Actors: Robert Young, Robert Mitchum. Robert Ryan, Gloria Grahame, Sam Levene
Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Crossfire
CROSSFIRE, based on a novel by Richard Brooks, was directed by Edward Dmytryk in 1947.
Joseph Samuels is found dead in his apartment. Three soldiers were seen talking to Samuels minutes before his death. Police Capt. Finlay will successively hear the testimonies of Montgomery and Cpl. Arthur Mitchell. As Mitchell was drunk most of the evening and is unable to remember with precision his evening's schedule, he soon becomes suspect number 1 of the murder. When Floyd Bowers, the third soldier, is found hanged in his hideout, Mitchell is arrested.
Sgt. Peter Keeley, Mitchell's best friend, knows that his pal doesn't have the nerves to kill someone and tries to convince Finlay of it but the policeman will solve the case alone. He'll finally understand that Samuels was murdered by someone who hated Jewish people.
--Daniel Staebler, Resident Scholar
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Analysis of Crossfire
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie Actual chase scenes or violence - 10% Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 70% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
How difficult to spot villain?
- Story partially from villain's perspective
Time/Era of Movie:
- 1930's-1950's
Murder Mystery?
Yes
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 80%
Murders of set profession?
- soldiers
Kind of mystery?
- police procedural
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
Age:
- 40's-50's
Hair style
- short/standard straight (man)
Body type
- average (man)
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Hair style
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- muscular (man)
How much in movie?
- 60%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- infantry soldier
Eccentric:
Yes
- obsessed
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 60%
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- average (man)
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- non-gory references to death/punishment
Movie makes you feel...
- encouraged
How many deaths in film?
- 3-4
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- kissing
How much use of techno gadgets?
- 1 (None)
Kind of violence:
- hand to hand
Unusual forms of death
- perforation--bullets
Check here if B&W
Yes
Any profanity?
- None
Is this movie based on a
- book
