D.O.A. / Borderline


It’s misleading to say that film noir is “in” when it really hasn’t disappeared from pop culture since taking post-WWII Hollywood by storm. The cynical worldview, pessimistic characters and shadowy visual aesthetic inherent in the genre haven’t aged a day. Newbies can get a good education by tuning into Noir Alley on Turner Classic Movies every Saturday night where host Eddie Muller smothers you in behind-the-scenes stories and production anecdotes. Or you can take the do-it-yourself route and watch this film noir classics double feature from VCI Entertainment featuring D.O.A. (1949) and Borderline (1950).

While sowing his wild oats on a trip to San Francisco, horny accountant Frank Bigelow is slipped a dose of “luminous toxin,” leaving him with only a few days to figure out who, what, where, when and why. It’s a crackerjack concept that’s been lifted for countless ticking-clock thrillers, pulling our protagonist (played by a terrific Edmond O’Brien) into a complicated conspiracy with enough twists, turns and dead ends to rival The Big Sleep. As an early example of the genre, D.O.A.’s script pulls some of its punches, adding corny sound effects and reinforcing the safety of hearth and home; but still manages to deliver a waking-nightmare scenario that is the bread-and-butter of noir to come.

The aptly titled Borderline is a stretch to fit the noir definition. More of a romantic comedy with gangsters, Fred MacMurray and Claire Trevor are chasing after the same drug smugglers down Mexico way. Unaware of each other’s identity, the duo fall in love but still plan to turn each other in at the border. Raymond Burr plays the heavy, but even his performance is a bit toothless as director William Seiter goes for a more lighthearted approach. Trevor had just come off winning the Academy Award for Key Largo and MacMurray was backtracking into his comfortable “good guy” image after Double Indemnity (he does throw in a few “babys” for good measure). Borderline is unsure of itself from the get-go but still delivers a disposably enjoyable road movie.

VCI’s packaging doesn’t mention any sort of restoration work and both films are currently in the public domain. D.O.A. is the rougher-looking of the two, but there’s nothing but a few mild distractions. It’s a Blu-ray/DVD set, likely meant to appeal to an older generation of collectors. Extras include quick profiles on Edmond O’Brien, Fred MacMurray and directors Rudolph Mate and William A. Seiter…all of the subpar AI-generated variety. Heck of a deal, though!

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