Border Incident (1949) Movie Script
Here is the All-American Canal.
It runs through the desert for miles
along the California-Mexico border.
A monument to the vision of man,
the canal is the life-giving artery of water...
...that feeds the vast farm empire
of the Imperial Valley of Southern California.
Out of this desert wasteland, man's industry
has made a flourishing garden.
Farming in Imperial Valley
is a great industry.
Here, a single field of prosaic carrots
or lettuce or flax or melons...
...may be worth a half million dollars.
This great agricultural empire is important
to the entire United States.
Nature never waits.
When the crops are ready,
they must be harvested.
This means manpower...
...a vast army of farm workers
who must be available when needed.
And this army of workers comes from
our neighbor to the south, from Mexico.
For the Imperial Valley of California...
...like many other farm areas
of the great Southwest...
...is almost entirely dependent
on Mexican labor.
These workers prepare the land
and harvest the food for our tables.
And so all along the border,
from Texas to California...
...Mexican farm workers...
Braceros, they are called...
...meaning "those who work
with their hands and arms. "
- are waiting on the Mexican side
to be okayed...
...to receive the coveted American
work permits or crossing cards.
Most of these braceros obey
the laws of both countries...
...and wait at the border to enter
the United States legally...
...under the treaty between the Mexican
and American governments.
But there are other braceros who come
and go illegally, who jump the fence.
These Mexican illegal entrants work
in the United States for a while...
...and upon returning to Mexico are often
robbed of their savings by bandits...
...who infest both sides of the border.
It is this problem of human suffering
and injustice about which you should know.
The following composite case
is based upon factual information...
...supplied by the Immigration
and Naturalization Service...
...of the United States
Department of Justice.
These brutal murders
of defenseless braceros...
...the latest of a number
along the border...
...spur two governments
to new and drastic efforts.
From Mexico City come
Colonel Rafael Alvarado...
...a high official in
the Polica Judicial Federal...
...the FBI of Mexico...
...and Pablo Rodriguez,
one of the PJF's foremost investigators.
From Washington come...
...Assistant Commissioner of Immigration
John McReynolds...
...and Inspector Jack Bearnes...
...who has just finished a tour of duty
along the Gulf.
These officials of Mexico
and of the United States...
...arrive for a meeting at
the governor's palace in Mexicali...
...across the border
from the California town of Calexico.
We are not talking
about bloody shirts or torn hats.
We're not talking about that at all.
We are talking about the people
who lived and died in these clothes.
I know that, sir, but if they cross illegally,
what is our responsibility to them?
Most of my people do not cross illegally.
Those who come over with work permits,
we protect.
As a matter of fact, most of the ranchers
on our side obey these work treaties.
They take certified farm workers
and pay them legal wages.
These things we know, but some
of my people, they are not well-educated.
They allow themselves
to be smuggled across.
I know. And some of my people
pay them half wages...
...conceal them from arrest,
make them live in fear...
...and send them back to the desert
to be robbed and killed.
Since these people work together
to break the law...
...we'll work together
to enforce the law.
- You've worked with one another before.
- Of course.
Oh, Pablo here, sure,
we're old friends.
We worked on a case together
in Brownsville, Texas, years ago.
Incidentally, whatever happened
to that very pretty girl?
She was about 20 years old.
The one we picked up in Matamoros?
Oh, yes. The last I heard, she was getting
much less beautiful in prison in Tamaulipas.
- I'm sorry to hear that.
- I know.
Do you wish to continue
with these personal reminiscences?
- This was an awful pretty girl, seor.
- She certainly was.
Captain, tell them your plan.
Well, I intend to become a bracero.
I will appear in Mexicali and be very
impatient to come to the United States.
Now, I can be very impatient,
as you know.
So things will occur...
...and when someone approaches me
to be smuggled over the border...
...why, things will happen.
A fella could get himself killed that way,
couldn't he?
Well, this is one of the less attractive
aspects of the job.
Well, that sounds good.
Now, if Captain Rodriguez will smoke out
that end of the situation, we can...
Well, what I had in mind...
I'll follow Pablo, you see.
And I'll nail down all the contacts
that he makes.
That'll take care of the Mexican side.
As far as the American side...
...if I had some illegal crossing permits
that are numbered...
...wherever they turn up,
we've got a complete case.
And we may be able to knock off
both ends in the same operation.
Its a good plan.
Since the criminals work in a circle,
we will cover the circle.
In case it gets rugged for me,
who's my contact?
Neley, agent in charge of Calexico.
- And if I should get a knife in my back?
- Ill call a doctor for you.
Well, I guess that's it.
Goodbye, sir.
Goodbye, good luck,
and take care of yourself.
Thank you very much.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
"Jess Hernndez. "
"Hilario Malvido. "
There are many of us, no?
- Too many, seor.
- "Juan Fernndez. "
You will go across soon?
Into the United States?
For six weeks I have been here, waiting.
Every day, waiting.
But today is the day.
- Today they will call my name.
- "Alfonso de Delgado. "
You're from Michoacn, aren't you?
From San Carlos Coyotepec?
We're neighbors, then.
Michoacn is my state.
My home is Uruapan.
- Pablo Rodriguez.
- Juan Garcia.
"Vicente. Juan Vicente Delgado. "
"Juan Garca...
...y Pea.
Juan Garca y Pea. "
"Alfonso Guerra. "
- What do we do now?
- We go back to the plaza.
Tomorrow we come back,
and the tomorrow after that.
No, I won't wait six weeks.
Not one week.
I'm no man for waiting.
How does one go across outside the law?
It can mean death.
Is it difficult to arrange?
If you want to do it the foolish way.
If you have no regard
for your wife and children.
I have no wife.
How is this done?
Come with me.
It is simple.
Go up to that man,
show him you have 70 pesos.
Tell him you want to go
to the United States.
This is all?
For 70 pesos, it can be arranged.
Show me that you have the pesos.
For my knowledge.
If you're a man of your word,
wear this in your hat.
Be in front of La Fortuna Barberia
tonight by 10:00.
No, Juan, you mustn't.
You told me yourself
you have a wife...
...and a home in your village,
a son and a little daughter.
You should think of them.
- A man does not live forever.
- That's right, a man doesn't live forever.
So he should be careful
about the few years he has.
Let's go.
Pardon me, sir, may I have a light?
Tonight.
In front of La Fortuna Barberia.
Ten o'clock.
You didn't get a very good light.
Keep these, Ive got some more.
Thank you, seor. Thank you.
- How beautiful that shirt.
- Yes, it gives a man distinction.
Come on.
I must go see my wife.
Wish me luck.
- May you go with God, seor.
- Thank you.
And you know this, Holy Mother,
better than I...
...for you know all.
We were returning from the United States,
in the night, secretly...
...with our savings of many weeks.
The robbers and killers found us
in the desert.
Enrique and Lus and Tomas
they stabbed to the heart.
Me, they left for a dead one.
I thought I would die too.
But I saw you in your glory,
Sainted Mother...
...and I knew I would live.
My arm is gone from the infection
of the knife...
...but I thank thee for my life...
...and I offer this poor retablo...
...as sign that I will never forget
your compassion.
I have been praying, my husband...
...to the Sainted Guadalupe,
that you won't go.
That we will return
to the village together.
Tonight, I am going.
But, Juanito, so much can happen.
Like that man with one arm.
If anything should happen to you...
The matter has settled itself, then?
The matter has settled itself.
Take good care of nio and the baby.
And you, you take care.
Hello, Juanito.
Did you see your wife?
And I said adis.
She is now on the way back
to our village.
So you're coming with us, huh?
Well, I guess a man is entitled
to make a fool of himself if he wants to.
A man is entitled to that.
Let me see your hands.
The side you work with, stupid.
That last one was no bracero.
His hands are too soft.
- Maybe we should...
- No, that is for Hugo to decide.
Watch him closely.
- What is it, old man?
- I don't know.
Sometimes I cannot breathe.
I cannot breathe.
- You'd better not go, then, huh?
- I must, I must.
Come on! Let's go!
Make it snappy!
Come on!
Fritz, see what the gringo
would want down there.
Were you looking for somebody?
That's it, come on.
Come on.
Say, what's the idea?
I have the money.
Sit down.
Pay up, hombres. Seventy pesos.
For this, seor, you will take us
to the United States...
...to a ranch where there is work, yes?
Sixty-nine, 70.
Zopilote.
Back there.
You load them on the truck, huh, Clay?
Are you asking me
or you telling me?
One can ask, huh?
Hello, Neley? This is the fella
in the fancy cowboy shirt.
Our pal's been carrying
the ball swell up till now...
...but I think he was
just thrown for a loss. Yeah.
They maybe even put him
out of the game.
Over on the south side of town.
A place called La Perla de Oro.
That's right.
I don't wanna tip my mitt yet...
...but I think it might be a good idea to have
a routine check by some of the local boys.
Right. Tell them to hurry.
Hey, Hugo.
Do you know one thing?
This man is not a bracero.
I know.
Why?
Why do you want to go
if you're not a bracero?
Does one have to be a bracero
to want to be a bracero?
Who wants to be a bracero
except a bracero?
Maybe someone who doesn't want
to be discovered for something else.
