Author: Emma

American desi near DC blogging re: movies, TV, & more.

“Border Incident” (1949) starring Ricardo Montalban & George Murphy

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The Bracero Program (1942-1964) was a series of agreements btwn Mexico and the US that allowed millions of Mexican men to work (legally) in the U.S. on short-term agricultural/railroad contracts. It was created to address labor shortages during WWII; it was the largest guest worker program in U.S. history. However, braceros often faced exploitation (promised wages, housing, and working conditions NOT met by growers). This movie (available on Amazon Prime video) centers on federal agents trying to protect Mexican braceros (someone who works w/ their arms/hands) from being robbed/killed along the U.S.-Mexico border. Pablo Rodriguez (Ricardo Montalban; aged 29 and looking FAB in 1st MGM lead role) teams up w/ FBI agent, Jack Bearnes (George Murphy) to tackle illegal immigrant smuggling. This is one of the few roles where Montalban played a Mexican (his real ancestry)! Pablo goes undercover as a bracero; Jack poses as a criminal (who smuggles work permits). There is a documentary feel in the framing (beginning and end) scenes. This movie (filmed mostly on location: Mexicali, Mexico; Calexico and El Centro, CA) is a blend of noir and Western.

Border Incident (a courageous movie for its day) was directed by Anthony Mann (before his iconic Westerns starring James Stewart). The budget needed ($650K) would’ve been TOO high for the “Poverty Row” studios he’d toiled in for 7 yrs. Mann was invited to MGM studios, which was headed by Dore Schary, a liberal/Democrat committed to making meaningful movies. Schary had been a playwright, director, and producer (for the stage), before transitioning to screenwriter and producer of moving pictures. Mann was apolitical; his main focus was making quality films. The director insisted that his frequent collaborator, John Alton, be hired on as DP/cinematographer. Fans of noir consider Alton to be a master of B&W photography; as Eddie Muller (TCM) noted, he somehow made the (wide open) spaces of the desert look claustrophobic!

There is no femme fatale (as this is a world populated by men); instead, we meet a bevy of baddies of different looks and (unhinged) personalities! Rancher Howard Plakson is played by Howard Da Silva; noir-istas may recognize him from The Blue Dahlia (1944) and They Live by Night (1948). Alfonso Bedoya plays “Cuchillo” (knife); he was the Mexican bandit “Gold Hat” in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948). He famously told Bogie: “We don’t need no stinking badges!” Zopilote is played by Howard Moss, a Shakespearean stage actor who had played many “ethnic” roles (due to his ambiguous looks). Mann creates tension and does NOT shy away from depicting racism and violence (based on real cases from the INS).

[1] If you’ve only known Mr. Montalban as Mr. Roarke on “Fantasy Island” or as Khan on the “Star Trek” episode “Space Seed” not to mention “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” you’ll probably be wonderfully surprised by his heroic role here.

[2] The pic is often vicious, sadistic even, landing violent scenes in the conscious that refuse to move until it’s all over and the screen goes blank. Suspense is never far away in Border Incident, with a mostly on form cast… bringing the material to life as the dream team cloak it all in pictorial assertiveness.

[3] John Alton’s photography is worth seeing alone, even without the sound it’s so good, not that you would want to avoid the fantastic score by Andre Previn. And the direction by Anthony Mann at the peak of his intensity is sharp and beautifully controlled.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Movie Trailers: Fall/Winter 2025

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If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (in theaters OCT 10th)

The Mastermind (in theaters OCT 17th)

Blue Moon (in theaters OCT 17th)

Bugonia (in theaters OCT 24th)

Frankenstein (in limited release: OCT 17th; on Netflix NOV 7th)

The Running Man (in theaters NOV 14th)

Eternity (in theaters NOV 14th)

Rebuilding (in select theaters: NOV 14th; in wide release: NOV 21st)

Hamnet (in theatres NOV 27th)

The Housemaid (in theaters DEC 19th)

Father Mother Sister Brother (in theaters DEC 24th)

Noir City DC 2025: “Tension” (1949) starring Richard Basehart, Audrey Totter, Cyd Charisse, & Barry Sullivan

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Introduction

Hey y’all, thanks for visiting! Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy; I was sick w/ a bad cold/cough for 4+ wks (had NOT happened before)! I went to my doctor (2x), took prescribed meds, and even got chest x-rays (no issues found). I had a work deadline to meet, so ended up taking just 2 days for sick leave. I got the (latest) COVID booster and flu shot last weekend, then was able to have a couple more days off. Aging is NOT fun…

This is my 5th year attending Noir City DC film fest; it’s held at the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, MD (my neighborhood). Sadly, Eddie Muller (TCM; Film Noir Fdn.) didn’t attend the opening wknd/intro the movies. I’m trying to save money (V tough to do in current economy), so chose 3 films (I’d never seen before).

