Escape from Fort Bravo (1953)
Escape from Fort Bravo (1953), directed by John Sturges.
In 1863 the Union is -- for some reason -- keeping Confederate prisoners at a remote fort in the southwest. Dour William Holden specializes in bringing back escapees, while the army already has its hands full with marauding Mescaleros. Fiery Eleanor Parker arrives for a wedding and makes eyes at the cavalry captain, and we begin to suspect all is not as it appears...
This is a sturdy, well-made western/civil war/romance picture with better than usual adult plot development. Union and Confederates are treated equally well, though the rebel prisoners are, of course, a bit more rebellious. Some fine camera work: Sturges was better than your average action director.
Holden is always thinking, always reserved in a manly way. Parker gets a break from her usual terrified or distraught female roles and is clever, strong and decisive.
Misc notes:
The carbines are single-shot breech-loaders, which may be correct, although I forget who had those in the Civil War, and in what quantity. The revolvers look like cowboy six-guns from a few years later.
When our characters are pinned down the Mescaleros fire massed ranging arrow volleys. A nice visual effect I don't remember seeing in a western before.
Who picked the site for that fort? It's surrounded by overhanging hills.
Are there really lush waterfalls in Death Valley?
One of the Death Valley locations looks just like a spot used in Zabriskie Point (1970). That chemically corroded "badlands" look.
The score is lovely during the romance bits.
Mixed on-location and studio shots. The soundstages aren't bad, but still take us out of the story.
Photographed by Robert Surtees.
The DVD image is often soft, but the color rather fine. Filmed in "Anscocolor", which I don't remember seeing in credits before. Also known as "Agfacolor".