What do you mean?
Maybe I was disappointed in love.
Maybe I would like
to make some American dollars.
Maybe Im running from something.
Maybe so.
Maybe, also, you are trying
to find out something too, huh?
Like what, for instance?
For instance,
you may be one of the police.
What could one expect in a border town?
The police and the snakes
are first cousins.
You've heard of Ragopian in Mexico City,
haven't you?
- Yes, he's in the federal penitentiary.
- Exactly.
Well, I was managing
his business affairs...
...when something came up.
No, no, Im not a bracero.
But I have my reasons and the money.
Police, open up.
Close the door.
Hey, please, please, seor,
don't let them get me.
I told you, the police all over Mexico
are looking for me.
If they find me, it means the islands,
the Tres Maras.
Take him out.
And take those braceros out too.
- Come on.
- Hurry up.
Get going.
- Stop your hammering.
- Open up.
- Open up.
- The chain is stuck.
Stand back.
- Was it necessary to ruin my door?
- In the interest of justice.
Sorry to have disturbed you, Seor Ulrich.
There was a report that an escaped criminal
was hiding out in your place.
- Nobody in here, Seor Teniente.
- See, what did I tell you?
What's the matter, old man?
What's the matter?
Stop the truck.
Stop. Hey, stop the truck.
- Stop the truck!
- Stop the truck!
- What's going on back here?
- This old man is very sick.
Church.
Church.
- What are you doing?
- We ain't freighting corpses.
Its wrong to leave him
in the desert like that.
Do you wanna stay
and keep him company?
Jim's on the job.
- Hiya, Jim.
- Say, Border Patrol's changed its timing.
One of them just went through.
They're running 20 minutes apart.
Okay, Ive got 20 to 30 minutes.
I could be in New York by that time.
All right, you tooting maverick,
get going.
Okay, everybody out.
Get in the trailer.
The boss said 12.
We started at 12.
The old guy kicked off.
- These guys give you any trouble?
- No, bunch of sheep.
Just the old guy's time, that's all.
Three hundred and thirty,
30 bucks a head, right?
Tell them, they wanna come back,
to get in touch with us.
Sure, sure, sure. Ill tell them.
You get your cut, I pay you off...
...then you get a nice take when these guys
go home loaded with dough.
- I think Id like a cut on that end too.
- That's the toughest end.
- You think you can take it?
- Why not?
You don't wanna get mixed up
in any brawls.
You're strictly the brainy type,
eh, Zopilote?
Hi.
Boss says to keep going,
not to stop here.
- What's eating him, Chuck?
- No immigration permits for these guys.
- Baldy fell through.
- Oh, yeah? Baldy never done that before.
So Parkson don't want these guys around.
He said take them north.
He's forgetting the Border Patrol check
at Indio, ain't he?
- You know the back roads.
- So does the Border Patrol.
Look, Jeff, he don't want
these wets on his land.
- He said...
- Oh, fine, fine.
Ill just take them up
to the Salton Sea and drown them.
- All right.
- Who does he think he is?
What's that you said?
Take that light off my face.
Kind of risky...
...trying to get by
the Border Patrol at Indio.
Yeah.
Maybe you've got something there, Jeff.
Put them in the bunkhouse
until we find out what happened with Baldy.
Get some work out of them.
Mix them with my legal workers.
At night, see that they stay
in the bunkhouse.
I don't want them wandering around
or going into town.
We'll get rid of them.
We'll get rid of them
as soon as I get the papers on them.
Okay, Parky, whatever you say.
After you get them in the field
in the morning...
...go into town
and check on Baldy.
You're never slow
sticking my neck out, are you?
Go check on Baldy.
All right, you guys, on your feet.
Let's go.
Come on. Get your shoes on.
Come on. Let's get to work.
What happens now, seor?
- You came here to work, didn't you?
- You're not here for a rest. Come on.
Get going.
- Seor Major-domo, we will be paid?
- Yeah, you'll be paid.
- How much the hour, seor?
- Twenty-five cents, paisano.
In Mexico, seor,
they told us 75 cents.
Listen, monkey.
You come here like a crook, break our laws,
and expect to be treated like us?
Get out! All right, get a move on.
Outside. Come on.
Come on, let's go. Everybody.
Well, that's where I lost him.
He was with a dozen braceros,
and they all disappeared.
Probably all over on this side by now.
La Perla de Oro.
That's the jumping-off point, eh?
Right. Runners pick them up, take them to
the tortilla shop, then to the Perla de Oro.
After that, I don't know.
Your Mexican sidekick, Pablo,
is probably finding that out right now.
Probably. I think it's about time
we put in the second half of the plan.
Yeah, it is. There's a fella named
Baldy we've been watching.
He handles illegal immigration permits.
We know his source,
but not who he passes them on to.
We've got his hands tied all right, though.
We've got a stakeout in his store.
You know, someplace, somebody,
maybe a lot of somebodies...
...are gonna need illegal crossing cards.
And who do you think's
gonna have them?
Who, he wants to know.
It couldn't be me.
Oh, yes. It was your idea.
Id better have a good excuse
for having these.
You have.
Driver's license.
My name is Jack Bryant.
And several hundred G-men
are looking for me...
...for stealing 425 immigration permits
in New Orleans.
- Where are the rest?
- Waiting for you in Kansas City, Missouri.
- How do I get them?
- Just wire Roy, box 1510.
Tell him to send your manuscripts.
The permits are all numbered.
Wherever they show up, we've got a case.
Roy, box 1510, Kansas City, Missouri.
- Is that right?
- That's right.
Okay, well, don't you fellas worry
about me too much, and Ill be seeing you.
- Good luck, Bryant.
- Bryant?
The name is Pigeon.
Clay Pigeon.
- So long, Bryant.
- So long. Ill see you later.
Hello.
Yeah, Hugo, what's the matter?
Ive been trying to get you all day long.
Yeah.
Don't send me any more bales
of Mexican curios.
No more bundles of curios, eh?
That's too bad. Hurts business.
What? Say that again.
Duck hunters?
You want me to get hunting permits
for them? You can't get them there?
Ill do my best. Yes.
No more braceros until he says.
- No more braceros?
- He says business is bad.
Well, this is foolishness.
How can business be bad?
Its the time of the lettuce and carrot
harvest on the American side.
They need hundreds of braceros.
He has some trouble, I think.
Duck hunters.
Permits.
Yes, he has difficulty about the papers.
Immigration permits. That's it.
Does it matter to us
what manner of trouble he has?
Hey, Charlie, give me some bourbon.
Pocoloco, follow that American
in the leather coat.
Report where he goes.
Get going.
Look.
Go find Cuchillo.
We must be sure not to lose out on this.
All right, all right.
The wallet's in my trousers.
Those papers,
the immigration permits...
...you got more, huh?
Maybe.
- You better be careful, Zopilote.
- You're too greedy, Cuchillo.
- How pretty.
- Let me see it, Zopi.
What do you know about guns?
You might shoot yourself.
It'd be a great loss to the whole world.
Those permits. You got more, huh?
Look out with that thing.
Its loaded, you know.
Sure, I got more of them.
I got a bundle of them.
- Do you wanna buy them?
- Buy them?
Here. Put that on.
- Why, are we going someplace?
- Oh, sure.
We're going someplace.
Hey, give me my socks.
You can wear mine.
Skip it. Ill do without.
You've got more, huh?
- What did you think, I was kidding?
- Maybe right here?
- Why don't you look around.
- Cuchillo, look again. Look everyplace.
If you wanna marry with this knife,
come closer.
All right. Let's go.
Why? Why did you beat me up?
Why were you trailing me?
- Why were you following the braceros?
- What do I know about any braceros?
- What are you up to?
- Maybe you are of the police, huh?
Yeah. Yeah, sure.
Im right from Scotland Yard.
Ill tell you. Ill tell you.
My left shoe.
In your own country,
you are very famous, no?
He's a thief of a great importance
in the United States.
Where's the rest of these
immigration permits?
Are you the boss around here?
- Tell your baboons to knock it off.
- Take it off.
Easy!
Where are they?
Safe.
I got them safe, see?
Plenty of them. Over 400,
just like it says in the flier.
But nobody's gonna get them from me.
I put myself behind
the eight ball to get them...
...and Im gonna sell them
for the top price, see?
- We might pay you a few pesos for it.
- A few pesos?
You'll pay me a truckload.
- Where have you got them?
- On the other side, in the States.
What are you doing in Mexico?
With every cop and his brother after me,
I came down here to open a pickle factory.
What did you think?
- Put him in the truck and watch him well.
- Come on.
Relax, baby. Relax.
What do you want, paisanos?
Go to the bunkhouse for work.
We're not braceros, seorita.
We are friends of Seor Parkson.
Well, seores, he is not here yet.
In that case, of course,
we come in and wait.
Seorita, you are the flower
of beauty this morning.
Every morning. And you will please
comport yourselves as gentlemen.
All right. For you, we make an exception.
We be very caballero.
- I will tell Seor Parkson you are here.
- You're very kind, seorita.
This is the way I should live.
This man is very rich.
Look, Zopilote, this little gun.
Is that pretty?
Makes its own fire.
