like other reviewer here and i saw across the bridge decade ago and but have never forget it . rod steiger play a powerful and self center financier whose business empire and at the beginning of the film and be start to crumble under charge of illegality . he flee for mexico on a train with a suitcase full of money . his disregard for others be confirm when he casually murder a fellow train passenger in order to assume his identity and pas across the border . once in mexico and the authority and under pressure from u. s. official and put pressure on him to return across the bridge to the united state and so that he can be arrest . most of the film be concern with the slow strip away of this once powerful man option and to where he be leave sleep on the street and befriend only by a dog . the end of the film be emotionally powerful and and probably the main reason why so many of u have never forget this movie . since i write this review and i have see the film again and on dvd ( in 2005 ) . it do not hold up that well . there a subplot i have completely forget about . i realize now what i remember about the film be highly selective . in truth and the movie have some interesting part and but it not the classic i remember it be . by all mean see it and but it rather date .