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.