Dear Tom, yours of the 14th
isn't at hand...
...and I write to state that I hope to be able
to fill your labor requirements at the earliest...
The machine talks.
I will not promise a definite
delivery date of braceros...
...but will do my utmost to get labor
to you on time.
I have heard of this machine.
It talks to you, also it shows pictures.
I didn't see any pictures.
Only at night, estpido.
Wrestling pictures.
You know my previous record
for promptness...
- What do you think you're doing?
- Depend on me to...
What do you want?
Hugo sent us.
Is Hugo crazy?
It is important to him and to you,
so we run the risks.
What do you mean?
About the immigration permits, seor.
- What about them?
- You're having trouble for them, huh?
For the lack of them?
Maybe.
You have some?
S, Mr. Parkson, very many. Over 400.
- With you?
- No, seor, that would be stupid.
- Hugo has them.
- Oh, Hugo.
Well, not exactly Hugo.
A man has them.
Oh, a man?
And Hugo has the man.
That's simple, isn't it?
All things are simple
if one has courage and wisdom.
- And where is this man?
- Oh, safe, Mr. Parkson, very safe.
Almost like in a prison.
- This Hugo is no fool.
- No, seor. Hugo is no fool.
I could use some crossing cards,
but how do I know what you tell me is...?
Is true?
By this, seor.
You're full of surprises, aren't you?
What's the deal? Proposition.
Oh, $20 for each one.
Twenty dollars? Is that all?
That's all. Only $20.
Just a moment, please.
I wanna talk to my foreman.
Ill be right back.
- He's very amiable, no?
- Who knows?
Ill tell you what,
let me think this over, huh?
You paisan... You boys
go down to the bunkhouse.
Have the cook fix you breakfast,
come back, and Ill give you my answer.
- Oh, thank you very much, seor.
- You are wonderful man.
And don't hurry, huh? Sometimes
it takes me a while to make up my mind.
What is cheaper than time, seor?
Everybody has the same amount.
Your hands, Pablito, they still hurt?
There are times a man wishes
he had no hands.
Even a burro can tell you are no bracero.
Here, amigo, for you.
I found them unattached.
Such things should be put to use.
Look, Pablito, that shirt.
A different man wears it.
One of the smugglers who got us here.
Oh, there are probably many such shirts.
Yeah, I know, Joe.
I know, you need 90 workers right away.
Well, you still owe me 3000 for the workers
Ive sent you in the past two months.
Yeah, I know.
I know, your crops are ready for harvest.
Well, you've got an easy out.
You just send me the check,
and you get your braceros.
Bye.
You want my decision?
All right. Bring him in.
You know him?
He's the man with the permits.
You have made a negotiation
with Hugo, huh?
Yes. The kind of negotiation
he understands.
Go back to Hugo. Tell him to behave.
Tell him I want 200 braceros ready for me
as soon as I send for them.
- Get going.
- Wait a minute.
- What about my shirt and the jacket?
- You know them?
Yeah, they're a couple of cheap
border crooks.
- They stole that stuff out of my room.
- Oh, they did?
Take them off. Hurry it up!
Hand them to the man.
Now, get out of here!
Now we can get down to business.
Call your shot.
Sit down.
What did you have in mind?
No sense beating around the bush.
You've got something I want,
Im willing to pay for it.
I don't know you from a bar of soap.
You can beat it, Clay.
I don't think, Mr. Parkson, Hugo's gonna
appreciate my company no more.
You can hang around the bunkhouse
till I send for you.
Anything you say.
You don't seem very cooperative.
I didn't ask you guys to interfere.
What's the matter, Mac?
I got you out of a tough spot, didn't I?
I don't know.
- Where are those permits?
- I got them in a safe place.
- I need them.
- Sure you do. Everybody does.
First those two scorpions tried to get them,
then Hugo wanted them.
Your pal here even tried
to make a deal with me for them.
Just a little spadework, Parky.
Trying to help you out.
Yeah, thanks, Jeff.
Now, I don't wanna fool around
with no go-between, see?
I find if you do business with the top man,
you get the top price.
You're talking to him. How's $5 apiece?
- You have over 400, haven't you?
- Around 425.
Only, the price is $ 10 apiece.
You see, I know a little town
down in Peru...
...where with 4 and a half grand I can
buy myself a lot of peace of mind, see?
Its a deal. Where are they?
A friend's holding them for me
in Kansas City.
Now, I could send him a wire
and tell him to airmail them down here.
You give me half of the dough down...
...and put me back over the border
where the heat ain't so bad.
- Write your wire.
- Wait a minute.
What color dough are you using?
The color of the dough is okay.
Write your wire.
How do I know
you won't double-cross me?
You don't.
Its dealer's choice, and Im the dealer.
Write your wire.
Parkson Ranch, is that the address?
Care of postmaster, El Centro.
Postmaster, El Centro.
There you are.
"Box 1510, Main Post Office,
Kansas City, Missouri.
Dear Roy, please airmail me
my manuscripts...
...care of postmaster, El Centro, California. "
That's fine. Thanks.
Now, look. Look, Im hotter than
a firecracker, I tell you.
Put me back over the line.
If the feds pick me up, I face a 20-year rap.
We'll take awful good care of you.
Its to my interest.
I think the little room
up in the water tower will be best, huh?
Set Clay to work on it.
All right, fella. Let's go.
Hey, Parkson...
...how do you know
that wire's gonna pay off?
I don't.
But you're gonna be my guest here
until I find out.
Long distance.
A person-to-person call to Doc Bryler.
The Blue Swan Inn,
Kansas City, Missouri.
Now, we get
25 cents American an hour.
We work 10 hours a day,
that's $2.50 a day.
We work six days a week,
that's $ 15 a week.
But the major-domo then takes $3
from each one of us for himself...
...and $6 for our meals.
So, amigos, we then have
for ourselves $6.
And how much is this
in our national money?
Oh, that's 40...
Forty-one pesos, 10 centavos.
- Are you sure, Pablo?
- Yes.
Even in Guadalajara we earn more.
- It is like this everywhere?
- No, no, no.
Most ranchers pay legal wages.
That's where Im going,
where they pay right.
You can't, compadre. You can't.
None of us can.
We're here against the law,
so the law can't help us.
Get in there and stay there.
What's going on in here?
Get to bed, you monkeys.
You got work to do in the morning.
Put that light out.
So you tried to run away,
Juanito, huh?
No? What, then?
It was only I did what the cook told me.
What does the cook have to do
with your condition?
The cook told me to take
some food to the water tower.
I see the man they keep there.
This major-domo is very mad with me.
He beats me.
What do you mean?
What man?
The americano we saw in Mexicali.
The one with the beautiful shirt.
He give you the matches.
Juan, you sure? He's a prisoner?
So I think. What else?
You haven't mentioned this to anyone?
- Yes.
- To whom?
- To you, Pablito. I just told you.
- Yes, I know, I know.
- But not to anyone else, huh?
- No.
- Pablo, where are you going?
- Go to sleep, Juan.
Bryant.
- Yeah, what do you want?
- What's going on in there?
Im writing the story of my life.
What did you think?
Shut up and go to sleep.
Bearnes.
Bearnes.
- Who is it?
- Its me, Rodriguez.
Oh, boy, am I glad to see you.
- But the name is Bryant now.
- Bryant?
- Yeah. How did you get here?
- They brought us here.
Listen, tomorrow night
I will try to get you out.
You mustn't do that yet.
I have to stay a while.
- Why?
- Well, the plan is beginning to work.
Now, here's what you do.
You go to the immigration office
at Calexico and get ahold of Neley.
- Yes.
- He's the chief inspector.
Make sure he knows where I am
in case of a slip-up.
- Right.
- When you see him, you tell him...
Look out.
- What are you doing, talking to yourself?
- Yeah, sure. I do it all the time.
What's the matter with you, partner?
Nervous? Can't you sleep?
I ain't supposed to sleep.
Why don't you bring your chair up here,
we'll talk a bit.
I ain't supposed to talk, neither.
Hey, what about
giving a guy a cigarette, huh?
- Hey, where you going?
- Im going cat fishing.
Come here, you! You run, Ill plug you!
Come here!
What are you doing trampling
on that lettuce?
Don't you know any better?
Hey, you're one of my men, ain't you?
I warned you, didn't I,
to stay on the property?
Maybe you'd like a slug
through the belly?
It was only that
I wanted to mail this letter.
Why, you dumb paisano. Get in the car.
Your package ought to be
at the post office.
Good. If it's there, we'll wash this thing up
and Ill be on my way to South America.
- Wanna drive me into town?
- Wouldn't that be rather foolish?
You're pretty hot.
Well, it'll only take a second.
I never take chances, Bryant.
And that goes for people who associate
with me. We'll pick up your package.
The post office won't give it
to just anybody.
Haven't you got a driver's license?
I don't know.
If they didn't steal that too.
Take care of that, Jeff, will you?
You play chess?
Some.
You know, Im very fond of chess.
You can figure out
how the other fella thinks.
- Do you have a package for Jack Bryant?
- Got some identification?
Just a moment.
- Mr. Jack Bryant is here for his package.
- Bryant?
