Themes: Race Relations, Sheriffs and Outlaws, Cons and Scams
Main Cast: Charles Bronson, Bruno Kirby, Ed Harris, Karmin Murcelo, Bert Remsen, Enrique J. Castillo, Michael Lerner
Release Year: 1980
Country: US
Run Time: 110 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Charles Bronson switches from his traditional role as a vigilante to playing an actual lawman in this crime drama. Jeb Maynard (Bronson) is a border patrol agent who is trying to stem the tide of illegal aliens from Mexico into the United States. Jeb is hot on the trail of Hotchkiss (Ed Harris), a "coyote" who brings illegals into the United States for a hefty price and with little concern for their safety. But while Jeb is sworn to keep illegal immigrants out of America, he finds his relationship with Elena Morales (Karmin Murcelo) becoming more than professional. Elena is an illegal alien who wants to cooperate with Jeb by leading him to Hotchkiss, who smuggled her into the United States. But businesslike Jeb soon finds that the plight of Elena and her young son, who are desperate to build a better life for themselves, has touched a soft spot inside him. While the story may sound similar to the Tony Richardson/Jack Nicholson picture The Border, Borderline actually preceded it by two years. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
This effort is something of an anomaly in the Charles Bronson filmography. Borderline downplays action in favor of drama and has a rather involved storyline that includes commentary on social and political issues. Unfortunately, Borderline doesn't live up to the promise of the aesthetic about-face it provides for Bronson. The script gives the interesting subject matter a rather pro forma treatment and suffers from some annoying loose ends (for instance, Karmin Murcelo's interesting character builds a relationship with Bronson but her character is abruptly dropped halfway through and never mentioned again). The script problems are compounded by Jerrold Freedman's pedestrian direction, particularly during the anticlimactic finale. The bright spots in Borderline lie in its performances: Bronson offers a reliably strong lead presence; Ed Harris makes an excellent, believably amoral villain and reliable pros like Bruno Kirby and Michael Lerner add solid support. However, the quality of the acting can't rise above the lackluster material and this makes Borderline a film best left to Bronson's hardcore fans. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Norman Alden - Willie Lambert; John Ashton - Charlie Monroe; Larry Casey - Andy Davies; Panchito Gomez - Benito Morales; Wilford Brimley - Scooter Jackson; Lawrence Casey - Andy Davis; Luis Contreras - Bandit; Charles Cyphers - Ski; Virgil Frye - Bandit Leader; Murray MacLeod - FBI Agent; Kenneth McMillan - Malcolm Wallace; Benito Morales; Eduardo Ricard - Mexican Policeman; John Roselius - FBI Agent; Tanya Russell - Alien Girl; James Victor - Mirandez; Arnold Diaz - Alien Guide; Carlos Muñoz - Driver
Credit
Michel Levesque - Art Director, Chuck Myers - First Assistant Director, Jerrold Freedman - Director, Harry Keller - Editor, John F. Link - Editor, Martin Starger - Executive Producer, Gil Melle - Composer (Music Score), Tak Fujimoto - Cinematographer, Christopher N. Seiter - Production Manager, James Nelson - Producer, Martin Starger - Producer, Gene S. Cantamessa - Sound/Sound Designer, Charlie Picerni - Stunts, Jerrold Freedman - Screenwriter, Steve Kline - Screenwriter
The film follows a US Border Patrol agent, Jeb Maynard (Bronson), who is forced to track down the killers of a young Mexican boy and his colleague Scooter (Wilford Brimley). He is helped by the young boy's mother (Karmin Murcelo) and a rookie border patrolman (Kirby).
