Borderline

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.