Borderline *** (1980, Charles Bronson, Bruno Kirby, Bert Remsen, Ed Harris) – Classic Movie Review 9631

‘Somewhere along a thousand miles of barbed wire border the American dream has become a nightmare.’

There is plenty of tough action in director Jerrold Freedman’s good-enough 1980 crime thriller Borderline, with Charles Bronson as Jeb Maynard, a Mexican frontier patrol guard trying to stop illegal immigration organised by the immigrant-smuggler Hotchkiss (Ed Harris). Bruno Kirby also stars as new officer Jimmy Fante.

The gloomy situation is over-familiar, but Bronson gives a typical, sturdy turn, and just look at the quality support work from some of the best American players in the business like Harris, Michael Lerner, Kenneth McMillan, Wilford Brimley, Bert Remsen and Bruno Kirby.

There is also fine atmospheric cinematography in unreal Eastmancolor from Tak Fujimoto, helping to make this above average for the latter-day Bronson course. Unusually, there is no Jill Ireland appearance in her husband’s movie this time.

Also in the cast are Karmin Murcelo, Enrique Castillo, Norman Alden, James Victor, Panchito Gómez, John Ashton, Lawrence P Casey and Charles Cyphers.

Ed Harris makes his first credited role in a feature, already aged 30.

The writers are Jerrold Freedman and Steve Kline.

It is made by Incorporated Television Company (ITC), Lord Grade and Marble Arch Productions, and released by Associated Film Distribution (AFD) (1980) (US).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9631

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