Yeah, that's the license
we faked for Bearnes, all right.
That's not Bearnes, but we've gotta
find out where he is, so let's tail this guy.
Here, give him the package.
Take your time.
All right. Let's go.
Thanks for the help.
What time is it getting to be?
Almost 6.
You move there, you lose your queen.
Well, I made it. Let it stand.
Did you get it?
Okay, here's your 50.
Say, whoever this guy Bryant is,
he's hotter than a. 45.
- Whole carload of cops took out after me.
- Did you give them the slip?
What do you think Ive been riding
those cow trails for?
I took off across a railroad trestle
like a streamliner. Left them flat.
Bryant?
- Yeah?
- Did you hear that?
Yeah, I did.
I don't blame you for being scared.
Lucky you didn't go into town.
Thanks a lot, Jeff.
Ill be fanning the breeze for L.A. now.
Yeah, on a bus. That's right.
By now, your description's out
on a statewide alarm.
Okay.
- I saved your neck just on a hunch.
- Yeah. Thanks a lot.
- I think they're all there. Count them, Jeff.
- Don't worry, they're all there.
Watch your adrenaline, son.
Hello. Hello, operator.
Mr. Hugo Ulrich, Perla de Oro, Mexicali.
I came through for you, didn't I?
You wanted the permits, so I got them.
- Pay me off and let me be on my way.
- Take it easy, will you?
You go on thinking like that,
you're gonna end up in Atlanta or Alcatraz.
All Im trying to do
is preserve your liberty.
Yeah, some liberty.
Ill pay you cash, and my boys will put
you over the border tonight when it's safe.
Hello, Hugo? Yeah, this is Parky.
Hugo, will you send me 100
of those Mexican straw dolls?
Yeah. Yeah, I made a big sale
to a church bazaar.
Yeah, tonight's fine. Yeah.
Four twenty-three.
Well, while we're waiting,
let's see if you can save your queen.
Yeah, the queen.
Take them north, the Bull Fiddle Ranch.
You know where that is?
- Sure do.
- All right, check your braceros.
See that each one of these guys
has an immigration permit, then shove off.
You're going to Arizona.
The Golden Glow Citrus Ranch.
- Check your men.
- Right.
Happy, take this bunch over
to Joe's near Blythe.
Right.
Now, don't break any traffic laws.
Don't draw any more attention
to yourselves than you have to.
- Short haul, Chuck.
- Swell.
- These go over to Drummond.
- Okay. Come on, let's go, boys.
Come on, come on. Come on,
let's not stand around. Let's go.
Hey, it's pretty clever the way you handle
this situation down here.
Ive been doing this kind of thing
a long time.
- Pour yourself a snort while I pay you off.
- All right. Will you join me?
Yeah, sure.
Four thousand two hundred
and thirty dollars.
- Can buy a lot of peace and quiet for that.
- Yeah, and a lot of other things too.
- Here you are.
- Thanks.
Hello.
Kansas City?
Doc Bryler? Put him on.
Doc, I expected to hear
from you long before this.
I know, Parky,
but I got picked up on a gun beef.
Just got out of the clink today.
The rap fell through.
Look, here's what happened.
The guy that picked up the wire at 1510
went right to the immigration office in town.
- Is that worth anything to you?
- It is.
What's the matter?
Something go wrong?
No.
No, nothing serious.
A fellow I was making a deal with
turned out to be an immigration agent.
That's kind of bad, ain't it?
No, he can't move
unless I give the word.
Well...
...here's your cash.
Why don't you give it to me?
Hold it, snooper.
Put the gun down.
It isn't loaded anyway.
Do a good job, Jeff.
Make it look like an accident.
It'll look like an accident.
Go on, copper. Hurry it up.
Straight ahead.
Get this truck rolling. Bryant turned out
to be an immigration agent.
- Better take care of him.
- Jeff's doing that.
Get these braceros off my land.
Give me a knife. A knife, quick.
Pablo, where are we going?
The American, the one that was
in the tower...
...he's a police agent. He's in trouble.
Im going to help him.
- He is a friend of yours?
- Yes, and of yours, and of all braceros.
Im an agent of Mexico,
of the Federal Police.
Now one understands
about the soft hands.
Keep going, copper.
Straight across.
Let's try it anyway.
I have to phone.
No, no, no, it's better I go alone.
Tell our friends in the back
to keep quiet.
Yeah? What do you want?
Just to use the phone, please, seora.
I mean no harm, seora.
Just to use the phone. Please, please.
There, on the table.
Operator, get me
the office of immigration, Calexico, please.
The chief of immigration, Mr. Neley.
Hello, Mr. Neley?
This is Pablo Rodriguez.
Bryant has been murdered
on the Parkson Ranch.
Parkson is using Bryant's permits to truck
braceros to Fresno, Arizona and Blythe.
Tonight. Yes.
Get Jeff Amboy and Clay Nordell
for the murder of Bryant.
- Where are you? Ill send a car.
- Oh, just a minute.
- Where am I? What...?
- Hang up that phone.
Operator, where was that call
coming from?
The Amboy place?
Bearnes has been killed.
Take an armed squad.
Raid the Parkson Ranch.
- Parkson?
- Bring him in and all his foremen.
Come on, fellers, let's go.
Phone the Indio check. Have them set up
a roadblock at Mecca Junction.
One truck's going to Fresno,
one to Blythe.
- Alert the boys at the Arizona line.
- You want them brought in?
No, just get names and destinations
and let them go through.
- I want them to think they're getting away.
- Okay.
Come on, Larsen, we've gotta hurry.
The Amboy place
is 30 miles west of here.
Z, El Centro, calling KYYF, Indio.
Z to YF. Come in, please.
Z, El Centro, calling KYY...
Listen, don't try anything, paisano.
I was brought up in the Panhandle,
and I can sure use this thing. Sit down.
Operator?
El Centro, 767.
Cover the road to Calexico
and the cutoff to El Centro.
Ive already tipped off Hugo's men
if they try to escape across the border.
We've gotta get those two witnesses.
That's something I already know.
Wait.
Hello.
Yeah. Who?
- Your wife.
- Wha...?
He is?
Well, hold him.
If he tries to get away, shoot him.
We'll be right there.
Well, what is it? What's up?
One of the guys that saw Bryant killed
was a Mexican cop.
He's already tipped off the Border Patrol.
They're on their way here now.
Let's go.
The government men can't get here in time.
They got 30 miles to cover.
Nice going, Bella.
All right, paisano, outside.
We don't want anything like that, Jeff.
No need for it.
What do you mean, no need for it?
He's a Mexican cop, a snooper.
- He saw too much.
- Better let Hugo's men handle it.
The canyon, remember?
Get a move on, baby.
We won't be coming back.
On your feet, paisano.
Watch them all, Clay.
We're going to the canyon.
No. No, you can't.
These are only braceros.
They have nothing to do with this.
Get in the truck.
They are taking us to the Canyon of Death,
where they kill the braceros.
- There is nothing we can do?
- Nothing.
But tell them, if any of them have any
weapons, tools, anything, keep them ready.
Everybody out.
Hurry it up. Get going.
We'll take the cars across.
Who's "we"?
Bella and I. She can drive the truck.
Oh, yeah?
Bella.
Take this crate and ramble, honey.
Wait for me in Nogales.
Get going.
Hey, hey!
What do you think you're doing?
Fouled us up good, didn't you?
You're always so smart, so careful.
The mastermind nobody could touch.
Brother, when you flop,
you flop good.
- Are you crazy?
- No, Im not crazy.
Just getting smart, that's all.
You're going with us, Parkson.
For once, I want you to see
what your dirty work looks like.
- I don't know anything about these things.
- You can learn.
Let's go.
Keep moving.
Stop here.
Clay...
...you take the east rim,
Ill take the other.
- We can watch better from above.
- What about me?
There might be some crossfire in a mix-up
in the canyon.
What about me?
You want me to wait here?
For you, I got something special.
- Clay, got your revolver?
- Sure have.
Give mastermind here your carbine.
You're a good shot.
Hit a fly in the eye at 20 feet
with an air pistol.
Follow behind these babies.
Keep them well ahead of you.
Move along.
Radio headquarters.
Tell them to phone the Mexicali officials.
The Canyon de la Muerte.
Tell them to come through
from the other end.
Walk ahead of me, quick.
If you yell, Ill kill you.
Parkson!
Everything okay down there?
Tell him okay.
- Tell him.
- Okay here.
Go ahead.
Whatever happens, you'll be first. Go on.
Zopilote. Zopilote, wait. Its me.
Get them! Get them over there!
Juan.
Juan!
Juan!
Juan!
And so this action in the desert
was concluded.
Murder, robbery, rescue.
All these things that are true
and part of the record.
Here, in a simple ceremony
at the governor's palace in Mexicali...
...Mexico's highest honor is awarded
posthumously to Inspector Jack Bearnes.
And here, too, is presented
to Pablo Rodriguez...
...America's recognition
for his contribution...
...in destroying and rounding up
the human vultures...
...who prey on unsuspecting victims.
The life in the valley goes on.
The food is brought from the earth...
...by the hands of the workers,
now safe and secure...
...living under the protection
of two great republics...
