draping the genre's stylistic backdrops and flourishes around a topic rarely before explored in films: anti-Semitism in the U.S. Here, Hollywood took aim at injustice?and caught bigotry in a Crossfire.

Customer Reviews:

Crossfire.......2007-06-21

Gripping, intricate thriller is top-grade noir, with solid performances all around, particularly from Ryan and Young. The film's as biting a condemnation of anti-semitism as the better-known "Gentleman's Agreement", released the same year. Assured, atmospheric direction from Edward Dmytryk makes this an unheralded classic.

"Hate is like a loaded gun.".......2007-06-17

Crossfire remains one of the best Hollywood message movies because, unlike the admirably intentioned Gentleman's Agreement, which it beat to theatres by a few months, it chooses to send its message via the form an excellent noir thriller rather than have an outraged star constantly saying "It's because I'm Jewish, isn't it?" It's much easier to get the message that hate is like a loaded gun across when the dead bodies are actual rather than metaphorical. Somewhat shamefully, the brief featurette on the Warners' DVD doesn't mention that novelist Richard Brooks disowned the film over the shift from a homophobic murder to an anti-Semitic one, but it's interesting to note that while the victim is killed primarily because he is Jewish, there's little doubt in Sam Levene's performance that the character is in fact also gay - not a mincing caricature, but there's definitely a two lost souls aspect to his scenes with George Cooper's confused soldier. There's not much of a mystery to who the murderer is: even though the killing is carried out in classic noir shadows, the body language of the killer is instantly recognisable, but then the film has its characters drift to the same conclusion before the halfway point: the tension comes from proving it and saving the fall guy.

There's an element of Ealing Films to the gang of soldiers teaming together to get their buddy out of a fix (you could almost see that aspect as a blueprint for Hue and Cry), but the atmosphere is pure RKO noir. Set over one long sweltering night, the film has a great look filled with deep dark blacks and shadows born as much out of economy as style (it cut back on lighting time and allowed director Edward Dmytryk more time to work with the actors) and the excellent cast make the most of the fine script: a laid-back but quietly charismatic Robert Mitchum, Robert Young's Maigret-like detective, Gloria Grahame's tramp and the perpetually creepy Paul Kelly as her compulsive liar admirer, a guy who tries on stories the way other people try on ties. But the lasting impression is of Robert Ryan's excellent performance as a guy who could do with a good leaving alone as he does his best to help the wrongly accused man all the way to death row. A big surprise hit in 1946, as a reward, Dmytryk and producer Adrian Scott found themselves investigated by the HUAC, which itself had a notable tendency to target Jews. So much for crusading...

Warners' DVD boasts a good transfer despite some print damage at one point, a brief retrospective featurette on the film and an audio commentary by Alain Silver and James Ursini that (like the featurette) includes excerpts from an interview with Edward Dmytryk.

Crossfire.......2007-05-13

I was a little disappointed in this film considering the caliber of the actors. I felt the story line was not compelling.

A brilliant movie - well ahead of its time........2007-05-05

This film will surprise you, and make you say "darn, why haven't I heard of this film before." You look at the cover and expect a powerful screen stealing performance from Robert Mitchum, but what you get is a good murder mystery film attacking bigotry and hatred. Robert Young - playing the effective police detective - turns in as fine of a performance as you could ask for. Robert Mitchum does well, but he isn't the movie. Instead, the movie is a sum of all its characters, founded in its message in post-war America. Before it was fashionable to go after the mongers of hate, RKO bravely put out a film that did just that. The film keeps you guessing about who the murderer is for most of its length. And the dialogue is well written. For example, Robert Young as the detective explains to Robert Mitchum why it took him so long to figure out who the murderer was. He goes on to say that he was looking for folks with all the obvious motives to kill, but that, when he looked past that, the murderer's identity become obvious. I definitely recommend this movie.

HATE IS LIKE A LOADED GUN!.......2006-04-12

"Crossfire",a film noir, from 1947, deals with the subject of HATE,specifically anti-semitism in a powerful way.A Jew,Sam Levine,is killed and Insp.Finley,played by Robert Young, investagates and concludes that a just discharged GI is the culprit.But which one,Robert Mitchum,Steve Brodie,or Robert Ryan,or perhaps one played by one of lesser known actors?The acting,screenplay,direction,and photography is fine,but the subject matter HATE is most MOST relevant item.America is at a crossroad,in its history,and I'm afraid its leaning in the WRONG direction.Gloria Graham,Jacqueline White, and Paul Kelly also appear.Even better than the film,is the commetary by noir experts Alain Silver and James Ursini with audio inserts by director Edward Dmytryk,of Hollywood Ten fame.The three do an excellant job in describing the political climite of the times.There certainly wasn't any lack of political conservatives,in hollywood back them,or a lack of informers either.Both director Dmytryk and producer Adrian Scott(also Hollywood 10) went to prison,for contempt of Congress,refusing to answer HCUA questions perting to alleged Communists in the film industry.Dmytryk,after his jail term named names.Also included on the DVD is a featurette "HATE IS LIKE A LOADED GUN".The film rates 4-stars.The extras rate 5-stars.Maybe its bcause I'm a political leftist that I love noir.

Average customer rating:

Children in the Crossfire
Starring: Kirk Cameron , Julia Duffy , David Huffman , Oliver Maguire , and Henry Sanders
Director: George Schaefer
Manufacturer: KOCH VISION
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009NZ6NO
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Description

For the children of Northern Ireland, violence and hatred are a way of life passed from one generation to the next. In "Children in the Crossfire" four children from both sides of the conflict come to America through a special project, and discover each other away from the ravages of their homeland.

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