Borderline (1950)

Two undercover agents infiltrate a drug-smuggling ring in Mexico, but neither is aware of the other's identity.

Director:

William A. Seiter

Writer:

Devery Freeman (story and screenplay)

Stars:

Fred MacMurray, Claire Trevor, Raymond Burr

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Fred MacMurray	...	Johnny McEvoy - aka Johnny Macklin
Claire Trevor	...	Madeleine Haley
Raymond Burr	...	Pete Ritchie
José Torvay	...	Miguel (as Jose Torvay)
Morris Ankrum	...	Bill Whittaker
Roy Roberts	...	Harvey Gumbin
Don Diamond	...	Deusik
Nacho Galindo	...	Porfirio
Pepe Hern	...	Pablo
Grazia Narciso	...	Porfirio's Wife

Storyline

Customs agents are looking for information about Pete Ritchie, who is involved in smuggling drugs into the US. Police officer Madeleine Haley goes undercover in order to gain Ritchie's confidence, and before long she meets him through one of his associates. As she is talking with Ritchie, Johnny Macklin and one of his men burst in, and they provoke a violent confrontation. From then on, Haley is in constant danger as she attempts to figure out everything that is happening in the smuggling operation.

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Plot Keywords:

narcotics | drug smuggling | police interrogation | posing as husband and wife | customs officer | 

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Taglines:

Two Undercover Agents Unwittingly Stalk the Same Target.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

1 March 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tráfico de muerte

Filming Locations:

Malibu, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Milton H. Bren and William A. Seiter Productions,Borderline Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

First production of Borderline Pictures, Inc., formed by producer Milton Bren, director-producer William Seiter and actor Fred MacMurray.

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Goofs

At the end of the film there is a general mêlée and a fight between Macklin and Gumbin takes place behind and below the bar. The police fire a smoke grenade into the room and as Macklin rises from behind the bar there is blood seeping from his lower left lip. As he collapses on the floor the police and Madeleine Haley rush in. She embraces and kisses Macklin him but the trace of blood has disappeared from his face.

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Quotes

Johnny McEvoy, aka Johnny Macklin: I got more names than a phone book.

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Alternate Versions

The badly edited version, released by Viking Entertainment/Burbank Video is missing the scene when the heroes discover they are both cops!

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Connections

Featured in The World Famous Kid Detective (2014)

User Reviews

Digitally Remastered Action Comedy Released Again

Clare Trevor had decorated many films in a range of roles which commonly portrayed her as a tough broad. She was able to assure her husband, producer Milton Bren, that she was also qualified to perform in comedic parts, and the result is his bankrolling of this action-comedy hybrid: BORDERLINE, which features Fred MacMurray and Trevor as undercover narcotics operatives working for different agencies with the same target, but unaware of each other's placement. The film just misses working on both levels of drama and comedy; the scenario by veteran Hollywood light musical scriptor Devery Freeman cuts its chances, but improves during the second half. MacMurray, generally unrecognized as a cinema tough guy, shines and teams well with Trevor, who in fact does demonstrate that she can do light comedy.