Borderline (1950) User Reviews (49)

An amusing romantic chase movie, with drugs, death and Raymond Burr thrown in. Not bad

[Terrell-4 · 7/10 · 8 August 2008]

Well, we have ballet noir (The Car Man (Matthew Bourne)), family values noir (Home Sweet Homicide), even "Oh, come on, that's not noir" noir (The Third Man - Criterion Collection (2- Disc Edition)). Why not easy-going romantic comedy noir? Borderline, with Claire Trevor and Fred MacMurray, fills a noir niche no one seems to have noticed was empty. And not badly, either.

Pete Ritchie (Raymond Burr) is a shrewd, ruthless drug dealer. The Feds want him, but Ritchie can spot a Fed agent at ten yards. He's holed up in a dusty Mexican town where he sends drug shipments into the States using innocent tourists as well as paid mules. Ritchie's smart but he's a sucker for dames. That's where Madeleine Haley (Claire Trevor) comes in. She's an L.A. cop and, as she points out to the Feds, a female. In short order, Gladys LaRue arrives in this Mexican town and gets a job singing and dancing (badly) in a sleazy cantina that Ritchie, in a white suit, frequents. Just when she starts making progress with Ritchie in his room, Johnny Macklin, a tough guy for hire, bursts in with a gun in his hand and a plan in his head. He's been hired by another gangster to hijack one of Ritchie's drug shipments. Wait a minute...isn't that Fred MacMurray?

Then we realize -- this is no spoiler -- that there are two U.S. agents working to bag Ritchie, and neither knows about the other. It's not long before the two of them are on the road headed for the U. S, staying overnight -- coyly, of course -- in a sleazy hotel. They're toting the drug shipment Ritchie's gangster competitor assigned them, as well as a suspicious music box, a fruitcake and a parrot in a big cage. Soon there's cold cream on Gladys' face and everything from a container for fingerprint power to a camera in Macklin's coat pockets. When one goes to the lobby, the other whips out a camera to take secret photos. When one goes down the hall for a bath, the other...whips out a camera to take secret photos. And then Ritchie and his goons show up and a dangerous race, complete with cheery Mexican music and wise cracks, gets underway. Corpses are left in the dust with a tip of the sombrero to siesta time. Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer never had something like this to deal with.

There may be guns and gunzels, as well as too much noir drama at the end, but Borderline quickly becomes an easy-going romantic chase comedy with drugs, death and Raymond Burr thrown in. Most importantly, the movie has two attractive leads. Listening to Trevor and MacMurray, still unaware of who they really are, trade stories about how they got started in the crime business does credit to their ability to keep straight faces.

Borderline is a pleasant movie, even if at times it's not sure just what kind of noir it is. It may not be an A production but it's considerably better than a programmer. As much as MacMurray and Trevor work well together, Claire Trevor steals the show.

Digitally Remastered Action Comedy Released Again

[rsoonsa · 6/10 · 9 February 2001]

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.

Two Undercovers

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 27 September 2011]

Borderline has the interesting premise that two government agencies have operators working the same case and neither knows anything about the other. If they did there would be no film called Borderline.

According to a recent biography of Fred MacMurray the film was produced by Claire Trevor's husband Milton Bren and MacMurray was given a piece of the film in lieu of a salary. It doesn't look like to much was spent on production values so it probably made a profit for its investors who were also its investors.

Trevor is with the LAPD and she's sent in looking for dope smuggler Raymond Burr while MacMurray is with the Feds and he's worked his way into the gang of rival smuggler Roy Roberts. Circumstance throws these two together as MacMurray takes Trevor for what she is, a wisecracking moll whom he starts to fall for. Nevertheless his duty is clear.

Borderline is not quite an easy fit between film noir and comedy which both stars have done their share of. Nevertheless MacMurray and Trevor work well together. Borderline is the kind of film Fred might have done with Carole Lombard had she lived.

Fans of this most underrated actor will like this film, Fred carried worse in his career.

