A 1932 bilingual smuggling thriller shot on the actual Tijuana border — history with a side of chaos.
Contrabando is an adventure film. The film tells of the millionaire Hernández who smuggles weapons from the United States into Mexico. He does this because he is planning an uprising. The hotel attendant Carlos is informed of this. Hernández and his troops are defeated by the army. Carlos is acquitted and can marry his lover Lolita. The film Contrabando was shot in locations on the border with the United States, such as Tijuana, Ensenada and Playas de Rosarito. It was shot in Spanish and in English under the title Contraband. The role of Lolita was cast for the English version with Dorothy Sebastian. Contrabando's plot was inspired by an actual 1929 rebellion led by José Gonzalo Escobar.
Production
Shot on location in Tijuana and Rosarito — rare for 1932.
Direction
Dual-language production, two casts, one chaotic shoot.
Director
Alberto Mendez Bernal
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The 1929 Escobar Rebellion that inspired this was a real military uprising against the Mexican government — the film basically ripped from headlines.
This was part of Hollywood's brief obsession with 'Spanish versions' before dubbing killed the practice — Dorothy Sebastian was imported specifically to sell it to gringo audiences.
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