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Border Incident

Play trailer Poster for Border Incident 1949 1h 32m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
71% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
In this topical film noir, a gang smuggles illegal Mexican farmworkers across the California border and kills the immigrants before they can return home. When federal agents Pablo Rodriguez (Ricardo Montalban) and Jack Bearnes (George Murphy) go undercover to overturn the organization, they find themselves face-to-face with its leader, Owen Parkson (Howard da Silva). The agents quickly realize that what began as a routine murder case has become a struggle for survival.
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Border Incident

Critics Reviews

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Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 06/17/2023
3/4
Startling in its brutality. Go to Full Review Kelly Vance East Bay Express 02/13/2014
A richly detailed, unforgettable slice of menace. Go to Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion 06/12/2010
Tougher, more tactile than anything in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre Go to Full Review Paul Brenner Filmcritic.com 06/21/2009
3/5
a film of stylistic virtuosity saddled with a humdrum scenario, yet graced with a few subversive surprises. Go to Full Review Michael E. Grost Classic Film and Television 08/09/2007
Powerful, both politically and as visual style. Go to Full Review Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid 07/14/2007
3.5/4
Border Incident is a volatile movie, liable to go off at any moment. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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05/29/2023 It is a very good film, just not my liking for the style of noir, personally I prefer the city setting, especially LA for noir, but this is a Anthony Main and John Alton film so it rates high for for the direction and great cinematography See more 04/09/2022 Painfully lame, especially the dialogue. However, the cinematography is good and the last act is exciting. See more deke p @RT96675217 03/20/2020 Very interesting. RICARDO MONTALBAN is GREAT in these old movies. GEORGE MURPHY (before US SENATOR) good. Saw it 1st time on The Movie Channel, 3.19.2020. See more Bill B @RT01438538 11/07/2019 Better than I expected. Immigration agents from both sides of the border infiltrating a rather ruthless human smuggling ring. Ricardo Montalban and Howard Da Silva turn in the best performances. A couple of gruesome deaths by 1940s standards. See more ashley h @ashleyhobgood87 03/13/2019 Border Incident is an okay film. It is about Mexican and American federal agents who tackle a vicious gang exploiting illegal farm workers in southern California. Ricardo Montalban and George Murphy give decent performances. The screenplay is a little slow in places. Anthony Mann did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the drama and mystery. See more 06/25/2015 Noir shadows stalk the Imperial Valley. I love the blend of social realism and crime narrative. The cinematography here is masterful, and there are a few plot points that left me genuinely shocked/surprised. One of my favorite films of the studio era. See more Read all reviews
Border Incident

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Anthony Mann

Director

Ricardo Montalban

Pablo Rodriguez

George Murphy

Jack Bearnes

Howard Da Silva

Owen Parkson

James Mitchell

Juan Garcia

Arnold Moss

Zopilote

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Border Incident

Border Incident (1950) Border Incident (1950) Border Incident (1950) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In this topical film noir, a gang smuggles illegal Mexican farmworkers across the California border and kills the immigrants before they can return home. When federal agents Pablo Rodriguez (Ricardo Montalban) and Jack Bearnes (George Murphy) go undercover to overturn the organization, they find themselves face-to-face with its leader, Owen Parkson (Howard da Silva). The agents quickly realize that what began as a routine murder case has become a struggle for survival.
Director
Anthony Mann
Producer
Nicholas Nayfack
Screenwriter
John C. Higgins, George Zuckerman
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp.
Production Co
Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 28, 1949, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 18, 2008
Runtime
1h 32m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
35mm