The producers could have skipped the first hour, which is just filling time until the tram trip climax. And what a nail-biter that teetering-over-the-abyss is-- very well done in the special effects department. My only regret is the Palance-Mitchum face off, which should have been a bigger doozy than it is, considering it was for the broad-shoulders championship of Hollywood. Then too, both guys remain immaculately dressed the whole 90-minures—not what you'd expect of tough guys south of the border.
The first part, unfortunately, is pretty listless, except when poor Doc Adams, oops!, I mean Milburn Stone gets it in the gut. Looks like the producers knew they were short on substance, so they filled the Technicolor screen with a bunch of local color. Still, there's a lot of rather aimless walking around to and fro. And, oh yes, I almost forgot Mitchum's big boxing match that looks like it was filmed in a bull ring. Good thing he finally decided to use his power-house right, otherwise there might have been no story. And what a topical plot device putting the lovely Darnell across the border to escape a crime commission. Audiences no doubt connected that with the Kefauver Commission, so much in the news at the time.
On the acting front, Mitchum is his usual laid- back self, while, unfortunately, Darnell isn't given much to work with. At the same time, director Mate's non-use of close-ups denies Palance the skull-like menace that would otherwise fill in needed drama. Anyway, don't expect much until a climax that almost makes up for all that earlier dithering around.
