Escape from Fort Bravo

A southern belle (Eleanor Parker) distracts a hardened Union soldier (William Holden) guarding a group of Confederate prisoners.

Escape from Fort Bravo may take a while to get going, but once it’s off and running (literally) it really works.

The film’s first half, which deals with Eleanor Parker’s character’s gradual seduction of William Holden’s, is passable, if a little tedious. The Anscocolor photography and Holden’s charisma are about the only standouts.

Once the actual escape happens though, things really kick into gear. Director John Sturges shows a great knack handling the action, and the Death Valley locations help open the film up. Everything culminates in a tense, well-staged finale that’s littered with great dialog (love the line about artillery!).