THE BORDER (1981)

written by Deric Washburn & Walon Green and David Freeman

directed by Tony Richardson

starring: Jack Nicholson, Harvey Kietel, Warren Oates, Valerie Perrine, Elpidia Carrillo, and Dirk Blocker

This quintessentially American tale was originally written to be directed by Sam Peckinpah, but he was forced to bow out due to health reasons and the film was ultimately helmed by the late British filmmaker, Tony Richardson (The Charge of the Light Brigade, Ned Kelly, and Tom Jones), who deftly handled this modern day western with a rare and acute understanding of our American culture.

Jack Nicholson (The King of Marvin Gardens, Missouri Breaks, and The Passenger) stars as Charlie Smith, an agent for the Immigration and Naturalization Service.  Charlie, like most Americans, hates his job.  He would rather work for the Forest Service or maybe the Department of Parks and Recreation, where he can feed the ducks.

But Charlie is married to Marcy, played by Valerie Perrine (The Last American Hero, Lenny, and Slaughterhouse-Five), a  trailer-trash spendthrift who convinces Charlie to relocate to El Paso, Texas, take a job with the Border Patrol, and buy a duplex right next door to her best friend from high school, who's husband, Cat, played by Harvey Kietel (The Bad Lieutenant, City of Industry, and The Young Americans), is also a Border Patrol agent and helped Charlie get his new assignment.

On Charlie's first day at his new job, he feels uncomfortable and out of his element.  And to make matter worse, his new partner is killed in what appears to be a shoot-out with suspected drug smugglers. 

One day while out on patrol, Charlie stops along the Rio Grande and spots a young Mexican-Indian woman name Maria, played by Elpidia Carrillo (Salvador and Predator), as she is washing clothes in the river.  While he tries to engage her in a friendly conversation, her younger brother, Juan, steals the hubcaps off of Charlie's truck.  Charlie gives chase, but cannot catch him.  However, to Charlie's surprise, Maria orders Juan to give them back. 

What Charlie doesn't know is that Maria, along with her baby and younger brother, following the untimely death of her husband, have arrived at the border, from deep within the jungles of Mexico, in an attempt to cross it and seek work in America.

Meanwhile, back at Charlie's “hacienda”, Marcy continues to spend money that Charlie does not have, in an effort to create a beautiful home.  Charlie is exasperated by Marcy's less than frugal ways and allows Marcy to use her sexual charms to distract him.  Deep down, Charlie believes that he loves his wife and is willing to do just about anything to make her happy.

Over the next few days, Charlie participates in the apprehension of numerous Mexicans attempting to cross the border illegally.  He is offended by their treatment at the hands of the Border Patrol and attempts to treat them with decency and respect.  Among these groups are Maria, her baby, and Juan.  When Charlie spots them, and tries to speak with Maria, he is rewarded with a spit in the face.

One day, Cat approaches Charlie and tells him that their job is a thankless one and suggests to him that he could make some extra money running "wetbacks" across the border.  Charlie wants no part of it and declines his offer.

Meanwhile, Manuel, a "coyote" employed by Cat, has arranged the kidnapping of Maria's baby, to be sold later on the black market, while she is interned and awaiting transport back to Mexico.  Enraged by this action, Charlie takes it upon himself to find Maria's baby and return her to her mother.  But all Charlie is able to achieve is getting the shit kicked out of him.

When Cat learns of Charlie's extra-curricular activities, he realizes that Charlie cannot be trusted and sets up a situation where Charlie believes he is responsible for the death of two Mexicans.  Cat offers to help Charlie dispose of the bodies and protect his job, but only if Charlie agrees to join his "operation".  Charlie has no choice.  He has crossed the line that he drew for himself and he has no way out.

Charlie decides that his only path for salvation, is too help Maria and her brother cross the border safely.  But things go awry when Maria and Juan are separated at the drop house, Juan is shot by the coyotes for attempting to smuggle drugs, and the truck that Maria is traveling in is apprehended by other Border Patrol agents -- Border Patrol agents who are NOT on the take.

For safekeeping, Charlie takes Maria to his house and asks Marcy to look after her while he goes to the drop house to find Juan.  Needles to say, Marcy is not happy about this.

At the drop house, Charlie learns that his Captain; Red, played by Warren Oates (Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, Cockfighter, and 92 in the Shade), is in cahoots with Cat and the other coyotes, but can find no trace of Juan.

Charlie returns to his house, retrieves Maria, and drives her across the border where they find Juan dead from his gunshot wound.  Meanwhile, Manuel and the other coyote have tracked Charlie down and are gunning for him. After a shoot-out that leaves one coyote dead, Charlie, leaving Maria behind with her dead brother, forces Manuel to lead him to Maria's baby.  Charlie has now found new meaning in his life.  A purpose.  An avenue toward redemption.

On his return across the border, with Maria’s baby safe beside him in his car, he is ambushed by Cat and Captain Red.  But another explosive shoot-out leaves them both dead.

With the final conflict resolved, Charlie returns to the same spot in the river where he originally met Maria and delivers her baby.  Maria is overwhelmed with joy and, for a brief moment, Charlie is not a Border Patrol agent and Maria is not an illegal alien - they are merely two lost souls, bound together by their shared personal experience, in a world with no borders.

With an exceptional score by Ry Cooder and poignant songs by Freddie Fender, this universally overlooked and underrated film, contains a classic scene between Jack Nicholson and Harvey Kietel that should be included in any retrospective of Nicholson's career.

[originally published in VMag - April 1998]