All the best,

EMMA.

Review & Analysis

In Every Two-Timing Kiss You Will Feel… TENSION -Tagline

Freddie: They’re still at it. Tryin’ to find out who owns Germany, who owns the A-bombs, floods, cyclones, earthquakes, riots!

Foster Hirsch (film historian/author) did the intro for this (lesser-known) MGM noir; it was a box office failure. “MGM (which projected a wholesome Americana) was NOT the studio for noir,” Foster commented. “This story is about post-WWII disillusionment,” he added. The score was composed by Andre Previn (then just 21); portions were recycled as title theme for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). Director John Berry’s Hollywood career was cut short after He Ran All the Way (1951); he was was blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). He went to work in England and France, returning to the US in the early ’70s.

A meek pharmacist creates an alternate identity under which he plans to murder the bullying liquor salesman who has become his wife’s lover. -Synopsis

Warren Quimby (Richard Basehart) has been suffering in silence (for several yrs) over his wife’s shameless flirting and cheating. His sympathetic employee, Freddie (Tom D’Andrea), thinks he needs to take some action. After WWII, the couple met in San Diego and married in a hurry; Claire bitterly recalls: “you looked kind of cute in your uniform then.” When Warren decides to confront Claire and her rich/brawny liquor salesman lover, Barney Deager (Lloyd Gough), he ends up getting a humiliating beating!

Warren: Gee, it’d be wonderful to live out here, darling. Fresh air. Room to entertain. It’s a great spot for kids.

Claire: You want to know something? I think it’s a miserable spot. It’s 30 mins. from nowhere.

Here we find one of the nastiest femme fatales of the genre, as Foster noted. In one revealing scene, Warren (hopeful) takes Claire to the suburban house he intends to buy: she doesn’t even get down from the car to look. When he starts to talk about having a quieter life, she (annoyed) takes the wheel, honks the horn to drown him out, and asks him whether he’s coming w/ her or staying. Then, Claire hits the gas pedal to throw fumes in Warren’s face as he (meekly) gives in to her rejection. Who knows IF this toxic pair were ever in love!? There is no respect in their relationship!

The cuckolded hubby starts thinking of revenge; there are murder tales in mags and the eye doctor points out (cutting edge) contact lenses “which can change your entire personality.” Warren creates the identity of Paul Sothern, a traveling cosmetics salesman; he rents an apt and makes friends w/ aspiring photographer/girl-next-door, Mary Chanler (Cyd Charisse). At last minute, Warren (AKA Paul) can’t go through w/ the murder; he tells Barney that he can have the tramp. The next morning, two cops arrive at the Quimby’s apt, explaining that Barney was found dead! Lt. Collier Bonnabel (Barry Sullivan) drives the plot in the 2nd half of the movie (available on HBO MAX).

[1] Tension is one of those diamonds in the rough you find when you least expect it.

[2] Unlike some noir thrillers that get too clever to make sense, Tension is well-plotted. The pacing keeps Basehart and Totter twisting until the end.

[3] Though there are a few ridiculous elements to the story, standout performances, good direction and fine camera work make this one a winner.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Movie Review: “Far From the Madding Crowd” (2015) starring Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Sheen, & Tom Sturridge

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I re-watched this movie (Amazon Prime video) recently after listening to a (glowing) review on the Swoon Worthy pod. I recall NOT being V impressed w/ it when it was released in theaters; I saw it w/ my mom (when she lived nearby). I’m now more motivated to read the book; in my HS English classes, we read Tess of the D’Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure– two of Hardy’s other famous novels. I’m NOT sure how close this adaptation stays to the source novel, BUT I do think it makes for a successful romantic drama. The director (Thomas Vinterberg- Danish) and lead actor (Matthias Schoenaerts- Belgian) are NOT British; perhaps this contributes to the freshness and modern vibes. I’m also a fan of Carey Mulligan; I think she capably handles a LOT of types of roles.

Some of y’all regular readers will know of this (iconic) story: Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan) is a beautiful/independent/young woman who’s pursued by 3 different suitors: quiet/reliable sheep farmer- Gabriel Oak (Schoenaerts), charming/impulsive Army officer- Sgt. Frank Troy (Tom Sturridge), and a middle-aged/gentleman farmer- William Boldwood (Michael Sheen). As Mark Kermode noted, John Schlesinger (who directed the 1967 adaptation) was primarily interested in the relationship of Bathsheba (Julie Christie) and Sgt. Troy (Terence Stamp), the screenwriter here (David Nicholls) fleshes out the roles of all 3 men. Mulligan does a fine job in creating (different types of) chemistry w/ her co-stars. I noticed how hands-on Bathsheba got; she works alongside household servants, farmhands, etc. Her companion is a cheeky/observant young maid, Liddy (Jessica Barden); the actress has a prominent role in the series Dune: Prophecy (HBO MAX).

