Autopsies of Surveillance
"Your papers?"
Objects of Surveillance
at the US-Mexico Border
Stephanie Fuller
August 2011
August 2011
Police secretly watch and record an interrogation through
a two-way mirror in Borderline (dir. William A Seiter, 1950).
a two-way mirror in Borderline (dir. William A Seiter, 1950).
In Borderline, Madeleine Hayley (Claire Trevor) documents
evidence of illegal drug-smuggling across the US-Mexico
border with a secret camera disguised as a compact mirror.
evidence of illegal drug-smuggling across the US-Mexico
border with a secret camera disguised as a compact mirror.
Passports and identity documents are carefully examined at the
US-Mexico border in Touch of Evil (dir. Orson Welles, 1958).
US-Mexico border in Touch of Evil (dir. Orson Welles, 1958).
From on high in the oil machinery, Mike Vargas (Charlton Heston)
covertly records Captain Hank Quinlain’s confession
on a radio device. (Touch of Evil).
covertly records Captain Hank Quinlain’s confession
on a radio device. (Touch of Evil).
Fake ‘wanted’ papers are used to interrogate Joe Pasquale
in T-Men (dir. Anthony Mann, 1947).
in T-Men (dir. Anthony Mann, 1947).
Criminal people-smugglers use radio and visual
surveillance technology to outrun the border patrol.
Border Incident (dir. Anthony Mann, 1949).
surveillance technology to outrun the border patrol.
Border Incident (dir. Anthony Mann, 1949).
In Border Incident, marked US work permits enable the
authorities to track criminals smuggling undocumented
Mexicans into the country ...
authorities to track criminals smuggling undocumented
Mexicans into the country ...
... while Fake criminal documents enable
Jack Bearnes (George Murphy) to infiltrate a smuggling ring.
Jack Bearnes (George Murphy) to infiltrate a smuggling ring.
Caught in the spotlight: guards keep watch over undocumented
Mexican immigrant Pablo Rodriguez (Ricardo Montalban)
to ensure he does not escape.
(Border Incident).
Mexican immigrant Pablo Rodriguez (Ricardo Montalban)
to ensure he does not escape.
(Border Incident).
Nick Ferraro (Raymond Burr) orchestrates his plan to steal
another man’s identity through complex international
radio machinery and secret code-words.
His Kind of Woman (dir. John Farrow, 1951).
another man’s identity through complex international
radio machinery and secret code-words.
His Kind of Woman (dir. John Farrow, 1951).
A map of Mexico charts the flight path characters take
in His Kind of Woman, demonstrating the monitoring
and surveilling qualities of mapping.
in His Kind of Woman, demonstrating the monitoring
and surveilling qualities of mapping.
Police officers Ray Castro (Luis Guzman) and Montel Gordon (Don Cheadle)
monitor conversations in the house of a suspected drug smuggler.
Traffic (dir. Steven Soderbergh, 2000).
monitor conversations in the house of a suspected drug smuggler.
Traffic (dir. Steven Soderbergh, 2000).
The border control room: in this documentary-style tour of
immigration services at the US’s southern boundary,
Judge Robert Wakefield (Michael Douglas) gets a
first-hand look at border surveillance techniques.
(Traffic).
immigration services at the US’s southern boundary,
Judge Robert Wakefield (Michael Douglas) gets a
first-hand look at border surveillance techniques.
(Traffic).
Judge Robert Wakefield (Michael Douglas) observes a
criminal’s house in Mexico from across the border.
(Traffic).
criminal’s house in Mexico from across the border.
(Traffic).
A show of surveillance: border security in Traffic.
The denouement of Touch of Evil is revealed
through the speaker of Mike Vargas’ (Charlton Heston)
audio surveillance device. (dir. Orson Welles, 1958).
through the speaker of Mike Vargas’ (Charlton Heston)
audio surveillance device. (dir. Orson Welles, 1958).
