Across the borderline

A neglected masterpiece of British cinema in which Rod Steiger gives a performance which he considered second only to his role in The Pawnbroker.

Based on a Graham Greene story, the film follows the flight of crooked financier Carl Schaffer (Steiger) to Mexico pursued by Scotland Yard (Bernard Lee) and the FBI. On a train Schaffer decides to forcibly steal the identity of a stranger (Bill Nagy) who resembles him as a way of getting into Mexico unnoticed - this turns out to be a big mistake. In a Mexican border town (filmed on location outside Saville) Schaffer plays a deadly cat and mouse game with the local corrupt police chief (chillingly played by Noel Willman). This is British cinema and Steiger at their best. Recommended.