...and the bounty of God Almighty.
It runs through the desert for miles
along the California-Mexico border.
A monument to the vision of man,
the canal is the life-giving artery of water...
...that feeds the vast farm empire
of the Imperial Valley of Southern California.
Out of this desert wasteland, man's industry
has made a flourishing garden.
Farming in Imperial Valley
is a great industry.
Here, a single field of prosaic carrots
or lettuce or flax or melons...
...may be worth a half million dollars.
This great agricultural empire is important
to the entire United States.
Nature never waits.
When the crops are ready,
they must be harvested.
This means manpower...
...a vast army of farm workers
who must be available when needed.
And this army of workers comes from
our neighbor to the south, from Mexico.
For the Imperial Valley of California...
...like many other farm areas
of the great Southwest...
...is almost entirely dependent
on Mexican labor.
These workers prepare the land
and harvest the food for our tables.
And so all along the border,
from Texas to California...
...Mexican farm workers...
Braceros, they are called...
...meaning "those who work
with their hands and arms. "
- are waiting on the Mexican side
to be okayed...
...to receive the coveted American
work permits or crossing cards.
Most of these braceros obey
the laws of both countries...
...and wait at the border to enter
the United States legally...
...under the treaty between the Mexican
and American governments.
But there are other braceros who come
and go illegally, who jump the fence.
These Mexican illegal entrants work
in the United States for a while...
...and upon returning to Mexico are often
robbed of their savings by bandits...
...who infest both sides of the border.
It is this problem of human suffering
and injustice about which you should know.
The following composite case
is based upon factual information...
...supplied by the Immigration
and Naturalization Service...
...of the United States
Department of Justice.
These brutal murders
of defenseless braceros...
...the latest of a number
along the border...
...spur two governments
to new and drastic efforts.
From Mexico City come
Colonel Rafael Alvarado...
...a high official in
the Polica Judicial Federal...
...the FBI of Mexico...
...and Pablo Rodriguez,
one of the PJF's foremost investigators.
From Washington come...
...Assistant Commissioner of Immigration
John McReynolds...
...and Inspector Jack Bearnes...
...who has just finished a tour of duty
along the Gulf.
These officials of Mexico
and of the United States...
...arrive for a meeting at
the governor's palace in Mexicali...
...across the border
from the California town of Calexico.
We are not talking
about bloody shirts or torn hats.
We're not talking about that at all.
We are talking about the people
who lived and died in these clothes.
I know that, sir, but if they cross illegally,
what is our responsibility to them?
Most of my people do not cross illegally.
Those who come over with work permits,
we protect.
As a matter of fact, most of the ranchers
on our side obey these work treaties.
They take certified farm workers
and pay them legal wages.
These things we know, but some
of my people, they are not well-educated.
They allow themselves
to be smuggled across.
I know. And some of my people
pay them half wages...
...conceal them from arrest,
make them live in fear...
...and send them back to the desert
to be robbed and killed.
Since these people work together
to break the law...
...we'll work together
to enforce the law.
- You've worked with one another before.
- Of course.
Oh, Pablo here, sure,
we're old friends.
We worked on a case together
in Brownsville, Texas, years ago.
Incidentally, whatever happened
to that very pretty girl?
She was about 20 years old.
The one we picked up in Matamoros?
Oh, yes. The last I heard, she was getting
much less beautiful in prison in Tamaulipas.
- I'm sorry to hear that.
- I know.
Do you wish to continue
with these personal reminiscences?
- This was an awful pretty girl, seor.
- She certainly was.
Captain, tell them your plan.
Well, I intend to become a bracero.
I will appear in Mexicali and be very
impatient to come to the United States.
Now, I can be very impatient,
as you know.
So things will occur...
...and when someone approaches me
to be smuggled over the border...
...why, things will happen.
A fella could get himself killed that way,
couldn't he?
Well, this is one of the less attractive
aspects of the job.
Well, that sounds good.
Now, if Captain Rodriguez will smoke out
that end of the situation, we can...
Well, what I had in mind...
I'll follow Pablo, you see.
And I'll nail down all the contacts
that he makes.
That'll take care of the Mexican side.
As far as the American side...
...if I had some illegal crossing permits
that are numbered...
...wherever they turn up,
we've got a complete case.
And we may be able to knock off
both ends in the same operation.
Its a good plan.
Since the criminals work in a circle,
we will cover the circle.
In case it gets rugged for me,
who's my contact?
Neley, agent in charge of Calexico.
- And if I should get a knife in my back?
- Ill call a doctor for you.
Well, I guess that's it.
Goodbye, sir.
Goodbye, good luck,
and take care of yourself.
Thank you very much.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
"Jess Hernndez. "
"Hilario Malvido. "
There are many of us, no?
- Too many, seor.
- "Juan Fernndez. "
You will go across soon?
Into the United States?
For six weeks I have been here, waiting.
Every day, waiting.
But today is the day.
- Today they will call my name.
- "Alfonso de Delgado. "
You're from Michoacn, aren't you?
From San Carlos Coyotepec?
We're neighbors, then.
Michoacn is my state.
My home is Uruapan.
- Pablo Rodriguez.
- Juan Garcia.
"Vicente. Juan Vicente Delgado. "
"Juan Garca...
...y Pea.
Juan Garca y Pea. "
"Alfonso Guerra. "
- What do we do now?
- We go back to the plaza.
Tomorrow we come back,
and the tomorrow after that.
No, I won't wait six weeks.
Not one week.
I'm no man for waiting.
How does one go across outside the law?
It can mean death.
Is it difficult to arrange?
If you want to do it the foolish way.
If you have no regard
for your wife and children.
I have no wife.
How is this done?
Come with me.
It is simple.
Go up to that man,
show him you have 70 pesos.
Tell him you want to go
to the United States.
This is all?
For 70 pesos, it can be arranged.
Show me that you have the pesos.
For my knowledge.
If you're a man of your word,
wear this in your hat.
Be in front of La Fortuna Barberia
tonight by 10:00.
No, Juan, you mustn't.
You told me yourself
you have a wife...
...and a home in your village,
a son and a little daughter.
You should think of them.
- A man does not live forever.
- That's right, a man doesn't live forever.
So he should be careful
about the few years he has.
Let's go.
Pardon me, sir, may I have a light?
Tonight.
In front of La Fortuna Barberia.
Ten o'clock.
You didn't get a very good light.
Keep these, Ive got some more.
Thank you, seor. Thank you.
- How beautiful that shirt.
- Yes, it gives a man distinction.
Come on.
I must go see my wife.
Wish me luck.
- May you go with God, seor.
- Thank you.
And you know this, Holy Mother,
better than I...
...for you know all.
We were returning from the United States,
in the night, secretly...
...with our savings of many weeks.
The robbers and killers found us
in the desert.
Enrique and Lus and Tomas
they stabbed to the heart.
Me, they left for a dead one.
I thought I would die too.
But I saw you in your glory,
Sainted Mother...
...and I knew I would live.
My arm is gone from the infection
of the knife...
...but I thank thee for my life...
...and I offer this poor retablo...
...as sign that I will never forget
your compassion.
I have been praying, my husband...
...to the Sainted Guadalupe,
that you won't go.
That we will return
to the village together.
Tonight, I am going.
But, Juanito, so much can happen.
Like that man with one arm.
If anything should happen to you...
The matter has settled itself, then?
The matter has settled itself.
Take good care of nio and the baby.
And you, you take care.
Hello, Juanito.
Did you see your wife?
And I said adis.
She is now on the way back
to our village.
So you're coming with us, huh?
Well, I guess a man is entitled
to make a fool of himself if he wants to.
A man is entitled to that.
Let me see your hands.
The side you work with, stupid.
That last one was no bracero.
His hands are too soft.
- Maybe we should...
- No, that is for Hugo to decide.
Watch him closely.
- What is it, old man?
- I don't know.
Sometimes I cannot breathe.
I cannot breathe.
- You'd better not go, then, huh?
- I must, I must.
Come on! Let's go!
Make it snappy!
Come on!
Fritz, see what the gringo
would want down there.
Were you looking for somebody?
That's it, come on.
Come on.
Say, what's the idea?
I have the money.
Sit down.
Pay up, hombres. Seventy pesos.
For this, seor, you will take us
to the United States...
...to a ranch where there is work, yes?
Sixty-nine, 70.
Zopilote.
Back there.
You load them on the truck, huh, Clay?
Are you asking me
or you telling me?
One can ask, huh?
Hello, Neley? This is the fella
in the fancy cowboy shirt.
Our pal's been carrying
the ball swell up till now...
...but I think he was
just thrown for a loss. Yeah.
They maybe even put him
out of the game.
Over on the south side of town.
A place called La Perla de Oro.
That's right.
I don't wanna tip my mitt yet...
...but I think it might be a good idea to have
a routine check by some of the local boys.
Right. Tell them to hurry.
Hey, Hugo.
Do you know one thing?
This man is not a bracero.
I know.
Why?
Why do you want to go
if you're not a bracero?
Does one have to be a bracero
to want to be a bracero?
Who wants to be a bracero
except a bracero?
Maybe someone who doesn't want
to be discovered for something else.
What do you mean?
Maybe I was disappointed in love.
Maybe I would like
to make some American dollars.
Maybe Im running from something.
Maybe so.
Maybe, also, you are trying
to find out something too, huh?
Like what, for instance?
For instance,
you may be one of the police.
What could one expect in a border town?
The police and the snakes
are first cousins.
You've heard of Ragopian in Mexico City,
haven't you?
- Yes, he's in the federal penitentiary.
- Exactly.
Well, I was managing
his business affairs...
...when something came up.
No, no, Im not a bracero.
But I have my reasons and the money.
Police, open up.
Close the door.
Hey, please, please, seor,
don't let them get me.
I told you, the police all over Mexico
are looking for me.
If they find me, it means the islands,
the Tres Maras.
Take him out.
And take those braceros out too.
- Come on.
- Hurry up.
Get going.
- Stop your hammering.
- Open up.
- Open up.
- The chain is stuck.
Stand back.
- Was it necessary to ruin my door?
- In the interest of justice.
Sorry to have disturbed you, Seor Ulrich.
There was a report that an escaped criminal
was hiding out in your place.
- Nobody in here, Seor Teniente.
- See, what did I tell you?
What's the matter, old man?
What's the matter?
Stop the truck.
Stop. Hey, stop the truck.
- Stop the truck!
- Stop the truck!
- What's going on back here?
- This old man is very sick.
Church.
Church.
- What are you doing?
- We ain't freighting corpses.
Its wrong to leave him
in the desert like that.
Do you wanna stay
and keep him company?
Jim's on the job.
- Hiya, Jim.
- Say, Border Patrol's changed its timing.
One of them just went through.
They're running 20 minutes apart.
Okay, Ive got 20 to 30 minutes.
I could be in New York by that time.
All right, you tooting maverick,
get going.
Okay, everybody out.
Get in the trailer.
The boss said 12.
We started at 12.
The old guy kicked off.
- These guys give you any trouble?
- No, bunch of sheep.
Just the old guy's time, that's all.
Three hundred and thirty,
30 bucks a head, right?
Tell them, they wanna come back,
to get in touch with us.
Sure, sure, sure. Ill tell them.
You get your cut, I pay you off...
...then you get a nice take when these guys
go home loaded with dough.
- I think Id like a cut on that end too.
- That's the toughest end.
- You think you can take it?
- Why not?
You don't wanna get mixed up
in any brawls.
You're strictly the brainy type,
eh, Zopilote?
Hi.
Boss says to keep going,
not to stop here.
- What's eating him, Chuck?
- No immigration permits for these guys.
- Baldy fell through.
- Oh, yeah? Baldy never done that before.
So Parkson don't want these guys around.
He said take them north.
He's forgetting the Border Patrol check
at Indio, ain't he?
- You know the back roads.
- So does the Border Patrol.
Look, Jeff, he don't want
these wets on his land.
- He said...
- Oh, fine, fine.
Ill just take them up
to the Salton Sea and drown them.
- All right.
- Who does he think he is?
What's that you said?
Take that light off my face.
Kind of risky...
...trying to get by
the Border Patrol at Indio.
Yeah.
Maybe you've got something there, Jeff.
Put them in the bunkhouse
until we find out what happened with Baldy.
Get some work out of them.
Mix them with my legal workers.
At night, see that they stay
in the bunkhouse.
I don't want them wandering around
or going into town.
We'll get rid of them.
We'll get rid of them
as soon as I get the papers on them.
Okay, Parky, whatever you say.
After you get them in the field
in the morning...
...go into town
and check on Baldy.
You're never slow
sticking my neck out, are you?
Go check on Baldy.
All right, you guys, on your feet.
Let's go.
Come on. Get your shoes on.
Come on. Let's get to work.
What happens now, seor?
- You came here to work, didn't you?
- You're not here for a rest. Come on.
Get going.
- Seor Major-domo, we will be paid?
- Yeah, you'll be paid.
- How much the hour, seor?
- Twenty-five cents, paisano.
In Mexico, seor,
they told us 75 cents.
Listen, monkey.
You come here like a crook, break our laws,
and expect to be treated like us?
Get out! All right, get a move on.
Outside. Come on.
Come on, let's go. Everybody.
Well, that's where I lost him.
He was with a dozen braceros,
and they all disappeared.
Probably all over on this side by now.
La Perla de Oro.
That's the jumping-off point, eh?
Right. Runners pick them up, take them to
the tortilla shop, then to the Perla de Oro.
After that, I don't know.
Your Mexican sidekick, Pablo,
is probably finding that out right now.
Probably. I think it's about time
we put in the second half of the plan.
Yeah, it is. There's a fella named
Baldy we've been watching.
He handles illegal immigration permits.
We know his source,
but not who he passes them on to.
We've got his hands tied all right, though.
We've got a stakeout in his store.
You know, someplace, somebody,
maybe a lot of somebodies...
...are gonna need illegal crossing cards.
And who do you think's
gonna have them?
Who, he wants to know.
It couldn't be me.
Oh, yes. It was your idea.
Id better have a good excuse
for having these.
You have.
Driver's license.
My name is Jack Bryant.
And several hundred G-men
are looking for me...
...for stealing 425 immigration permits
in New Orleans.
- Where are the rest?
- Waiting for you in Kansas City, Missouri.
- How do I get them?
- Just wire Roy, box 1510.
Tell him to send your manuscripts.
The permits are all numbered.
Wherever they show up, we've got a case.
Roy, box 1510, Kansas City, Missouri.
- Is that right?
- That's right.
Okay, well, don't you fellas worry
about me too much, and Ill be seeing you.
- Good luck, Bryant.
- Bryant?
The name is Pigeon.
Clay Pigeon.
- So long, Bryant.
- So long. Ill see you later.
Hello.
Yeah, Hugo, what's the matter?
Ive been trying to get you all day long.
Yeah.
Don't send me any more bales
of Mexican curios.
No more bundles of curios, eh?
That's too bad. Hurts business.
What? Say that again.
Duck hunters?
You want me to get hunting permits
for them? You can't get them there?
Ill do my best. Yes.
No more braceros until he says.
- No more braceros?
- He says business is bad.
Well, this is foolishness.
How can business be bad?
Its the time of the lettuce and carrot
harvest on the American side.
They need hundreds of braceros.
He has some trouble, I think.
Duck hunters.
Permits.
Yes, he has difficulty about the papers.
Immigration permits. That's it.
Does it matter to us
what manner of trouble he has?
Hey, Charlie, give me some bourbon.
Pocoloco, follow that American
in the leather coat.
Report where he goes.
Get going.
Look.
Go find Cuchillo.
We must be sure not to lose out on this.
All right, all right.
The wallet's in my trousers.
Those papers,
the immigration permits...
...you got more, huh?
Maybe.
- You better be careful, Zopilote.
- You're too greedy, Cuchillo.
- How pretty.
- Let me see it, Zopi.
What do you know about guns?
You might shoot yourself.
It'd be a great loss to the whole world.
Those permits. You got more, huh?
Look out with that thing.
Its loaded, you know.
Sure, I got more of them.
I got a bundle of them.
- Do you wanna buy them?
- Buy them?
Here. Put that on.
- Why, are we going someplace?
- Oh, sure.
We're going someplace.
Hey, give me my socks.
You can wear mine.
Skip it. Ill do without.
You've got more, huh?
- What did you think, I was kidding?
- Maybe right here?
- Why don't you look around.
- Cuchillo, look again. Look everyplace.
If you wanna marry with this knife,
come closer.
All right. Let's go.
Why? Why did you beat me up?
Why were you trailing me?
- Why were you following the braceros?
- What do I know about any braceros?
- What are you up to?
- Maybe you are of the police, huh?
Yeah. Yeah, sure.
Im right from Scotland Yard.
Ill tell you. Ill tell you.
My left shoe.
In your own country,
you are very famous, no?
He's a thief of a great importance
in the United States.
Where's the rest of these
immigration permits?
Are you the boss around here?
- Tell your baboons to knock it off.
- Take it off.
Easy!
Where are they?
Safe.
I got them safe, see?
Plenty of them. Over 400,
just like it says in the flier.
But nobody's gonna get them from me.
I put myself behind
the eight ball to get them...
...and Im gonna sell them
for the top price, see?
- We might pay you a few pesos for it.
- A few pesos?
You'll pay me a truckload.
- Where have you got them?
- On the other side, in the States.
What are you doing in Mexico?
With every cop and his brother after me,
I came down here to open a pickle factory.
What did you think?
- Put him in the truck and watch him well.
- Come on.
Relax, baby. Relax.
What do you want, paisanos?
Go to the bunkhouse for work.
We're not braceros, seorita.
We are friends of Seor Parkson.
Well, seores, he is not here yet.
In that case, of course,
we come in and wait.
Seorita, you are the flower
of beauty this morning.
Every morning. And you will please
comport yourselves as gentlemen.
All right. For you, we make an exception.
We be very caballero.
- I will tell Seor Parkson you are here.
- You're very kind, seorita.
This is the way I should live.
This man is very rich.
Look, Zopilote, this little gun.
Is that pretty?
Makes its own fire.
Dear Tom, yours of the 14th
isn't at hand...
...and I write to state that I hope to be able
to fill your labor requirements at the earliest...
The machine talks.
I will not promise a definite
delivery date of braceros...
...but will do my utmost to get labor
to you on time.
I have heard of this machine.
It talks to you, also it shows pictures.
I didn't see any pictures.
Only at night, estpido.
Wrestling pictures.
You know my previous record
for promptness...
- What do you think you're doing?
- Depend on me to...
What do you want?
Hugo sent us.
Is Hugo crazy?
It is important to him and to you,
so we run the risks.
What do you mean?
About the immigration permits, seor.
- What about them?
- You're having trouble for them, huh?
For the lack of them?
Maybe.
You have some?
S, Mr. Parkson, very many. Over 400.
- With you?
- No, seor, that would be stupid.
- Hugo has them.
- Oh, Hugo.
Well, not exactly Hugo.
A man has them.
Oh, a man?
And Hugo has the man.
That's simple, isn't it?
All things are simple
if one has courage and wisdom.
- And where is this man?
- Oh, safe, Mr. Parkson, very safe.
Almost like in a prison.
- This Hugo is no fool.
- No, seor. Hugo is no fool.
I could use some crossing cards,
but how do I know what you tell me is...?
Is true?
By this, seor.
You're full of surprises, aren't you?
What's the deal? Proposition.
Oh, $20 for each one.
Twenty dollars? Is that all?
That's all. Only $20.
Just a moment, please.
I wanna talk to my foreman.
Ill be right back.
- He's very amiable, no?
- Who knows?
Ill tell you what,
let me think this over, huh?
You paisan... You boys
go down to the bunkhouse.
Have the cook fix you breakfast,
come back, and Ill give you my answer.
- Oh, thank you very much, seor.
- You are wonderful man.
And don't hurry, huh? Sometimes
it takes me a while to make up my mind.
What is cheaper than time, seor?
Everybody has the same amount.
Your hands, Pablito, they still hurt?
There are times a man wishes
he had no hands.
Even a burro can tell you are no bracero.
Here, amigo, for you.
I found them unattached.
Such things should be put to use.
Look, Pablito, that shirt.
A different man wears it.
One of the smugglers who got us here.
Oh, there are probably many such shirts.
Yeah, I know, Joe.
I know, you need 90 workers right away.
Well, you still owe me 3000 for the workers
Ive sent you in the past two months.
Yeah, I know.
I know, your crops are ready for harvest.
Well, you've got an easy out.
You just send me the check,
and you get your braceros.
Bye.
You want my decision?
All right. Bring him in.
You know him?
He's the man with the permits.
You have made a negotiation
with Hugo, huh?
Yes. The kind of negotiation
he understands.
Go back to Hugo. Tell him to behave.
Tell him I want 200 braceros ready for me
as soon as I send for them.
- Get going.
- Wait a minute.
- What about my shirt and the jacket?
- You know them?
Yeah, they're a couple of cheap
border crooks.
- They stole that stuff out of my room.
- Oh, they did?
Take them off. Hurry it up!
Hand them to the man.
Now, get out of here!
Now we can get down to business.
Call your shot.
Sit down.
What did you have in mind?
No sense beating around the bush.
You've got something I want,
Im willing to pay for it.
I don't know you from a bar of soap.
You can beat it, Clay.
I don't think, Mr. Parkson, Hugo's gonna
appreciate my company no more.
You can hang around the bunkhouse
till I send for you.
Anything you say.
You don't seem very cooperative.
I didn't ask you guys to interfere.
What's the matter, Mac?
I got you out of a tough spot, didn't I?
I don't know.
- Where are those permits?
- I got them in a safe place.
- I need them.
- Sure you do. Everybody does.
First those two scorpions tried to get them,
then Hugo wanted them.
Your pal here even tried
to make a deal with me for them.
Just a little spadework, Parky.
Trying to help you out.
Yeah, thanks, Jeff.
Now, I don't wanna fool around
with no go-between, see?
I find if you do business with the top man,
you get the top price.
You're talking to him. How's $5 apiece?
- You have over 400, haven't you?
- Around 425.
Only, the price is $ 10 apiece.
You see, I know a little town
down in Peru...
...where with 4 and a half grand I can
buy myself a lot of peace of mind, see?
Its a deal. Where are they?
A friend's holding them for me
in Kansas City.
Now, I could send him a wire
and tell him to airmail them down here.
You give me half of the dough down...
...and put me back over the border
where the heat ain't so bad.
- Write your wire.
- Wait a minute.
What color dough are you using?
The color of the dough is okay.
Write your wire.
How do I know
you won't double-cross me?
You don't.
Its dealer's choice, and Im the dealer.
Write your wire.
Parkson Ranch, is that the address?
Care of postmaster, El Centro.
Postmaster, El Centro.
There you are.
"Box 1510, Main Post Office,
Kansas City, Missouri.
Dear Roy, please airmail me
my manuscripts...
...care of postmaster, El Centro, California. "
That's fine. Thanks.
Now, look. Look, Im hotter than
a firecracker, I tell you.
Put me back over the line.
If the feds pick me up, I face a 20-year rap.
We'll take awful good care of you.
Its to my interest.
I think the little room
up in the water tower will be best, huh?
Set Clay to work on it.
All right, fella. Let's go.
Hey, Parkson...
...how do you know
that wire's gonna pay off?
I don't.
But you're gonna be my guest here
until I find out.
Long distance.
A person-to-person call to Doc Bryler.
The Blue Swan Inn,
Kansas City, Missouri.
Now, we get
25 cents American an hour.
We work 10 hours a day,
that's $2.50 a day.
We work six days a week,
that's $ 15 a week.
But the major-domo then takes $3
from each one of us for himself...
...and $6 for our meals.
So, amigos, we then have
for ourselves $6.
And how much is this
in our national money?
Oh, that's 40...
Forty-one pesos, 10 centavos.
- Are you sure, Pablo?
- Yes.
Even in Guadalajara we earn more.
- It is like this everywhere?
- No, no, no.
Most ranchers pay legal wages.
That's where Im going,
where they pay right.
You can't, compadre. You can't.
None of us can.
We're here against the law,
so the law can't help us.
Get in there and stay there.
What's going on in here?
Get to bed, you monkeys.
You got work to do in the morning.
Put that light out.
So you tried to run away,
Juanito, huh?
No? What, then?
It was only I did what the cook told me.
What does the cook have to do
with your condition?
The cook told me to take
some food to the water tower.
I see the man they keep there.
This major-domo is very mad with me.
He beats me.
What do you mean?
What man?
The americano we saw in Mexicali.
The one with the beautiful shirt.
He give you the matches.
Juan, you sure? He's a prisoner?
So I think. What else?
You haven't mentioned this to anyone?
- Yes.
- To whom?
- To you, Pablito. I just told you.
- Yes, I know, I know.
- But not to anyone else, huh?
- No.
- Pablo, where are you going?
- Go to sleep, Juan.
Bryant.
- Yeah, what do you want?
- What's going on in there?
Im writing the story of my life.
What did you think?
Shut up and go to sleep.
Bearnes.
Bearnes.
- Who is it?
- Its me, Rodriguez.
Oh, boy, am I glad to see you.
- But the name is Bryant now.
- Bryant?
- Yeah. How did you get here?
- They brought us here.
Listen, tomorrow night
I will try to get you out.
You mustn't do that yet.
I have to stay a while.
- Why?
- Well, the plan is beginning to work.
Now, here's what you do.
You go to the immigration office
at Calexico and get ahold of Neley.
- Yes.
- He's the chief inspector.
Make sure he knows where I am
in case of a slip-up.
- Right.
- When you see him, you tell him...
Look out.
- What are you doing, talking to yourself?
- Yeah, sure. I do it all the time.
What's the matter with you, partner?
Nervous? Can't you sleep?
I ain't supposed to sleep.
Why don't you bring your chair up here,
we'll talk a bit.
I ain't supposed to talk, neither.
Hey, what about
giving a guy a cigarette, huh?
- Hey, where you going?
- Im going cat fishing.
Come here, you! You run, Ill plug you!
Come here!
What are you doing trampling
on that lettuce?
Don't you know any better?
Hey, you're one of my men, ain't you?
I warned you, didn't I,
to stay on the property?
Maybe you'd like a slug
through the belly?
It was only that
I wanted to mail this letter.
Why, you dumb paisano. Get in the car.
Your package ought to be
at the post office.
Good. If it's there, we'll wash this thing up
and Ill be on my way to South America.
- Wanna drive me into town?
- Wouldn't that be rather foolish?
You're pretty hot.
Well, it'll only take a second.
I never take chances, Bryant.
And that goes for people who associate
with me. We'll pick up your package.
The post office won't give it
to just anybody.
Haven't you got a driver's license?
I don't know.
If they didn't steal that too.
Take care of that, Jeff, will you?
You play chess?
Some.
You know, Im very fond of chess.
You can figure out
how the other fella thinks.
- Do you have a package for Jack Bryant?
- Got some identification?
Just a moment.
- Mr. Jack Bryant is here for his package.
- Bryant?
Yeah, that's the license
we faked for Bearnes, all right.