What is missing from the 1967 film (will review soon), is the (intro) segment w/ the growing friendship of Bathsheba and Gabriel during when she was working on her aunt’s farm. We get a sense that he admires her for her practical side, NOT only her beauty and friendly/open nature. At that time, Gabriel was of higher social status than Bathsheba (on the way to owning the farm he leased). There is a deleted scene (check YouTube) where Bathsheba saves Gabriel from (possible) death; that scene should’ve been kept in the final cut! After the (tragic) loss of his flock, Gabriel is forced to leave the farm and seek out work; by coincidence, he comes upon a barn on fire. He works (along w/ many farmhands) to save the barn; after the smoke clears, Bathsheba (the mistress of this farm) emerges!

Some viewers were confused as to how such a smart businesswoman could fall SO hard/fast for a man she barely knows. We have to remember that Bathsheba is only in her early 20s and inexperienced w/ men and love; Frank is NOT much older than her (and used to getting his way w/ women). They have a meet-cute, BUT it’s potentially problematic, as it occurs late at night while she is surveying her property. Frank appears in the fields soon after, saying that he’s there to help bring in the harvest. IF they’d lived in our (modern) times, this pair could’ve had a brief fling and gone their separate ways (astute viewers commented). In Victorian England, that was NOT an option!

I feel many elements combined to make this a captivating (though NOT an escapist) film; Hardy always contains dark themes after all. I was esp. impressed w/ the cinematography, music, and how Sheen brought (unexpected) empathy to the role of Mr. Boldwood. Book readers have commented that Mr. Boldwood is arrogant, entitled, and obsessive. I got (more) of an appreciation for Shoenaerts; he is tall/broad, w/ expressive eyes, and a strong screen presence (needed for a character who doesn’t say much). I think will have to look up more of his films; Mulligan picked him out for Gabriel after seeing him in Rust and Bone.

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“Lions for Lambs” (2007) starring Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, & Tom Cruise

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Injuries sustained by two Army rangers behind enemy lines in Afghanistan set off a sequence of events involving a senator, a journalist and a professor. -Synopsis

This out-of-the box film (directed by Robert Redford, who passed away recently at age 89) consists of 3 separate (yet interconnected) segments. The time is our (recent) past, Dubya is the prez, and there is (seemingly unending) war in the Middle East. Many viewers were most interested in the interview between the experienced political journo, Janine Roth (Meryl Streep), and a youthful Republican politician, Sen. Jasper Irving (Tom Cruise). They discuss foreign-policy in a war of choice, now running longer than WWII. The senator (a military adviser to the prez) is trying to convince Janine into “selling” a new plan of attack in Afghanistan. In a SoCal university, Prof. Stephen Malley (Redford), a Poly Sci prof has a meeting w/ a bright (yet recently slacking) student, Todd Hayes (Andrew Garfield).

Sen. Jasper Irving: [to Janine] In sense we’re both on the same team. We’re teammates. We’re both have a responsibility. You’ve already sold the war. Now I’m asking you to help me sell the solution.

The film is short and stays mostly to the point of a debate weighing the pros and cons of war, terrorism, and freedom. The photo on the senator’s office wall (Cruise dressed as a West Point cadet) is a still photo from Taps (1981). Alternating w/ the other segments are scenes in Afghanistan featuring two Army rangers, Arian Finch (Derek Luke) and his BFF, Ernest Rodriguez (Michael Peña). They’re POC and recent college grads who chose to enlist. What lives are most at risk in times of war? It’s the youth, esp. men of color and/or those living in poverty, as Prof. Malley explains to Todd (white, raised w/ privilege, and from an upper-middle class neighborhood). Check it out (on Amazon Prime video) if you’re looking for something different.

Prof. Stephen Malley: The decisions you make now, bud, can’t be changed but with years and years of hard work to redo it… And in those years you become something different. Everybody does as the time passes. You get married, you get into debt… But you’re never gonna be the same person you are right now. And promise and potential… It’s very fickle, and it just might not be there anymore.
Todd Hayes: Are you assuming I already made a decision? And also that I’ll live to regret it?
Prof. Stephen Malley: All I’m saying is that you’re an adult now… And the tough thing about adulthood is that it starts before you even know it starts, when you’re already a dozen decisions into it. But what you need to know, Todd, no lifeguard is watching anymore. You’re on your own. You’re your own man, and the decisions you make now are yours and yours alone from here until the end.

[1] It is not a perfect film in some regards, but it is not preaching but rather challenging all viewers, no matter what you think, to get involved, to take part, to question things, to think for one’s self. It is thought-provoking and challenging and for that it is well worth seeing for yourself.

[2] …the movie is not about a heroic battle or an indelible mistake by a over zealous, self absorbed government. It is about understanding a mindset. If any of you have ever read Francis Fukuyama… its about history repeating itself.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews