Plot: What’s it about?
Isabella (Amy Irving) is a Jewish woman in her 30s, working in a New York bookstore. The position suits her well enough, as she has an interest in literature and loves the scene. At her work, she runs into all sorts of people who adore books, some more unusual than others. The variety of people and interests keeps Isabella on her toes and she feels like part of the literary community, which is a good feeling for her. She might not be as brilliant or well read as those around her, but she is quite popular nonetheless, thanks to her good looks. Although she denies it, she is aware that her beauty is the reason many of these men engage her in conversation, not to mention that their intentions don’t involve books at all. She has recently accepted the job of secretary for a pompous poet (Joroen Krabbe), but he again seems more interested in her body than her mind or skills. Her grandmother, known as Bubbie has become concerned about her, as she feels Isabella should be married with a family by this point. She even hires a match maker, who locates a match right off the bat, but not one from Isabella’s new literary world. Can Isabella fall in love with someone as simple as a pickle seller and even if so, would she give him a chance?
I’d never even heard of this movie before and since I am not a fan of romantic comedies, I didn’t look forward to Crossing Delancey that much. The premise seemed tired, a woman torn between two men from different social circles, who has to decide what is most important to her. The cast looked passable, but Amy Irving isn’t always reliable, so I didn’t hold out a lot of hope. As it turns out, this could have been a more than solid movie. The characters have the potential to be deep and interesting, but they’re held back by the material throughout. For instance, the pickle man is supposed to one of the pivotal roles in the film, yet he has minimal screen time and little development. Even the central character seems restrained by the formulaic approach of the filmmakers, which is a shame, as I think this could have been a lot better. The balance of drama and humor is good, but I wasn’t taken in by either side, especially the dramatic elements. Irving is decent in lead and some supporting roles are played with enthusiasm, but Crossing Delancey is just another mediocre movie about romance. There is no magic and no real romance, just a tired storyline and poor direction.
Video: How does it look?
Having never seen this film before, I had no antecedent but knowing the effort that Criterion puts into their titles, I had high hopes. The transfer here is remarkable, but solid, so fans should be satisfied. The print here shows minimal defects and grain is much lower than in prior editions. The colors look bright and natural throughout, while black levels seem sharp and well balanced at all times. I wasn’t impressed by the detail level or depth of the image, but the softness is minimal. Certainly there are better-looking films from this era out there, but considering the source material – I was amply satisfied.
Audio: How does it sound?
A basic, but more than acceptable DTS HD Master Audio 2.0 surround option is present here, which seems to be up to all the needed tasks. This material never really pushes the mark much, so the mix remains anchored in the front channels, but that is never a problem. The dialogue is the main element and it is well presented, with good volume balance and no clarity issues to report. The mix stays natural in scope and never forces the surrounds, so the experience is a relaxed, very effective one.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Crossing Delancey Revisited – New interviews with stars Amy Irving and Peter Reigert are included as well as some history of the project. For those that don’t know, Amy Irving was married to Steven Spielberg and he was able to pull a few strings to get this Broadway play made into a feature-length film (and even earned the studio a few bucks in the process). Running at 30 minutes, any fan of the film will enjoy this segment.
- Joan Micklin Silver – This “vintage” featuere from 1988 profiles the director, Joan Micklin Silver. She recounts some of the troubles of getting the film made, changing the characters from Jewish to Italian as well as casting, the shoot and so forth.
- Theatrical Trailer
- Illustrated Booklet – Critic Rachel Syme provides an essay on the film as well as the standard bevy of production photos in the included leaflet.
The Bottom Line
This one’s a hard sell. Given the film’s success and critical praise, I know it has fans (and being a part of the Criterion Collection only solidifies that), but this isn’t something I’d sit down and watch time and again. But for those that do like it, it’s never looked or sounded better and the addition of a new feature with the stars does add a bit of allure.
