NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (October 2024): Kino have transferred Martin Ritt's Cross Creek to Blu-ray. It is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. The 1080P image is quite impressive notably the Floridian flora and fauna. Detail is strong, outdoor scenes - naturally lit and there is frequent depth. The HD presentation is quite becoming without damage or speckles.

NOTE: We have added 50 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master stereo track (24-bit) in the original English language. Cross Creek has no aggressive sequences aside from some of the inclement weather. The score was by Leonard Rosenman (Prophecy, Hellfighters, Hide in Plain Sight, Countdown, Rebel Without a Cause, The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond, Kingdom of the Spiders, Fantastic Voyage and A Man Called Horse,) sounding clean with consistent dialogue in the lossless transfer. Kino offer optional English subtitles (SDH) on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray offers a new commentary by film historians Julie Kirgo (author of Becoming John Ford) and Peter Hankoff (Producer of The Cold Blue.) They talk about this being a "loose adaptation" of the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' 1942 memoir, relate differences, talk about director Martin Ritt, cinematographer John A. Alonzo (Chinatown, Scarface, Farewell, My Lovely,) the cast, 'The Actor's Studio', and much more. It's entertaining (especially when they don't always agree) and informative. Also included is an older featurette; Cross Creek: A Look Back with Mary Steenburgen running 17-minutes where the actress relates her memories of the production and her role of Pulitzer Prize winning, American writer, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Lastly is a trailer for Cross Creek as well as Plenty, Tender Mercies and The River.    

Martin Ritt's Cross Creek is a bio-pic of author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings with some feminist themes. We are introduced to a strong female character, who divorced her husband in 1933, embracing the remoteness, wilderness and her 'cracker' neighbors of Cross Creek, Florida where she wrote her most successful novel, The Yearling. She even wrote a recipe book about the location; Cross Creek Cookery. Mary Steenburgen is excellent in the role showing obstinacy, reluctance but eventually being won-over by the rural residents. Cross Creek was home to just seven families, five white and two black, when she moved there in 1928. It's a strong feel-good biographical / romance. Martin Ritt is a master. I enjoyed the excellent a/v on the Kino Blu-ray, the film and its commentary.

Gary Tooze