Search - Double Cross on DVD

Healthy Beginning Peters Out To A Less Than Inspired Climax.

rsoonsa | Lake Isabella, California | 11/22/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The opening scenes of this film depict policeman Steve Bronson (Richard Beach) keeping company with Fay Saunders (Wynne Gibson), whom he believes is his girlfriend, at a night club, The Silver Slipper, when a squad from his Department raids into the rear of the establishment, wherein flourishes an illicit gambling salon, and while the club's owner Nick Taggart (John Miljan) grapples with officers, Fay removes Steve's revolver from its holster and kills a policeman, as her affection for her actual lover Taggart plainly extends beyond what might be considered natural. When Steve retrieves the murder weapon from false Fay he is, with pistol in hand, shot down by other officers, therewith apparently tagged as being a cop-killer, but this is not accepted by police dispatcher Jim Murray (Kane Richmond), son of the Captain in charge of the tragically suppressant raid, especially following his visit and conversation with Steve at the latter's hospital death bed, after which Jim is determined to bring Fay and Taggart to justice. While in the process of attempting to infiltrate Taggart's criminal organization, Jim is cashiered from his Department because his father can find no discernible legitimate cause for his son's involvement with the band of ne'er-do-wells, but young Murray persists with his clandestine investigation, sharing his plan with only his fiancée Ellen (Pauline Moore), Steve's sister, who gives him emotional support. When Jim discovers that Taggart is planning to assassinate the senior Murray, his scheme to bring the evildoers to bay must co-exist with a method of saving his father from a violent death, hoping that by success with both ventures he may achieve reinstatement as an officer. The initial sequences of the film are neatly constructed, with each of the principal characters along with their motivations being quickly and efficiently sketched and interconnected, but as the low budget PRC release, filmed in Los Angeles, continues, a series of leaden incongruities abound, with a viewer's interest being consequently reduced. Fine Serbian actor Miljan gains the acting laurels here for his polished technique in playing boss of the Forces of Evil and Richmond, of the square-jawed Richard Arlen mode of acting, is suitably heroic throughout, while from the distaff side, Gibson is by turns stiff and shrill, Moore is bland, and Mary Gordon performs comfortably within her characteristic Irish matriarchal part. Additionally, it is ever a pleasure to watch veteran supporting actor Frank Moran, former top-flight heavyweight boxing contender, who traveled the full distance in title bouts with Jess Willard and Jack Johnson. Here he is cast as a simple-minded Taggart henchman, albeit one with a heart of gold."

Double Cross on DVD format

REChess | PA | 07/20/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I found this harmless little screenplay very good. What made it more interesting to me is the fact that a friend of mine played a feature role - Pauline Moore, who was born here in Harrisburg, PA. The photography and reproduction on DVD format was quite good. I'm trying to put together Pauline's film work in DVD format, and it's presenting me a challenge. I might point out that Miss Moore was featured also in four of Roy Roger's pictures. She had a bit part in the first Frankenstein movie as one of the bridemaids."