Good Start, Ends Up Being Mostly Average

[Snow Leopard · 16 December 2004]

After a good start, this crime drama gets bogged down from time to time, and ends up being just average, or perhaps slightly above average. Besides the interesting story setup, it features a good core cast, with Claire Trevor getting a good role that allows her to play a variety of material, Raymond Burr well-cast as a brutish villain, and Fred MacMurray.

The story starts with Trevor as a police officer working undercover in Mexico. Her initial dealings with Burr and MacMurray set up some interesting possibilities, and create some suspense from the start. The rest of the story is not really bad, but it too often allows the pace to stagnate, and it does not make the best use of some of the possibilities. Aside from a couple of good scenes, it plays out in a more routine fashion.

"Borderline" is still worth seeing for fans of the genre. Besides the main story, it has some occasional comic touches that come across all right. If it ends up seeming like a bit of a disappointment, it is simply because it showed signs of becoming something better than it turned out to be.

B movie, A cast

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 24 December 2007]

"Borderline" is a 1950 film that's just that - borderline good, borderline noir, borderline funny, borderline - well, just borderline. Though it stars Fred MacMurray, Claire Trevor and Raymond Burr, you'll come away with the impression (possibly true) that once the big stars came home from the war, MacMurray's services were no longer needed and that Trevor, like so many wonderful Hollywood actresses, had passed 30 and was now diving for roles.

It's a story about two undercover cops - one Fed, one local - after a major drug dealer (Burr). Neither knows the other's true identity as they fall in love.

This is the kind of film RKO could do with one hand tied behind its back - put Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell or Jane Greer in it and you can see it working just fine. Why? The MacMurray role is perfect for Mitchum's tongue-in-cheek, lazy delivery, and Russell, who crackles with him, could give as good as she got. Their presence guarantees you'll have smiles and romance mixed in with your suspense. But here, the chemistry is off. Neither actor is quite right for their role. MacMurray plays it too straight while Trevor is off doing another movie. The film never establishes what it is - drama, comedy, what, so the viewer is constantly off-balance.

Disappointing, though Raymond Burr is plenty menacing as the drug dealer.

Claire Trevor is Amazing

[Man99204 · 7/10 · 20 May 2016]

No actress played "Cheap Broad" better than Claire Trevor. She is the high point in this film. In this film she is a high class dame pretending to be a "cheap Broad", and she manages to do with with little to no help from the script.

Fred MacMurray plays a character who is both a romantic lead, and an apparent bad guy. His character is radically different from the character he played on "my Three Sons".

Raymond Burr plays a very convincing villain. His character is also very different from the character he played on "Perry Mason".

The weak point in this film is "Mexico", or at least Hollywood's concept of Mexico in 1950. The location shots are actually filmed in the Greater Los Angeles area - in areas which look nothing at all like Baja California.

This film also is very contrary in its portrayal of Latino characters - especially Latinas. Many of the characters are not people but rather cartoon-ish characters.

I thought this was a film noir but it turned out to be more of a romance.

[cgvsluis · 7/10 · 20 December 2022]

I am not sure how this "film noir" turned into a romance, but this romantic is not complaining. I thought Fred MacMurray and Claire Trevor were wonderful together. I also loved the misunderstanding with each of them thinking that the other is part of a drug smuggling racket. What is particularly funny is their childhood stories that they tell each other!

This starts as the story of police woman, Madeleine Haley going undercover south of the border in Mexico in order to get information on a notorious drug smuggler. There she meets the nefarious Raymond Burr who plays Pete Ritchie. She is almost immediately embroiled in a drug run with a tough character named Johnny McEvoy (played by Fred MacMurray).

During this trip to the border, while posing as a newly married couple...these two are trying to get information out of each other. This in my opinion becomes the best part of the film.

I think this is misclassified as a film noir...I recommend this film to romantics. There is a little comedy and a nice romantic story told.

