Steiger’s character is a brusque bully, used to getting his way. Usually in film noir, we’re rooting for the anti-hero to get away with it, and that’s not exactly the case here, but Steiger makes his financier’s predicaments and his attempts to evade them absolutely VIVID. The film’s director, Ken Annakin, observed that Steger was “trying to out-Brando Brando”. The story becomes a faceoff between Steiger’s fugitive and the corrupt Mexican police chief (an excellent Noel Willman).
The screenplay is adapted from a Grahame Greene story, and it’s a wonderful mix of humor, when the bully is getting his comeuppance, and a nail-biter, when he tries desperately to preserve his life and liberty. He will pay a bribe but he’ll be damned if he OVERPAYS.
One of the pleasures of Across the Bridge is Dolores, one of the greatest three dogs in film noir (with Monty of The Hidden Room and Asta of The Thin Man franchise).
Ken Annakin did an excellent job directing a movie that is nothing like his other, more famous work – Swiss Family Robinson, The Longest Day and Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines. The film was shot near Sevilla, standing in for Mexico – and it sure looks like Mexico.
I saw Across the Bridge at the 2024 Noir City film festival in Oakland. This is a first class movie, but a bit of a Lost Film, not available on VOD; the DVD is available.
