The Border (1982) 6.4
A corrupted border agent decides to clean up his act when an impoverished woman's baby is put up for sale on the black market. Director:Tony Richardson |
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The Border (1982) 6.4
A corrupted border agent decides to clean up his act when an impoverished woman's baby is put up for sale on the black market. Director:Tony Richardson |
|
0Share... |
Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Jack Nicholson | ... | ||
Harvey Keitel | ... |
Cat
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Valerie Perrine | ... |
Marcy
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Warren Oates | ... |
Red
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Elpidia Carrillo | ... |
Maria
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Shannon Wilcox | ... |
Savannah
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Manuel Viescas | ... |
Juan
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Jeff Morris | ... |
J.J.
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Mike Gomez | ... |
Manuel
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Dirk Blocker | ... |
Beef
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Lonny Chapman | ... |
Andy
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Stacey Pickren | ... |
Hooker
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Floyd Levine | ... |
Lou
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James Jeter | ... |
Frank
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Alan Fudge | ... |
Hawker
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U.S. Border Patrol agent Charlie Smith just wants to do a good job and provide for his wife. But between her demands for a more affluent lifestyle and the importuning of Charlie's partner Cat to take part in illegal activities in exchange for bribes, Charlie gets caught up in helping smuggle illegal immigrants across the Texas border. When one of them, a young Mexican girl named Maria, loses her baby to abductors who plan to sell the child, Charlie decides to take a stand for her and against the corruption he's fallen into. Written by Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>
There are two things about this movie that make it a must-watch: Jack Nicholson in one of his best performances, and the issue of immigration.
Nicholson is a border guard who tries to resist the money available but his crazy wife (Valerie Perrine) just spends, spends, and spends like he was a Rockefeller. He finally joins with his neighbor and partner (Harvey Keitel) and runs some Mexicans across the border.
Charlie (Nicholson) still has some morals and that causes problems for his partner. He is also taken with Maria (Elpidia Carrillo), and that causes problems for their Mexican contact, so he sets him up to control him.
However, he can't control Charlie, and now even the boss (Warren Oates) is mad at him.
Tony Richardson's film has a lot of elements of Sam Peckinpah. Exciting to the end.
Music by the great Ry Cooder.