MovieChat Forums > Criss Cross (1949) Discussion > Music heard in the movie...

Music heard in the movie...

posted 9 years ago by MystMoonstruck
4 replies | jump to latest

I wish I knew what the music was when Yvonne dances with Tony Curtis; it sounds so familiar, but I can't place it.

I did hear them shift to "Dark Eyes". That was instantly recognizable. I'd like to find out more about the music selections so that I can add them here.

EDIT: I found it: "Jungle Fantasy"! Wikipedia mentions it, thank goodness, or I might have gone batty while searching my fuzzy brain (fibromyalgia causes "fibrofog"). I KNEW I knew the song, and I was very close to the title in my mind; I just didn't trust my guess.

From Wikipedia:
Criss Cross features the screen debut of Tony Curtis (then known as James Curtis). Curtis plays De Carlo's dance partner in a key scene at the Round-Up Bar. Once the dance ends, he disappears from both scene and film. Curtis was chosen by the director after many young hopefuls had auditioned for the part. The song Curtis and De Carlo dance to is called "Jungle Fantasy" and is performed by Esy Morales who also makes a cameo appearance in this scene. Curtis would later go on to co-star with Lancaster in Trapeze (1956) and Sweet Smell of Success (1957).

(W)hat are we without our dreams?
Making sure our fantasies
Do not overpower our realities. ~ RC

[–] Island_Tropics 9 years ago

I like the music too.
Love this movie.
Though it's brief, it's so neat to see Tony Curtis. I had read that the studio got tons of fan letters asking who that dancer was.
Yvonne DeCarlo is positively breathtaking! My God is she beautiful!!

[–] MystMoonstruck 9 years ago

As I was watching, not realizing he was in it, I suddenly called out to my mother, "That's Tony Curtis! I'm SURE it is!"

Since this was the first time I can recall watching the movie (after 60+ years of film-watching), I hadn't read anything about it here at IMDb. I was having fun recognizing all of the character actors.

No wonder there were fan letters about James (Tony) Curtis! He just was *POW* in that bit. If I didn't know him, I'd be trying to find out "Who's the gorgeous young man with Yvonne?!"

Yes, she always was a lovely, exotic lady.

(W)hat are we without our dreams?
Making sure our fantasies
Do not overpower our realities. ~ RC

[–] nikkiweir 8 years ago

After he and Anna dance, while Anna and Steve move through the club to the mezzanine, Tony gets one more shot, a clear one, from across the room. Someone among the moviemakers definitely knew what they had.

______________________________________
"To the gaze-bo and what lies beneath it!"
--The Gazebo (1959)

[–] nikkiweir 8 years ago

Adding, just remembered that Dan Duryea got a similar cameo introduction --dancing with a main character, then prominent shots in the crowd-- in, of all things, a Carlos Gardel movie (they made them in New York), El tango en Broadway. He was Laurita's boyfriend, Bob.

______________________________
"The bonsai: the ultimate miniature."
--Will Hayward, Twin Peaks.