Hard to take seriously even when your drunk watching it

[sol1218 · 6/10 · 18 February 2005]

**SPOILERS** Even though the movie "Borderline" is about a serious subject drug smuggling, and has a number of people killed in it, it comes across more like a 1930's type screwball comedy. Johnny McEvoy aka MacKlin and Madeleine Haley aka Gladys LaRue, Fred MacMurray & Claire Trevor, are working undercover in Mexico and unknown to each other who they really are. Each one thinks that the other is a criminal trying to get each other arrested by the US border police after they cross into California with a load of illegal drugs.

It's amazing to me that a criminal sharpie like Pete Ritchie, Raymond Burr, couldn't spot these two undercover US law enforcers, posing as a gangster and floozy, as soon as he laid his eyes on them. Ritchie must have either been high or suffering from brain damage from the drugs he was smuggling.

After ripping Ritchie off of his drug stash the two are on the run to get to the Mexican border with the drug shipment only to get each other arrested by the border police. All this without realizing that they both play for the same team the US Custom Services, Macklin, and the L.A Police department, Haley.

I couldn't get over the fact that the two fell in love with each other, which was obvious at the end of the movie, yet were more then willing to turn each other over to the authorities where they could have gotten long prison time for drug trafficking? Doesn't true love mean anything to these two? Couldn't they just let each other get away and concentrate on the capturing the major dealer and head of the drug smuggling ring? The FBI let Sammy "The Bull" Gravono, who admittedly murdered 19 people, walk away Scot-free in order to get his boss John Gottie behind bars with his testimony and nobody, as far as I know, in the FBI was madly in love with Sammy!

The two crime fighters are now together in their efforts to stop the drug smuggling gang led by Mr.Big himself Harvey Gumbin, Roy Roberts. Harvey wasn't that much smarter then his Man in Mexico Pete Ritchie by not realizing who this McEvoy really was, an undercover government agent. In the end there was an incredible shootout at Harvey's hideout, where McEvoy brought the drug shipment. McEvoy himself urged on Harvey's gangster to shoot it out with the police, in order not to blow his cover, endangering not only himself but the very police that were coming to his rescue! The best way to enjoy the movie "Borderline" is to watch it only for unintentional laughs.

A slightly better than average "time passer"

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 24 January 2007]

This is a perfectly adequate movie with perfectly adequate performances and while there's nothing bad about this film, there certainly isn't anything that good that stands out either. This film sort of like a "Film Noir-LITE", in that it has some of the outward signs of a Noir film (such as gangsters, villains and violence) but is far from a good example of the genre (mediocre camera-work and rather listless dialog compared to "true" Noir). And, despite starring Fred MacMurray and Claire Trevor, I really had to struggle to keep watching the film because nothing peaked my interest. Plus, even though the film co-starred Raymond Burr (one of the greatest Noir actors of all-time--especially in RAW DEAL), he wasn't given that much screen time (his removal from the plot was way too easy and anti-climactic) and his usual sadism was absent. In many ways, I consider this film to be like eating meatloaf--it's pretty ordinary, inoffensive and nothing to get excited over. Gimme a "steak" anytime over meatloaf!

Screwball Comedy Masked as Serious Film - Borderline

[arthur_tafero · 7/10 · 21 December 2021]

I loved this film. I don't care if it was planned to be a serious film about undercover drug busting. It was funnier than most other comedies made intentionally to get laughs. It had the feel of It happened one night, and one or two other surprise films. Claire Trevor is a serious actress, yet she pulled this off wonderfully. Fred MacMurray, as we know, swings both ways, and could do comedy as well as dramatic stuff. Instead of Claire, a better choice might have been Lauren Bacall or possibly Claudette Colbert. But Trevor gets the job done. One extra scene at the end was completely unnecessary. The film should have ended at the border, as its natural conclusion was far funnier than the eventual ending.

