Forged Passport
Cast & Crew
John H. Auer
Paul Kelly
June Lang
Lyle Talbot
Billy Gilbert
Cliff Nazarro
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Dan Frazer, a fiery-tempered but effective immigration officer stationed at the Mexican border, has earned the enmity of a smuggling ring, whose shipments of illegal aliens Dan has repeatedly stopped. Jack Scott, owner of a Tijuana nightclub and a member of the gang, warns Dan to be transferred. After Dan refuses to be intimidated, Scott receives orders from his boss, known only as Lefty, to set a trap for Dan. Imitating Dan's nightclub-owner friend, Nick Mendoza, to whom Dan owes money, Scott calls the station and demands that Dan settle the debt immediately. Dan sends new officer Kansas Nelson and realizes too late that it is a set-up. Dan rushes to the club, where Kansas has been shot in the back by Lefty, and Kansas dies in Dan's arms. Dan determines that the killer was left-handed and is discharged after taking complete responsibility for Kansas' death. Helene, an entertainer in Nick's club and Dan's girl friend, tries to persuade Dan to go to New York with her and get married, but Dan tells her that he must avenge Kansas' murder and help re-open Nick's club, which has been closed by Miguel, the Mexican police chief. Dan discusses the problem with his friend, Jack Rogers, an influential Chamber of Commerce member and rancher, who advises him to forget the matter. Dissatisfied, Dan goes to Nick and the pair open a gas station. Dan's plan is to pretend to be smuggling illegal aliens across the border, in the hopes of attracting Scott's gang. The plan soon works and Scott offers to take over Dan's operation, guaranteeing him a percentage of the earnings as well as fraudulent citizenship papers for the immigrants in San Diego. Dan agrees to the deal, which entails collecting $500 from each man shipped, but insists on sending his own load through that night. Nick supplies the money to Dan's men, and Dan follows the truck to a warehouse on the other side of the border. The next day, Dan intends to send five armed men in the shipment, but Nick does not have enough money to pay for them, so Dan goes to Rogers. He explains to Rogers that he has located the mysterious Lefty's headquarters in the warehouse and can capture him that night. Rogers gives Dan the money, but after Dan leaves, reveals himself to be Lefty when he orders Scott to place a time bomb in the truck with Dan's men. Scott does so, and also has Riley, a bouncer, guard Helene, who now works in his club. Scott inadvertently reveals that Rogers is behind the plot against Dan, and Helene cleverly passes the message on to Shakespeare, one of Dan's former co-workers, by discussing the story of one of Shakespeare's plays. Shakespeare and Helene escape and catch Dan after a mad chase. The bomb explodes on time, but the truck's passengers are long gone and Dan alerts Miguel. Dan and the others go to Rogers' house, where Dan tricks Rogers into revealing that he is left-handed. Rogers confesses to killing Kansas and is taken away by Miguel. Later, Nick's club re-opens and Dan and Helene sneak out together as Nick begins one of his long-winded stories.
Director
John H. Auer
Cast
Paul Kelly
June Lang
Lyle Talbot
Billy Gilbert
Cliff Nazarro
Maurice Murphy
Christian Rub
John Hamilton
Dewey Robinson
Bruce Macfarlane
Ivan Miller
Frank Puglia
Crew
John H. Auer
George Blair
Franklin Coen
Cy Feuer
Phil Ford
Lee Loeb
Lee Loeb
John Victor Mackay
Edward Mann
Jack Marta
Irene Saltern
Murray Seldeen
James Webb
Al Wilson
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
According to Hollywood Reporter news items, Frances Langford was considered by Republic for the role of Helene, and Jimmy O'Gatty was set for an unspecified part. It is not known if O'Gatty appeared in the final film. Hollywood Reporter news items also note that songwriter Eddie Cherkose was "given lines in the feature." According to pre-production news items, Cherkose and music director Cy Feuer composed the song "Una-Dos-Tres-Y," and Cherkose and William Lava wrote "So Far, So Good, So What," both of which were to be included in the film. Because no reviews or other sources mentioned the songs, and the print viewed was edited for television, it has not been determined if the songs were included in the final film. An Hollywood Reporter production chart lists George Blair as the assistant director, while the Screen Achievements Bulletin credits Phil Ford.
