Absolutely brilliant

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

This is a really interesting, dark and thrilling film all packed into one. It may not have the look of the most fast-paced film, but it really delivers and becomes hugely exciting towards the end, and whilst it may not necessarily seem so bleak on the face of things either, it becomes very depressing and heavy-going at some points, however it's got such a fascinating story that you can't help but be totally engrossed.Basically, the plot is full of the most unpredictable twists and turns you could ever imagine. What starts off as a relatively simple story suddenly transforms into an extremely complex tale of state borders, identity confusion and a whole host of other stuff that would normally be pretty tough to follow, however this film's excellent screenplay delivers all of that in such a way that it's still a simple enough watch to be pretty entertaining.However, there's nothing more exciting in this film than the way that it pulls your mind from one side to the other on a constant basis due to its numerous twists, because it eventually makes you realise that it's just too unpredictable to predict, and that sense of anticipation that you get before each twist comes is hugely exhilarating.Also, this film manages to be very heavy and bleak at points whilst still maintaining its excitement. The identity theft element to it is very sad, however what becomes most bleak is the final act, which is more a question of survival rather than anything else, and it really requires a lot to get to grips with.Finally, the most interesting thing about this film was its central character, the German-born British billionaire, played fantastically by Rod Steiger. On the face of things, he's a terrible person, but the strangest thing about this film is that this villain really grows on you as it develops, and he turns into some sort of an anti- hero, who you end supporting towards the end, rather than hope for his arrest as you do earlier on, which I found really fascinating.

Of all the films made from the novels and stories of Graham Greene, "Across the Bridge" is probably the least known and least appreciated which is a pity as it's actually very good, (it's much, much better than John Ford's "The Fugitive", his feeble attempt to film "The Power and the Glory"). Of course, with a better director than Ken Annakin and a better supporting cast it might have been perfect. As it is, it's entirely reliant on its plot, which is gripping, and a sterling performance from Rod Steiger, to hold our interest.He's Carl Schaffner, a crooked businessman who, in an attempt to escape justice, assumes the identity of the man he thinks he's killed and who just happens to be a murderer. It's a plot not dissimilar to that of Antonioni's later "The Passenger" and if this film is never in that class, neither does it deserve to be overlooked. Worth seeking out.

Like other reviewers, I, too, have not seen this remarkable film in many, many years since . The fact that I still remember it demonstrates what a truly terrific film this is. How unfortunate that it seems to have been forgotten over the years. However, two days ago, on February 24, a DVD edition of the film was released in the U.S. and I'm now about to finally see this great film again after so many years. The loyalty that can develop between man and dog is surely put to the test by events that take place in this story which was originally written by Graham Greene. No one should pass up an opportunity to see this film which, unfortunately, has never been given the recognition it deserves.

I saw this film, based on a Graham Greene story, 30 years ago on Norwegian TV. Rod Steiger plays a crooked businessman on the lam, who flees across the border into Mexico. The U.S. and Mexican authorities collude to ensure that he won't have access to funds. With nowhere to stay, he is followed by a small dog, whom he first resents; they end up in the desert, where the dog saves his life. A wrenching portrayal of a man who is progressively stripped, first of what he previously valued, and then of everything.