"Borderline" is marginal entertainment

[dallesmac · 4/10 · 2 December 2012]

"Borderline" was a big disappointment, given the expectations I had from the MacMurray-Trevor star duo. They played their roles gamely in this awkwardly scripted, boringly directed melodrama (with light comedy overtones). If you forget about the tedious, poorly motivated plot line, there are a few enjoyably light and playful scenes between the two stars (both of whom look great, especially Trevor). They have good chemistry, and the inevitable romance that interferes with their respective drug enforcement chores (only because each believes the other is a criminal), works, despite the lazy script development. The romance works so well, in fact, that the plot demand that MacMurray turn Trevor in seems pretty unbelievable.

On a minor level, "Borderline" is interesting for its mid-20th century Hollywood depiction of Mexico and Mexicans. Lots of stereotyping, primarily for questionable comic effect. I disagree with IMDb's characterization of speaking "Mexican" as a goof. It struck me as intentional. That's the way some people talked then (and the way some people still do).

roller-coaster romance

[Cristi_Ciopron · 8/10 · 12 June 2016]

It has to be its lighthearted style that makes it so lovable. It begins as a drama, with the impressive presences of the trio of players, Burr's swagger, in that early scene when the undercover policewoman shoots the smuggler, then it switches to an action comedy, there's a humorous overtone throughout, even before and during the dramatic setup, with her attempts at luring the smugglers and gaining their confidence, at 1st the undercover copper plays 2nd lead to her, and then it's her turn to play 2nd lead to him, anyway the romance, late screwball, was masterly handled by players and director. It's a 'mission movie', also a 'chase movie' (undercover coppers being chased by the smugglers), which implies both road movie and buddy movie, and it has the asset of starting with the policewoman in the lead. The action doesn't rely on stunts, but on cheerfulness.

She was a very refined actress, and all three players come across as believable. Burr also was sharply nuanced, even in a character role like this one. He resembled a bit M. Sheen, and had Scott's robustness and vitality, but also his own _insightfulness, and a commendable dedication to the trade.

By the late '40s, many crime movies began depending on the Mexican exoticism. Here, the funniest Mexican gag is the Hispanic sheriff's household, mainly his daughter and the phone.

The distilled action comedy requires nothing but style, and a serviceable one; here, there are very careful shots, and a respectable cast. A clever script would of been an extra bonus. An idea of a delightful movie, unpretentious and charming, fun for an evening, with a conventional script, but with the right way of blending crime movie and comedy, as the '30s odd insouciance had been forgotten. It has the simplest script.

A passable movie with MacMurray and Trevor play undercover agents trying to infiltrate a Mexican drug ring

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 20 September 2023]

A noir thriller with comedic elements, dealing with two undercover agents unwittingly stalk the same target, but neither is aware of the other's identity. Customs agents are looking for information about Pete Ritchie (Raymond Burr), who is involved in smuggling drugs between Mexico and the US. Police officer Madeleine Haley (Claire Trevor) goes undercover in order to gain Ritchie's confidence, but there's also another undercover agent(Fred MacMurray), and before long she meets him through one of his associates. With their real identities hidden, they fall for each other and make a run for the border. As she is talking with Ritchie, Johnny Macklin and one of his men burst in, and they provoke a strong confrontation. From now on, Haley and Macklin are in constant danger as she attempts to figure out everything that is happening in the smuggling operation.

Thriller movie with hilarious incidents, suspense, action, car chases, and adequate interpretations. Although the leads work well together, they play two undercover agents infiltrate a drug-smuggling ring in Mexico, but neither is aware of the other's identity. Fred MacMurray and Claire Trevor are well accompanied by a fine support cast, such as: Raymond Burr, Morris Ankrum, Roy Roberts, José Torvay, Don Diamond, among others. They are hindered by an ocassionally confusing and uneven script that moves in fits and stars, blending comedy, drama and Film Noir with some thrilling pursuits. Unfortunately , director William A. Seiter never decides whether the material is of a comedic or dramatic nature.

