Escape from Fort Bravo (1953)

Nice effects though.

How sad is this?

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

If you want it in a nutshell, this is a good Western, but not a great Western (although I have an idea the people making this film thought it was a great Western). I enjoyed it...once...but I won't watch it again.The scenery is great, and although the film obviously needs restoration, there was something about the photograph that seems a bit awkward at times. A small but interesting point is that the film was made, in part, near Lupton, Arizona, and one of the supporting actors was John Lupton.Here's what I find interesting about this film. At the beginning of the film William Holden's character is so repulsive and cruel that -- at least for me -- one begins to root for the Confederates, which is helped along by the Confederate leader being John Forsythe.To a degree, the film seems a bit formulaic in spots, but it's a decent enough plot to hold your attention...although getting Eleanor Parker into Fort Bravo seemed a bit contrived...but you have to have a love interest. And, it was almost disappointing that the cavalry rides in to the rescue at the end of the film, although not all our characters survive.William Holden seemed uneven in this role. Not very good early on, later better at romance than I expected, and his character somewhat redeems himself toward the end; I doubt he's remembered for this film, but he's okay.Eleanor Parker was a very good actress, and I liked her here. John Forsythe seemed very likable as the Confederate leader; he played that well. As I was watching I was thinking about what a versatile character actor William Demarest was, here as a Confederate soldier. Even with a small role, I didn't realize Polly Bergen was in the cast; of course, this was the time in her career when she also played foil to Martin & Lewis in 3 films. Richard Anderson is a forgotten character actor that was always pretty decent. Howard McNear (Floyd the barber) is here, as well, in a somewhat more key supporting role (though he still doesn't get a lot of screen time).It's a decent Western, better than average, but probably not that memorable.

That could be a very nice movie, with an excellent cast of luminaries (William Holden as Captain Roper Eleanor Parker as Carla Forester John Forsythe as Captain John Marsh William Demarest as Campbell William Campbell as Cabot Young Polly Bergen as Alice Owens Richard Anderson as Lieutenant Beecher Carl Benton Reid as Colonel Owens John Lupton as Bailey), with seemingly good plot - Union camp for Cofederate prisoners of war, the seemingly excellent nature would also provide a big welcome addition... but the whole thing falls flat. First, the worst element of the movie is a hilariously cheap pavilion shoot, which spoils half of the outside scenes. The low quality of props, hollow sound, bad light make this all a miserable view. Then, the slow and somewhat dragging tempo spoils more. And finally, all the known clichés are here, too. The blood-thirsty Indians are here, the valiant heroes and blonde beauties are here. No, that does not hold well/// Only for Civil War movies completists

Escape from Fort Bravo is directed by John Sturges and collectively written by Michael Pate, Phillip Rock, Frank Fenton and John Forsythe. It stars William Holden, Eleanor Parker, John Forsythe, William Demarest & William Campbell. Jeff Alexander scores the music and Robert Surtees photographs it primarily in and around Death Valley in California, USA."In 1863 while the War Between the States still raged, a large group of Confederate prisoners were held in a sun baked stockade at Fort Bravo, Arizona Territory. Captor and Captive - - these men in blue and grey - - eyed each other with hatred. In the wilderness around them a common enemy eyed them both - - the deadly Mescalero Indians"Escape from Fort Bravo has some notable points of interest that go with it. 1953 was the year that William Holden went "A" list and started to get "big" money, along side this picture he also made Stalag 17 and picked up the Best Actor Oscar for his efforts. The film also serves notice of what a fine director of action John Sturges would become, he of course would go on from here to be known for such film's like Bad Day at Black Rock, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape. Of interest, too, is that the film was shot in the rarely heard of Ansco Color. Ansco Color was the American off shoot of the German Agfa Color, used notably by MGM, Ansco would eventually evolve into Metrocolor.As for the film itself? Entertaining and efficient with just enough in its last quarter to keep it away from merely being routine. The premise is a solid one, we have a unique situation where the prisoners of this stockade are not manacled or locked up. Such is the harshness of the surrounding desert and the hostile Indians that dwell there, Holden's tough and grizzled Union Captain doesn't feel the need to properly incarcerate the men. We then get a crafty "infiltration" of the stockade and it's here where the film sags a little as too much time is spent on fleshing out a potential romance. Thankfully Sturges pulls it all together for a grand last quarter that sees enemies forced to come together in the hope of surviving. It's here where we are treated to some psychological warfare and a memorable form of attack from the Mescalero's.The acting across the board is effective, with Holden naturally the stand out doing one of his moody turns, while Surtees brilliantly captures the beauty, yet perfect harshness, of Death Valley. Major plus point is the score from the often forgotten Jeff Alexander (Jailhouse Rock/Party Girl). The title song for the film is "Yellow Stripes" by Stan Jones, this is reworked to good effect throughout, this is also notable for being used in John Ford's Rio Grande in 1950. There's the tender strains of "Soothe My Lonely Heart" (also used in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) and Alexander cleverly mixes that up to portray the pace and tones within the piece. It's a top score that wouldn't have been out of place in an "A" Western.There's some distracting sound stage work that belie the fine work of Surtees' outdoor shooting, and the afore mentioned overkill of tedium as the romance angle is stretched too far. But it's a good production and never less than enjoyable. 7/10

Tough-as-nails Cavalry officer William Holden prepares to protect a fort full of Confederate prisoners of war against an impending Indian uprising, while the rebels plot their escape with the help of a visiting beauty.Escape From Fort Bravo looks great but it's too slow and ultimately forgettable. Splendid locations and photography only barely manages to help mask the fact that, despite a few very short bursts of action, nothing worthwhile happens for a very long time.Holden's character fails to illicit any emotions from the viewer in either way. He's neither likable enough or ruthless enough and just isn't very interesting, even when he tries to romance the girl. What could she possibly see in him?Things pick up in the fairly exciting final thirty minutes. By then it's a little to late.With Holden's considerable star-power, the great talent of director John Sturges, and the weight of MGM behind it, this should have been a lot better!