Though "Border Incident" is billed as a film noir and was a collaboration between the famous duo of director Anthony Mann and cinematographer John Alton (who did make several noirs together), it doesn't really have a noir sensibility. Part of that is due to the fact that it is set not in a claustrophobic urban environment but in the wide open spaces of the southern U.S. It's also partly due to a lack of many of the thematic elements that are so predominant in true noirs. It's really just a crime thriller, starring Ricardo Montalban as an undercover detective who is trying to stop a criminal set up that exploits illegal immigrants from Mexico. It's an o.k. film but not a great one -- it's got a satisfyingly gritty and sweaty atmosphere, but there's something just missing that prevents it from being one of those really good "B" movies. There is a gruesome and shocking scene late in the film that adds a surprising twist to the proceedings, and that's what I most remember about the movie in general.
Grade: B-
Grade: B-