Produced by the same main actors and director himsef who deferred their salaries to finance the movie. In fact, Borderline (1950) is the first production of Borderline Pictures, Inc, formed by producer Milton H. Bren, director-producer William A. Seiter, Claire Trevor and actor Fred MacMurray. The motion picture was professional, though regularly directed by William A Seiter. Seiter was a typical Hollywood craftsman who entered films in 1915 as a stuntman in westerns and was one of the founding members of the Directors Guild and directed films of all kinds of genres as drama, thriller , musical, Western and romantic comedy. But he is especially remembered for his handling of comedy. In his long career, he made films with Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey, The Ritz Brothers, Shirley Temple, W. C. Fields, The Marx Brothers, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy and Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Among his most important films are the following: Belle of the Yukon, The cheerful fraud, This Is My Affair, Make Haste to Live, Champ for a day, Little Giant, Susannah of the Mounties, It is a date, Nice girl?, You were never lovelier and two films starred by John Wayne: Allegheny Uprising and A lady takes a chance. Rating: 5.5/10. Passable and decent picture for Fren MacMurray and Claire Trevor fans.

Travelling with a Dame

[richardchatten · 4/10 · 24 September 2020]

Fifty years before 'Miss Congeniality', Claire Trevor was Madeleine Haley of the Los Angeles Police Department going undercover down Mexico way as a showgirl in pursuit of saturnine narcotics smuggler Raymond Burr.

Considering that she'd just won an Oscar and it was produced by her new husband, Milton H. Bren, Ms Trevor deserved far far better than this trivial hybrid of 'It Happened One Night' and The Big Steal' in which she plays second fiddle to Fred MacMurray the way Bob Hope's leading ladies used to play to him.

Hans Salter's music score has to keep reminding us that this is supposed to be a comedy.

Guns, Cars, a Dame and a Plane

[yonhope · 15 December 2004]

Hi, Everyone,

I bought the DVD of Borderline at the 99 Cent Store. One buck for the movie makes it low cost but also there is no menu or chapters to make it easy to find a specific place in the movie.

There are some fun moments in the film. If you are an old car buff, you will see a 1939 Buick (pushed front end first into a shallow ravine), a 1949 Mercury, an old Nash and other vintage cars and trucks and buses.

Some mistakes from the movie include at the 45 minute point, Fred MacMurray looks into his rear view mirror (39 Buick) to see a motorcycle cop who is chasing him. The only problem is there is no rear view mirror. It was common in these old movies to remove the rear view mirror at the top of the inside of the windshield so the camera could see the driver and the passengers in the car. At 76 minutes into the movie watch the 1949 Mercury as it comes toward the camera and merges with traffic. It is supposed to be a convertible with 2 people inside. This is a stock footage insert of a '49 Mercury 4 door sedan with one person inside.

Two excellent scenes to watch for include a plane landing beautifully on a beach and taxiing up to the camera (63 minutes into the film), and a scene where a dead man is in the back seat of Fred MacMurray's car. The man playing the corpse keeps his eyes wide open for what seems like a minute or longer without blinking. That is at the 44 minute spot in the movie.

The story is OK. It straddles somewhere between comedy and serious detective chase film.

A better Raymond Burr movie might be "Rear Window." Fred MacMurray was more memorable in "Double Indemnity."

Tom Willett

who can you trust in this one?

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 15 March 2021]

Some huge names in this: Fred MacMurray, Claire Trevor, Ray Burr. Fred and the feds are trying to catch the bad guys bringing drugs over the border. Claire Trevor is a police officer who offers to help out by going undercover. but they don't know the other is undercover, the good guys! Ray Burr is the bad guy, as usual. it's a bit of a dra-medy, with some silly scenes here and there. after some drama, they get away in an airplane, and show up at the meeting place. keep an eye out for charles lane, in his usual uncredited role. has about two lines. for a while, he held the record for the most roles in films. directed by Bill Seiter. he made only a couple more films, then moved into television. this one is a light and fun caper... not too serious. comedies were a specialty of Seiter. check out the actors he worked with at wikipedia dot com! this one is good -- just when you think it's over, it goes another ten minutes. after a huge, long career as a film star, MacMurray will be Dad on My Three Sons.

