arfdawg-1 The Plot:To penetrate a gang exploiting illegal Mexican farmworkers smuggled into California (and leaving no live witnesses), Mexican federal agent Pablo Rodriguez poses as an ignorant bracero, while his American counterpart Jack Bearnes works from outside. Soon, both are in deadly danger from the ringleader, sinister rancher Owen Parkson, and find night on the farm to be full of shadowy film-noir menace.Dated with absurd stereotyped characters that had to be hokey even back when this film was made in 1949.If you're Mexican you are either a tirelessly god fearing good person who works hard for a few dollars that may be stolen from you crossing the border, or you're thieving scum who will kill your fellow man.The acting is as idiotic and thin as the script. There's actually a woman who feels the braceros hands before they are approved to go to ensure the hands a rough. OMG! It's so dumb.This surely was a grade C movie when it came out.

kenjha Mexican and American agents team up to crackdown on those taking advantage of illegal farm workers. The film starts with hokey and superfluous narration explaining the premise of the film. It then tracks a groups of Mexicans as they illegally cross the border, with Montalban as an undercover agent among them. It is quite dull and looks drab. It perks up a bit in the middle, but the basic story is too uninteresting to hold one's interest. Murphy, the affable dancer, seems miscast as a tough American agent. The cast includes Bedoya, who uttered his famous "stinking badges" line the year before. Despite its short running time, the film drags because the plot has no flow.

wes-connors The preachy-sounding lesson in illegal immigration that opens "Border Incident" makes it seem like this is going to be a boring classroom documentary. And, the opening call to action for Mexican Ricardo Montalban (as Pablo Rodriguez) and American George Murphy (as Jack Bearnes) is unexciting. In fact, the two really don't work together like you're expecting. Instead, Montalban hooks up with handsome James Mitchell (as Juan Garcia) while Mr. Murphy is taken captive by dastardly Howard Da Silva (as Owen Parkson). Watching these two intriguing relationships develop builds to a shocking mid-point murder. And, the ending will make your patience with this picture worthwhile. The direction and photography, by Anthony Mann and John Alton, are outstanding.******* Border Incident (10/28/49) Anthony Mann ~ Ricardo Montalban, James Mitchell, George Murphy, Howard Da Silva

lastliberal A film older than I am and a top as fresh as the cable news this evening.This Anthony Mann directed film noir about those on both sides of the border who prey on illegal immigrants is deftly done with a director that has extensive experience in westerns and crime movies; his greatest achievement to come a decade later - El Cid.We lost Ricardo Montalban this year, but seeing him at 28 years old was a treat. he had a dozen and a half films by that time, and he was already a good actor.Not the usual film noir in dark alleys, but in the bright Mexican desert. The scene with the quicksand was especially heinous.