That's not Bearnes, but we've gotta
find out where he is, so let's tail this guy.
Here, give him the package.
Take your time.
All right. Let's go.
Thanks for the help.
What time is it getting to be?
Almost 6.
You move there, you lose your queen.
Well, I made it. Let it stand.
Did you get it?
Okay, here's your 50.
Say, whoever this guy Bryant is,
he's hotter than a. 45.
- Whole carload of cops took out after me.
- Did you give them the slip?
What do you think Ive been riding
those cow trails for?
I took off across a railroad trestle
like a streamliner. Left them flat.
Bryant?
- Yeah?
- Did you hear that?
Yeah, I did.
I don't blame you for being scared.
Lucky you didn't go into town.
Thanks a lot, Jeff.
Ill be fanning the breeze for L.A. now.
Yeah, on a bus. That's right.
By now, your description's out
on a statewide alarm.
Okay.
- I saved your neck just on a hunch.
- Yeah. Thanks a lot.
- I think they're all there. Count them, Jeff.
- Don't worry, they're all there.
Watch your adrenaline, son.
Hello. Hello, operator.
Mr. Hugo Ulrich, Perla de Oro, Mexicali.
I came through for you, didn't I?
You wanted the permits, so I got them.
- Pay me off and let me be on my way.
- Take it easy, will you?
You go on thinking like that,
you're gonna end up in Atlanta or Alcatraz.
All Im trying to do
is preserve your liberty.
Yeah, some liberty.
Ill pay you cash, and my boys will put
you over the border tonight when it's safe.
Hello, Hugo? Yeah, this is Parky.
Hugo, will you send me 100
of those Mexican straw dolls?
Yeah. Yeah, I made a big sale
to a church bazaar.
Yeah, tonight's fine. Yeah.
Four twenty-three.
Well, while we're waiting,
let's see if you can save your queen.
Yeah, the queen.
Take them north, the Bull Fiddle Ranch.
You know where that is?
- Sure do.
- All right, check your braceros.
See that each one of these guys
has an immigration permit, then shove off.
You're going to Arizona.
The Golden Glow Citrus Ranch.
- Check your men.
- Right.
Happy, take this bunch over
to Joe's near Blythe.
Right.
Now, don't break any traffic laws.
Don't draw any more attention
to yourselves than you have to.
- Short haul, Chuck.
- Swell.
- These go over to Drummond.
- Okay. Come on, let's go, boys.
Come on, come on. Come on,
let's not stand around. Let's go.
Hey, it's pretty clever the way you handle
this situation down here.
Ive been doing this kind of thing
a long time.
- Pour yourself a snort while I pay you off.
- All right. Will you join me?
Yeah, sure.
Four thousand two hundred
and thirty dollars.
- Can buy a lot of peace and quiet for that.
- Yeah, and a lot of other things too.
- Here you are.
- Thanks.
Hello.
Kansas City?
Doc Bryler? Put him on.
Doc, I expected to hear
from you long before this.
I know, Parky,
but I got picked up on a gun beef.
Just got out of the clink today.
The rap fell through.
Look, here's what happened.
The guy that picked up the wire at 1510
went right to the immigration office in town.
- Is that worth anything to you?
- It is.
What's the matter?
Something go wrong?
No.
No, nothing serious.
A fellow I was making a deal with
turned out to be an immigration agent.
That's kind of bad, ain't it?
No, he can't move
unless I give the word.
Well...
...here's your cash.
Why don't you give it to me?
Hold it, snooper.
Put the gun down.
It isn't loaded anyway.
Do a good job, Jeff.
Make it look like an accident.
It'll look like an accident.
Go on, copper. Hurry it up.
Straight ahead.
Get this truck rolling. Bryant turned out
to be an immigration agent.
- Better take care of him.
- Jeff's doing that.
Get these braceros off my land.
Give me a knife. A knife, quick.
Pablo, where are we going?
The American, the one that was
in the tower...
...he's a police agent. He's in trouble.
Im going to help him.
- He is a friend of yours?
- Yes, and of yours, and of all braceros.
Im an agent of Mexico,
of the Federal Police.
Now one understands
about the soft hands.
Keep going, copper.
Straight across.
Let's try it anyway.
I have to phone.
No, no, no, it's better I go alone.
Tell our friends in the back
to keep quiet.
Yeah? What do you want?
Just to use the phone, please, seora.
I mean no harm, seora.
Just to use the phone. Please, please.
There, on the table.
Operator, get me
the office of immigration, Calexico, please.
The chief of immigration, Mr. Neley.
Hello, Mr. Neley?
This is Pablo Rodriguez.
Bryant has been murdered
on the Parkson Ranch.
Parkson is using Bryant's permits to truck
braceros to Fresno, Arizona and Blythe.
Tonight. Yes.
Get Jeff Amboy and Clay Nordell
for the murder of Bryant.
- Where are you? Ill send a car.
- Oh, just a minute.
- Where am I? What...?
- Hang up that phone.
Operator, where was that call
coming from?
The Amboy place?
Bearnes has been killed.
Take an armed squad.
Raid the Parkson Ranch.
- Parkson?
- Bring him in and all his foremen.
Come on, fellers, let's go.
Phone the Indio check. Have them set up
a roadblock at Mecca Junction.
One truck's going to Fresno,
one to Blythe.
- Alert the boys at the Arizona line.
- You want them brought in?
No, just get names and destinations
and let them go through.
- I want them to think they're getting away.
- Okay.
Come on, Larsen, we've gotta hurry.
The Amboy place
is 30 miles west of here.
Z, El Centro, calling KYYF, Indio.
Z to YF. Come in, please.
Z, El Centro, calling KYY...
Listen, don't try anything, paisano.
I was brought up in the Panhandle,
and I can sure use this thing. Sit down.
Operator?
El Centro, 767.
Cover the road to Calexico
and the cutoff to El Centro.
Ive already tipped off Hugo's men
if they try to escape across the border.
We've gotta get those two witnesses.
That's something I already know.
Wait.
Hello.
Yeah. Who?
- Your wife.
- Wha...?
He is?
Well, hold him.
If he tries to get away, shoot him.
We'll be right there.
Well, what is it? What's up?
One of the guys that saw Bryant killed
was a Mexican cop.
He's already tipped off the Border Patrol.
They're on their way here now.
Let's go.
The government men can't get here in time.
They got 30 miles to cover.
Nice going, Bella.
All right, paisano, outside.
We don't want anything like that, Jeff.
No need for it.
What do you mean, no need for it?
He's a Mexican cop, a snooper.
- He saw too much.
- Better let Hugo's men handle it.
The canyon, remember?
Get a move on, baby.
We won't be coming back.
On your feet, paisano.
Watch them all, Clay.
We're going to the canyon.
No. No, you can't.
These are only braceros.
They have nothing to do with this.
Get in the truck.
They are taking us to the Canyon of Death,
where they kill the braceros.
- There is nothing we can do?
- Nothing.
But tell them, if any of them have any
weapons, tools, anything, keep them ready.
Everybody out.
Hurry it up. Get going.
We'll take the cars across.
Who's "we"?
Bella and I. She can drive the truck.
Oh, yeah?
Bella.
Take this crate and ramble, honey.
Wait for me in Nogales.
Get going.
Hey, hey!
What do you think you're doing?
Fouled us up good, didn't you?
You're always so smart, so careful.
The mastermind nobody could touch.
Brother, when you flop,
you flop good.
- Are you crazy?
- No, Im not crazy.
Just getting smart, that's all.
You're going with us, Parkson.
For once, I want you to see
what your dirty work looks like.
- I don't know anything about these things.
- You can learn.
Let's go.
Keep moving.
Stop here.
Clay...
...you take the east rim,
Ill take the other.
- We can watch better from above.
- What about me?
There might be some crossfire in a mix-up
in the canyon.
What about me?
You want me to wait here?
For you, I got something special.
- Clay, got your revolver?
- Sure have.
Give mastermind here your carbine.
You're a good shot.
Hit a fly in the eye at 20 feet
with an air pistol.
Follow behind these babies.
Keep them well ahead of you.
Move along.
Radio headquarters.
Tell them to phone the Mexicali officials.
The Canyon de la Muerte.
Tell them to come through
from the other end.
Walk ahead of me, quick.
If you yell, Ill kill you.
Parkson!
Everything okay down there?
Tell him okay.
- Tell him.
- Okay here.
Go ahead.
Whatever happens, you'll be first. Go on.
Zopilote. Zopilote, wait. Its me.
Get them! Get them over there!
Juan.
Juan!
Juan!
Juan!
And so this action in the desert
was concluded.
Murder, robbery, rescue.
All these things that are true
and part of the record.
Here, in a simple ceremony
at the governor's palace in Mexicali...
...Mexico's highest honor is awarded
posthumously to Inspector Jack Bearnes.
And here, too, is presented
to Pablo Rodriguez...
...America's recognition
for his contribution...
...in destroying and rounding up
the human vultures...
...who prey on unsuspecting victims.
The life in the valley goes on.
The food is brought from the earth...
...by the hands of the workers,
now safe and secure...
...living under the protection
of two great republics...
...and the bounty of God Almighty.