More rom-com than noir, Trevor and MacMurray entertain as unsuspecting law enforcement agents who fall in love

[Turfseer · 6/10 · 27 March 2021]

This 1950 film noir could better be described as falling into rom-com territory. It concerns an LAPD officer Madeline Haley (Claire Trevor) who is assigned to infiltrate a gang of narcotics smugglers led by a hardened criminal Pete Richie (Raymond Burr) down in Mexico. There are some good scenes at the beginning in which Haley poses as a showgirl in a Mexican nightclub and almost has her cover blown when Richie arrives back at his apartment while she's casing the place.

Unbeknownst to Haley, Johnny McEvoy aka Johnny Macklin (Fred MacMurray), a US Customs Inspector posing as a gangster working for Richie's rival Harry Gumblin (Roy Roberts), ends up in a confrontation with Richie (who is wounded by Madeline in self-defense). Believing that Madeline is Richie's girlfriend, Johnny escapes with her and then heads to Los Angeles after Gumblin assigns him to smuggle drugs.

The two principals pose as a honeymoon couple. The bulk of the picture revolves around their burgeoning romance, despite their ignorance about one another's respective missions. There is some suspense as Richie and his gang almost catch up with them along the way. Two significant events occur during this trip: McEvoy's driver Miguel is killed and they must find a way to dispose of the body; and McEvoy and Haley end up traveling in a small plane to get them close to the US border---only to have the plane run out of gas, land on a beach and then finally make their way to Ensenada where there's an exciting scene where it looks like McEvoy will be killed after Richie brings him up to his hotel room at gunpoint.

In a twist, Custom Agents are waiting for Richie and place him under arrest. When McEvoy and Haley do reach the border, McEvoy coldly orders Haley placed under arrest for narcotics smuggling. This is after Haley has fallen in love with him and she's miffed that apparently his feelings for her weren't genuine enough. McEvoy must eat crow after Haley's boss shows up and informs him that she too is in law enforcement.

Haley however is forced to continue the assignment with McEvoy despite h er antipathy toward him. There's a meeting at the LA Zoo and a final showdown in which Gumblin is revealed to be the head of the smuggling ring. Haley changes her mind about McEvoy after he's wounded but stands his ground inside Gumblin's house while the gangsters return fire with the police. McEvoy this time is quite grateful to receive the attention of the smitten Haley, after realizing he's in need of tender loving care from a woman while recovering from his wounds.

Borderline is a decent enough crime picture with more of a focus on the romantic entanglements. The action slows down often to pause for all the romance. Trevor and MacMurray are enjoyable in their roles as unsuspecting law enforcement agents who have fallen for one another. I wouldn't say this is a trifle of a movie but more a breezy footnote in the pantheon of film noir.

"All dames would stay in line as long as the payoff is big enough in the end."

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 23 October 2012]

Hold on, let me get this straight - Maddy Haley/Gladys Larue (Claire Trevor) goes undercover as a drug agent, gets mistaken for a crime lord's moll, shoots the bad guy (Raymond Burr), gets kidnapped by another undercover cop (Fred MacMurray) posing as a drug dealer, and winds up with said cop in a sleazy Mexican hotel room! Not knowing each other's true identity, why didn't Haley just beat it the first chance she got? It didn't make any sense to me. Oh yeah, and later on, she still had her gun! Huh?

Well I guess you just weren't supposed to think about stories like this too much. This one started out like it could have been a noir style crime drama, but veered into questionable comedic territory before dissolving into something that didn't quite work on either level. Probably the goofiest part of the story occurred early when Trevor's character tried to catch Pete Ritchie's (Burr) eye and he wasn't going for it. Wouldn't you say she was a bit over the top in trying to get his attention? Wouldn't it make YOU suspicious?

Anyway, all is not lost. If you take your thinking cap off this doesn't have to be so bad. I thought the switcheroo involving the dead Mexican driver Miguel and a local town drunk was a hoot. It seemed a little callous of MacMurray's character, but by that time he probably figured he couldn't fight the script and just went with it. Too bad the chemistry with Trevor didn't really click because this could have been a little bit better than it turned out. In fact, just like the plane in the middle of the story, this one wound up simply running out of gas.

