Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

Rosie Searle It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Ed-Shullivan If you enjoy a good old fashioned western that takes place mainly in the hot desert sun with a band of hostile Mescalero Indians hiding behind nearly every mountain top in pursuit of both sides of fighting Civil War troops, the north and the south troops, then this old fashioned western will be right up your alley.William Holden plays Captain Roper, a take ALL prisoners kind of game warden who refuses to let even one confederate soldier make his escape across the desert. The Union's Captain Roper's main adversary is Confederate Captain John Marsh who is played by John forsythe.Now what would a good western be without these two rival Captain's one representing the southern states and the other representing the northern states be if there wasn't a good looking damsel in distress to fight over? Yes, the damsel these two captains are fighting over is Carla Forester, played by Eleanor Parker.To summarize, the north is winning the Civil war so the southern troops are trying to escape from Fort Bravo (thus the title) but they have to travel through the hot and unforgiving desert and Captain Roper will chase anyone down, including the woman he is falling deep in love with, that being Carla Forester who is also on the run.Fifty (50) years ago I would have had nightmares after watching the Mescalero Indians striking fear in the troops as they tried to hold off the Indians in the desert. But now I just sit back and enjoy a good old fashioned western which I would classify this feature film in the category of "Good".I give the film a 6 out of 10 rating

jacobs-greenwood Directed by John Sturges, this average Western set in 1863 combines elements of the Civil War with the struggle against the Mescalero Indians in settling the West. The Union Army maintains the titled stockade for some Southern Confederate prisoners in Arizona (actually filmed in Death Valley, California).Given the remote, desert location, the prisoners aren't likely to attempt escape without horses, or the guns needed to defend themselves against the Natives. So, it works pretty well. However, when one of the Southerners (John Lupton) does escape, Captain Roper (William Holden) feels it's necessary to make an example of him to keep others from trying the same - he makes him walk back! Captain Marsh (John Forsythe), as the leader of the Confederates, is not too happy about Roper's cruel and unusual punishment, but has a plan for he and a few others to escape. These others include the coward Bailey (Lupton), crotchety old Campbell (William Demarest), and young "buck" Cabot (William Campbell). Campbell and Cabot maintain a love-hate relationship.Colonel Owens (Carl Benton Reid) isn't too pleased with Roper's exhibition either, but he also realizes that Roper is the soldier who always gets his man too. Roper's subordinate, Lieutenant Beecher (Richard Anderson), who's about to marry the Colonel's daughter Alice (Polly Bergen), doesn't approve of Roper's methods either. Alice's cousin, Carla Forester (Eleanor Parker), comes to visit. En- route, Carla's stagecoach is attacked by some Mescaleros such that she's rescued by Roper's men on patrol. Alex Montoya and Western veteran Glenn Strange appear, uncredited, as Sergeants under Roper's command.Roper soon falls for the lovely, bold newcomer who we soon learn is betrothed to Marsh, and part of his escape plan. While Roper is distracted by his infatuation with Carla, she plots with the local storekeeper, and Southern sympathizer Watson (Howard McNear, uncredited) to affect their escape during the Beecher-Owen wedding reception. Later, it is clear that Carla has feelings for Roper such that she feels she too must escape with Marsh et al.Of course, Roper must pursue the escapees. Even though he knows, per the Colonel, that he was duped by Carla, he fears for her life because of the Mescalero Indians. Not exactly trusting his commander's intentions, the newlywed Beecher insists on going along as well. Naturally, Roper (and the few he takes with him) catches up with them, perhaps too easily, but on the way back to Fort Bravo, they are attacked by the Mescaleros.Under siege by superior numbers, Roper uses his military experience to find them the best possible place to mount their defense, a dugout. This "hole" works well, except for the fact that it is soon surrounded, leaving them, with limited water supplies and no horses, trapped. With virtually no other options, the soldiers, Union and Confederate, work together to stay alive. The film's most interesting action (battle) sequences, which include its climax, follow. Carla figures in the equation too.

Wuchak 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+

jpdoherty A movie that is somewhat underrated and unintentionally overlooked in "favourite westerns" discussions ESCAPE FROM FORT BRAVO is nevertheless an excellent and true classic western! Produced by MGM in 1953 it was richly photographed in Ansco color by the great Robert Surtees and sparkingly written by Frank Fenton along with the uncredited Michael Pate. Skillfully directed by John Sturges this was his first great success with the western genre. Set in a remote Union outpost for captured confederate prisoners during the Civil War, Sturges set out to give the story an authentic look so he filmed in the stunning locations of Death Valley and in and around the New Mexico Badlands. In a 1970 interview the director said he greatly regretted that he never got to make the picture in Cinemascope as he had planned. He had missed the full development of the process by just a few weeks. The first Cinemascope movie "The Robe" was released by Fox at the same time.William Holden, in one of his best parts, plays union Captain Roper a formidable hard-bitten taskmaster over the prisoners. Nobody escapes from Bravo! If they do Roper finds them and brings them back! The opening of the film has him doing just that as he drags escapee (John Lupton) back to the fort on foot and on the end of a rope to the chagrin of the other prisoners. Even Bravo's commanding officer (Carl Benton Reid) thinks he is too harsh ("Roper when I see you work at soldiering - I'm glad we're in the same army"). On a visit to the Fort for a wedding is the lovely Carla Forester (Eleanor Parker) whose real business is to arrange for the escape of her confederate officer lover (John Forsyth) and three of his men while at the same time ensuring Captain Roper falls for her charms, little suspecting that she herself would fall in love with him. Eventually they do make good their escape and the remainder of the picture has Roper and his troop in hot pursuit after them through dangerous Mescalero Apache territory culminating in a a very exciting sequence towards the end of the picture - when after a terrific chase by the Apaches - captor and captured are pinned down by the indians in a desert gully. Now together Union and confederate unite in a last ditch stand against a common enemy!Adding greatly to the proceedings is a terrific score by the almost forgotten composer Jeff Alexander. This is the best thing this composer has ever done especially the beautiful ballad he wrote "Soothe My Lonely Heart" which is sung in the picture by Stan Jones. Jones himself wrote the rousing Cavalry song heard over the opening and closing credits.A wonderful exciting movie that every fan will want in their collection now that it's available on DVD. Good one Sturges!!Classic line from "Escape From Fort Bravo"........ As the young confederate serviceman (William Cambell) says impatiently to veteran (William Demarest)............. "How did a decrepit old man like you ever get in the war?". Prompting the retort from Demarest "Cause all the smart young men like you was losin' it".