Escape From Fort Bravo

MGM presents "ESCAPE FROM FORT BRAVO" (9 December 1953) (98 mins/Color) (Dolby digitally remastered) -- Our story line and plot, In the Civil War, Fort Bravo is a prison camp for captured southerners --- Its isolated position and unfriendly natives make escape almost impossible, but anyone who tries is always brought back by by-the-book Captain Roper (William Holden) --- Another Captain John Marsh (John Forsythe) a Confederate and a group of prisoners hatch a plot to get away by bringing in a southern belle Carla Forester (Eleanor Parker) to distract Roper --- The plan seems to work, but the inhospitable desert, the murderous Indians, and - most importantly - the Colonel apparently wronged in love mean that this is only the start --- William Holden and John Forsythe both love Parker --- Besides the three main leads mentioned above, the supporting cast includes William Demerest, William Campbell, Richard Anderson, Polly Bergen, and in a pre "Broken Arrow" role, John Lupton --- Campbell and Demerest do provide some comic relief, playing off each other's abilities, but the lead actors do carry the picture and prevent it from becoming just another Cavalry-Indians western --- Filmed on location at California's Death Valley, "Escape from Fort Bravo" was co-written by Australian-born actor Michael Pate --- Another brilliant John Sturges film with excellent directing. <br /> <br />Under the production staff of: <br />John Sturges - Director <br />Nicholas Nayfack - Producer <br />Frank Fenton - Screenwriter <br />Michael Pate - Screen Story <br />Philip Rock - Screen Story <br />Robert Surtees - Cinematographer <br />Jeff Alexander - Songwriter / Composer (Music Score) <br />Stan Jones - Songwriter <br />George Boemler - Editor <br />Malcolm Brown - Art Director <br />Cedric Gibbons - Art Director <br />Ralph S. Hurst - Set Designer <br />Edwin B. Willis - Set Designer <br />Helen Rose - Costume Designer <br />Warren Newcombe - Special Effects <br /> <br />SPECIAL FEATURES: <br />BIOS: <br />1. William Holden (aka: William Franklin Beedle Jr.) <br />Date of Birth: 17 April 1918 - O'Fallon, Illinois <br />Date of Death: 16 November 1981 - Santa Monica, California <br /> <br />2. Eleanor Parker <br />Date of Birth: 26 June 1922 - Cedarville, Ohio <br />Date of Death: Still Living <br /> <br />3. John Forsythe (aka: John Lincoln Freund) <br />Date of Birth: 29 January 1918 - Penn's Grove, New Jersey <br />Date of Death: Still Living <br /> <br />4. John Sturges (Director) <br />Date of Birth: 3 January 1911 - Oak Park, Illinois <br />Date of Death: 18 August 1992 - San Luis Obispo, California <br /> <br />the cast includes: <br />William Holden ... Capt. Roper <br /> Eleanor Parker ... Carla Forester <br /> John Forsythe ... Capt. John Marsh <br /> William Demarest ... Campbell <br /> William Campbell ... Cabot Young <br /> Polly Bergen ... Alice Owens <br /> Richard Anderson ... Lt. Beecher <br /> Carl Benton Reid ... Col. Owens <br /> John Lupton ... Bailey <br /> Fred Graham ... Jones <br /> Charles Stevens ... Eilota <br /> Glenn Strange ... Sgt. Compton <br /> <br />Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for B-Westerns and Serials --- If you're into the memories of B-Westerns with high drama, this is the one you've been anxiously waiting for --- please stand up and take a bow Western Classics --- all my heroes have been cowboys! <br /> <br />Total Time: 98 mins on DVD ~ Warner Home Video ~ (8/26/2008)