When Gov't Agencies Don't Communicate

[view_and_review · 6/10 · 21 June 2022]

It seems that drugs coming from Mexico have been a problem for decades. In this 1950 movie two law enforcement agents from two separate departments are sent to Mexico to make a big bust. Both agents are totally unaware that someone else has been sent to Mexico to infiltrate the cartels.

Madeleine Haley (Claire Trevor) was sent by the LAPD to infiltrate Pete Ritchie's gang because Ritchie (Raymond Burr) had a weakness for tawdry blonds. Unbeknownst to her, Johnny McEvoy (Fred MacMuray) was sent down there from Customs to infiltrate a rival gang run by Harvey (Roy Roberts). The two met up when Harvey's boys strong-armed Ritchie for his dope. In the melee Johnny took Madeleine with him expecting to turn her in once they crossed the border. Madeleine went along with Johnny hoping to turn him in once they crossed the border. In another movie this could've been comedy, but in "Borderline" it was a suspenseful affair as the two of them tried to stay one step ahead of Ritchie and the Mexican police.

It was interesting seeing MacMurray in a serious role. I'd only seen him as the "Absent Minded Professor" and that was my lasting impression of him. "Borderline" was entertaining. You knew that even though Madeleine and Johnny were supposed to be working each other they were being romantically pushed together as well. "Borderline" was a satisfying watch. The real entertainment value was in the viewer knowing that the two lead characters were agents trying to keep their identities secret while neither knew that about the other.

Going South with Claire Trevor and Fred MacMurray

[wes-connors · 3/10 · 9 April 2010]

"Borderline" is sometimes classified as film noir, but it's really a combination of crime drama and romantic comedy. Since she could pass for a one of those "cheap, tawdry-looking dames" and "speaks a pretty good Mexican," star Claire Trevor (as Madeleine Haley) is chosen to investigate dope-smuggling "sucker for dames" Raymond Burr (as Pete Ritchie) down South. Don't miss Mr. Burr's reaction to the dolled-up Ms. Trevor dancing as one of the "la-la, la-la" girls.

He responds to her "come hither" with a "vamoose!"

When Burr finally succumbs to the older woman's charms, fist-throwing Fred MacMurray (as Johnny Macklin) enters the picture. The glee with which Mr. MacMurray smacks his cast-mates around doesn't match the impending revelation about the character. Next thing you know, Trevor and MacMurray are off on a road trip resembling "It Happened One Night" and falling in love. MacMurray gets the line, "Who do you have to know around here to get something to eat?"

Big stars are catered to, sir, check with Norman Cook.

*** Borderline (3/1/50) William A. Seiter ~ Claire Trevor, Fred MacMurray, Raymond Burr, Morris Ankrum

Good Premise But Disappointing Execution

[evanston_dad · 6/10 · 9 September 2019]

"Borderline" sets up a pretty good premise with two great noir actors: Claire Trevor and Fred MacMurray both play cops pretending to be criminals so that they can nab a drug dealer played by Raymond Burr. Neither knows the other is a cop, so there's also the added joke that they each think they're bringing in the other for eventual arrest even as they team up to carry out their ruse. Trevor is especially appealing, as she always was, as a sharp cookie who has to pretend to be a cheap floozy, and gets to flex her comedic muscles. But the movie does her a disservice by relegating her to sidekick dame mode once MacMurray appears on the scene. She's a smart, tough, independent career woman when we're introduced to her, and the movie hints that it might actually give us a 1950s female protagonist with some volition of her own. But the movie plays up the romance angle, and she spends most of the film getting jealous of the various ladies she and MacMurray come across on their trek back over the Mexican border into the States.

The film is billed as a film noir, but it doesn't really feel like one. Much of that is due to the fact that the bulk of the movie is set in the wide open spaces of rural Mexico, and noirs don't feel noirish to me unless they're set in the cramped spaces of urban underworlds.

