Across the Bridge

The opening credits starts with the men from Scotland Yard on their way to the London headquarter of Schaffner's financial empire, first passing Derby Gate in SW1.

Taking into account the missing building on the left next to the Red Lion pub. SJ

The Detectives' car runs onto Whitehall towards Trafalgar Square and has just passing the Cenotaph.

A surprisingly unbusy Whitehall and Parliament street. SJ

Filmed from the camera on a car in front, the Wolseley drives east on Ludgate Hill EC4, while in the background the clock tower of St. Paul's Cathedral is visible.

The car reaches the square in front of Schaffner's headquarter somewhere in the City of London. North side of Finsbury Square, London EC2 looking towards City Road. (RL)

Paul Lincoln provides the comparative shots some 64 years on without foreground credits. (RL)

With a search warrant in their pockets, the men from Scotland Yard get out of the car at the entrance to 18 Finsbury Square, London EC2 formally known as Triton Court. The two bronze statues are of the ancient god, Triton. (RL)

Paul found that the bronze statue has been replaced. (RL)

Rod Steiger, as the fraudulent financial magnate, stands in his New York office just before the press conference. Shot at Pinewood Studios against a backdrop of skyscrapers around Wall Street.

The southbound Pennsylvania Railroad night train departing New York Penn Station with an electric locomotive of famous GG1-class ahead leaves the North River Tunnel, which underpasses the Hudson River between Midtown Manhattan and North Bergen, New Jersey.

Schaffner's escape towards Mexico is illustrated with the take of Texas and Pacific Railway E8 diesel-units pulling the southbound "Texas Eagle". The streamlined passenger train carried a through sleeping car from the Pennsylvania Railroad's "Penn Texas" providing a one-seat ride from New York City to El Paso on the Mexican border.

After Schaffner has take on Scarff's identity, he already gets off the train at the fictional Flowerville station, 30 km before the border. Completely surprised, he has to receive Scarff's English Setter dog called "Dolores" from the baggage car in order not to arouse suspicion. This one and all other scenes in and around the train were shot at Pinewood too with the help of accurate-looking replicas and sets.

The railroad line to Mexico on the spot, where Schaffner has throw the unconscious Scarff off the train. But this is not Texas nor the USA, because all external shots were filmed in southern Spain. So we see the still today single track of the broad gauge Sevilla to Cordoba main line.

Badly injured Scarff (Paul Nagy) drags himself up the embankment and is rescued by passing Johnny (David Knight) in his Ford tow truck.

In the rented 1948 Buick Roadmaster, with Dolores on the back seat, Schaffner passes "Sam's Garage" somewhere nearby Flowerville. But it seems like a realistic-looking backdrop under the sun of Andalusia alongside one of the gravel roads, close to the railroad line mentioned before.

Shortly after that Johnny's tow truck with Scarff stops in front of the diner of "Sam's Motel". Probably another set building right next to the garage.

Guarded by Johnny, Schaffner arrives at the US customs on the north bank of the Rio Grande. But in reality, we are on the south bank of the Guadalquivir river looking towards the Puente de hierro (Iron bridge), representing the boundary bridge thanks to the specially built portico and US customs building.

As the Mexican border guards across the bridge realize that a government-wanted political assassin probably sits behind the wheel of the Buick, Schaffner is escorted under heavy guard into the border town of Catrina. In fact we see the outskirts of Lora del Río, a rural town close to the Río Guadalquivir, located in the province of Sevilla.

Under high speed the car approaches the square in front of the church and comes to a halt at the entrance to the police station, surrounded by the curious crowd. Many of the facades alongside the Calle Roda Arriba were painted in light colours for the filming and provided with signs mixed between English and Spanish to imitate the various shops and offices needed for the plot. Francisco Javier Mena Jaramillo confirms the Lora del Río location adding that Plaza Santa Ana appears to the left with the Biblioteca Pública to the top left.

Schaffner leaves the "Hotel Turista" to make his way to the police station, while Dolores waits near the entrance. In reality we see the property at Plaza de España, 4, specially masquerade for the movie as the "best hotel in town". Wayne Nelson tells us that he has tried to find more about Dolores and only knows that she was a rescue dog from Liverpool and casting revenue allowed the setting up of a home in her name.

In the distance Johnny watches at the funeral procession for Scarff approaching the square in front of the Santa Ana Hermitage. The night before Scarff was killed in "Sam's Motel" by the shootout with the US-Police.

The view towards Calle Bailén, where Johnny's wife Mary (Marla Landi), following the funeral procession a little behind, reaches the corner of the church, later converted into a public library.

The donkey cart with the coffin, followed only by Scarff's widow with her infant in the arms, drives past slowly the "Banco Comercial Mexicano", where Schaffner is trying to get the money. Another specially masquerade property, located at Calle Roda Arriba, 33.

Facing from Calle Roda Arriba toward the then Molino de los Coroneles (Colonel's mill), standing in for the "Inspección de Policía", while the people make their way to a fiesta. Today, at the corner with the now existing Calle Miguel Hernández, there is a modern apartment block, hosting a branch of the "Caja Rural" bank.

After Scarff's sudden death, it becomes increasingly difficult for Schaffner. As a result, he secretly tries to leave the town and takes the 1932 Dodge coach towards Mexico City. Filmed somewhere in the outskirts of Lora del Río.

Behind Rod Steiger standing in front of the "Hotel Turista", the corner of Plaza de España by the Ayuntamiento (town hall), which stands in as the post office, can be recognized.

With the help of Dolores Scotland Yard tries to lure the totally desperate Schaffner, meanwhile living in the gutter, to the American side of the "International Bridge". Facing from the north bank of Río Guadalquivir towards the Puente de hierro with a length of nearly 300 m, inaugurated in 1929.