CrissCross (1992)

Director:

Chris Menges

Writers (WGA):

Scott Sommer (novel)
Scott Sommer (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 May 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Set in 1969, a twelve-year-old grows up in Key West with his mother, who is paying the bills by stripping at the local topless bar...

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Cocaine | Florida Keys | Seaside | Teen

Cast

Goldie Hawn	...	Tracy Cross
Arliss Howard	...	Joe
James Gammon	...	Emmett
David Arnott	...	Chris Cross
Keith Carradine	...	John Cross
J.C. Quinn	...	Jetty
Steve Buscemi	...	Louis
Paul Calderon	...	Blacky
Cathryn de Prume	...	Oakley (as Cathryn dePrume)
Nada Despotovich	...	Kelly
David Anthony Marshall	...	Blondie
Deirdre O'Connell	...	Shelly
Anna Levine	...	Monica (as Anna Levine Thompson)
Neil Giuntoli	...	Snyder
Christy Martin	...	Termina

MPAA:

Rated R for language and drug-related scenes, and for brief but strong sensuality.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Continental Film Labs)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:S (video rating) (1993) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Key West, Florida Keys, Florida, USA

Company:

Hawn / Sylbert Movie Company

Goofs:

Anachronisms: A shot of a boatyard shows several 1980s outboard motors.

Movie Connections:

References "Dark Shadows" (1966)

A good, overlooked film

It's amazing how Goldie Hawn is almost always overlooked when she tries to play it serious, even when she's good. A perfect example of this is 1991's "Crisscross," dealing with the special relationship between a young single mother and her twelve-year old son.

Set in Key West, Florida, just prior to the first moon landing, the film is loaded with atmosphere, and the Key West scenes are beautiful (Amazing how the only film that ever shows how it can be during the hurricane season was the Paul Hogan/Elijah Wood "Flipper." But I digress.). Best of all, though, are Hawn and young David Arnott, as mother and son, both giving understated, believable performances. Young Arnott, especially, should have had a major career ahead of him. As it was, this was his only film role. Does anyone know what became of him?

The supporting actors are good, as well, particularly Arliss Howard as the writer Hawn falls in love with, and the actors, whose names escape me, playing the characters of Emmett, Bugs, and Termina.

This film is a true hidden treasure. Watch it, and you have a real treat in store.