Grade: B-

It Happened One Night - down Mexico way

[alfiefamily · 5/10 · 2 January 2005]

"Borderline" tries to be a lot of things. Romantic comedy, film noir, comedy of errors, gangster film, and more. Unfortunately it does not succeed at any of these genres.

Led by Fred MacMurray and Claire Trevor, who have absolutely no chemistry together, this film suffers from an identity crisis.

Film starts out on a serious note, story about drugs being smuggled over the border. Then Claire Trevor acts as though she thinks she's in "Hellzapoppin'". Broad, over the top, and just not right for the part. From there we meet Fred MacMurray who is only slightly more interesting.

Yes, there are some humorous moments, but nowhere near enough to be able to recommend seeing this film.

5 out of 10

Claire Trevor and Fred MacMurrat in a phoney marriage smuggling drugs out of Mexico chased by hoodlums

[clanciai · 7/10 · 1 September 2018]

You have to wait long for a dramatic settlement with shoot-outs in this film, but there will be some in the end. There are many flaws in the script before then, and Fred MacMurray is for some reason never convincing as anything else than something of a phoney - at least in my opinion. Claire Trevor is not convincing either as a rather gleeful phoney glamour girl, both are playing double parts, and only Raymond Burr is quite convincing as the complete crook. Best is perhaps the music by Hans J. Salter, which saves the film. There are some interesting turnings of the plot, but this is definitely not a noir, unless you regard it as a phoney noir. This is entertainment, a criminal comedy and good enough as such, but if you have any expectations at all you will be disappointed.

It Happened One Night in Mexico

[zsenorsock · 5/10 · 30 April 2008]

Very odd, unusual film that mixes noir with Lucy Ricardo and "It Happened One Night".

Claire Trevor plays LA Policewoman Madeleine Haley who is sent to Mexico to see what information she can get about Pete Ritchie (Raymond Burr) and his drug smuggling ring. Word has it that Ritchie has an eye for the ladies. However in a scene that smacks of Lucy Ricardo, working as a showgirl Haley tries desperately to flirt and get Ritchie's attention but he completely ignores her. It's PURE Lucy.

In trying to play up to one of Ritchie's boys, Haley then gets involved with a rival hood, Johnny Mackelin (Fred MacMurray who seems to be in the midst of transitioning from the tough guy of "Double Indemnity" to "The Shaggy Dog") who steals Ritchie's drugs and lams it for the border, taking Haley with him. The film then turns into a comedy noir version of "It Happened One Night" as the two share a hotel room together (Trevor at 40 and with a history of playing saloon girls and the like unbelievable as the virginal Haley, wary of Mackelin trying to take her virtue!), traveling by plane and automobile.

MacMurray is actually pretty good as he balances between noir and comedy, while Burr is excellent as the very serious heavy. As a curiosity, Roy Roberts plays Gumbin, Haley's boss. Years later he would frequently play the judge on Burr's "Perry Mason". Trevor sad to say is the weak point here. She's too old for the role and its just not the type of part ("Stagecoach", "The High and Mighty", "Key Largo") she excels at.

Still, an odd little diversion that does have its little surprises (and one of the worst showgirl numbers this side of "Showgirls"!)

Borderline

[StevenKeys · 6/10 · 4 May 2023]

Undercover cops from separate camps go south of the border to foil a Mexican mud cartel, both unawares that the other is also wired-for-justice. It's that rarest of noir, the rom-com-dram, aka, noirgesse (crime-drama), part White-Heat (embedded feds), part It-Happened-One-Night (rocky road) and just a tad of Murder-My-Sweet (gabby guy / cool Claire). The headliners MacMurray (Johnny) and Trevor (Madeleine) were seasoned pros at this point in their careers and make a rather long movie watchable (90m), if not believable. But there's action, some laughs, spiffy lines ("I also know how to keep my mouth shut in two languages"), warm views (Baja) and a fine time to be had (2.5/4).