During the Civil War, Union captain at an Arizona fort chases down a group of deserters on their way to Texas (including the woman the captain loves, who aided in the band's escape),but all involved become trapped in a desert trench by bloodthirsty Indians. Director John Sturges' 18th film looks pretty fantastic when it ventures outdoors, due to Robert Surtees' robust cinematography. However, the M-G-M production suffers visually when mixing location shots with exterior scenes filmed in-doors (this despite foliage and a waterfall to compliment a fight sequence). Sturges keeps a fast pace, though the picture isn't tightly-wound; the narrative is episodic and drifts, with only William Holden's deeply-felt work in the lead to hold most of it together. Holden's captain, who rarely smiles and seldom has emotions, evolves into a strong, loyal character--he's the heart of this piece. I'm not sure how well-matched the actor is with Eleanor Parker (who does her usual blank-eyed, open-mouthed silent suffering),however his declaration of love for her is convincing, thanks to Holden's sincerity. The bravura third act heats up with tense excitement as the Indians close in. This is where Sturges really comes to the fore and shows what he can do with familiar material. **1/2 from ****

Released in 1953 and directed by John Sturges, "Escape from Fort Bravo" was always one of my top Westerns of the 1950s. It stars William Holden as Capt. Roper, who ruthlessly oversees a group of Confederate prisoners at a fort in the SW wilderness. John Forsythe plays Confederate prisoner Capt. Marsh and Eleanor Parker stars as Carla, a woman who visits the fort under the pretense of attending a wedding. As Roper falls for Carla, the Confederates take advantage of his love blinded-ness. When Roper goes after a group of escapees the soldiers have no recourse but to team up against a band of marauding Mescalero Indians.

William Holden was in his prime here, as was the breathtaking Eleanor Parker, both stunning examples of masculine strength and feminine charm respectively.

Although the soldiers rarely miss and the Natives rarely hit, the Indians are depicted in a realistic, respectable manner, showing ingenuity in their resolve to wipe out the pinned-down group of whites.

William Campbell, well-known for the lead Klingon in the original Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles" and less-so as the alien Trelane in "The Squire of Gothos," has a formidable supporting role as one of the escaping Confederates. He was almost fifteen years younger and barely recognizable.

While the events take place in 1865 the song played at the fort dance, "Mountains of Mourne," was written by Percy French 31 years later. Someone must've come back from the future.

FINAL WORD: I realize a lot of pre-60's Westerns come off eye-rolling or artificial, but "Escape from Fort Bravo," doesn't fall into that category; that is, aside from the dated opening tune and the aforementioned song at the dance, as well as the parts that were obviously shot in the studio, which was typical in that era.

The film runs 99 minutes and was shot in desolate regions of California (Semi Valley) and New Mexico (Gallup),including Death Valley National Park.

GRADE: B+

William Holden did Escape from Fort Bravo as a double loan out from his two studio employers, Paramount and Columbia. It would have been a wasted trip, but for the fact that he also did Executive Suite in the same package. Mr. Holden was much in demand after winning the Oscar for Stalag 17.

He's very much like Sefton from Stalag 17 only this time he's the jailer and up to all the tricks the prisoners have. He's second in command of a prison stockade in the west during the Civil War. And the prisoners and their jailers are surrounded by hostile Mescalero Apaches.

One trick he's not up to is the charms of Confederate agent Eleanor Parker. Coincidentally enough she's a friend of Polly Bergen who is post commandant Carl Benton Reid's daughter and she's arrived for Bergen's wedding to young Lieutenant Richard Anderson. But she's also sweet on Confederate captain John Forsythe and she's there to spring him.

Just why Forsythe's services are so desperately needed by the Confederacy is not gone into. In any event I would think that the Confederacy would try for a mass escape like in The Great Escape before using an agent to affect the escape of one man and some of his selected companions.

And what companions. Two feuding enlisted men William Demarest and William Campbell and a sensitive young lieutenant in John Lupton who already failed at an escape himself. Not the guys I'd take along.

Nevertheless Escape from Fort Bravo boasts of some great scenic photography in Death Valley and a very exciting last stand battle with the escapees and Holden facing certain death at the hands of the Mescaleros.

Director John Sturges and all the players involved did films a lot better than Escape from Fort Bravo.