Wetbacks

Former Coastguardsmen Jim Benson is about to lose his boat when a couple approaches him for a fishing charter. Jim departs just ahead of the Sherrif with drunken Shanks, and his companion Sally (Gates). Shanks takes off into a small Mexican village after a fight with Jim, stranding both Sally and him with no money. Two local men hear of Jim's plight, and offer him money to smuggle a batch of illegal aliens, called Wetbacks, into the U.S. He agrees but is blackmailed into continuing to run the smuggling operation. Afraid, Jim decides to make a run for it, but someone close to him reveals themselves as a US Immigration agent and asks him to assist them in shutting down the smugglers for good.

Directed by Hank McCune, Wetbacks leans on a strong ensemble — Lloyd Bridges, Nancy Gates, Barton MacLane — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1956.