BORDERTOWN … 1935

 

BORDERTOWN 1935

Director:  Archie Mayo
Stars: Paul Muni, Bette Davis and Margaret Lindsay

SYNOPSIS:
Johnny Ramirez rises from bouncer to partner in Charlie Roark's border town casino. Charlie's wife Marie loves Johnny, but Johnny loves society woman Dale. Marie kills her husband, making it look like suicide. She tells Johnny she committed murder for him and, still rejected, tells the police that she and Johnny murdered Charlie. She goes crazy in court and Johnny goes free. Dale runs from Johnny and dies in an auto crash. Johnny sells the casino.

Release Date:  USA - 23 January 1935
Runtime: 90 min
Sound Mix: Mono
Colour: Black and White
Aspect Ratio: 1.37 : 1

TRIVIA:
Nella Walker is on record for the part of Mrs. Elwell, but she did not appear in the film. 'Henry O'Neill' is on record for the part of Mr. Elwell, but he played the role of Attorney J.L. Chase. A modern source lists Eddie Shubert as Marketman, but he was not seen in the print.

Paul Muni hired a Mexican man as chauffeur to study his accent and mannerisms in preparation for this role.

The footage of the opening street scene of the border town was later re-used as the opening scene of the Mexican town in Code of the Secret Service. A short section of the same scene was also used during the opening Mexicali sequence in The Hitch-Hiker.