a movie that be somewhat underrated and unintentionally overlook in favourite western discussion escape from fort bravo be nevertheless an excellent and true classic western . produce by mgm in 1953 it be richly photograph in ansco color by the great robert surtees and sparkingly write by frank fenton along with the uncredited michael pate . skillfully direct by john sturges this be his first great success with the western genre . set in a remote union outpost for captured confederate prisoner during the civil war and sturges set out to give the story an authentic look so he film in the stunning location of death valley and in and around the new mexico badlands . in a 1970 interview the director say he greatly regret that he never get to make the picture in cinemascope a he have plan . he have miss the full development of the process by just a few week . the first cinemascope movie the robe be release by fox at the same time . william holden and in one of his best part and play union captain roper a formidable hard bitten taskmaster over the prisoner . nobody escape from bravo . if they do roper find them and bring them back . the opening of the film have him do just that a he drag escapee ( john lupton ) back to the fort on foot and on the end of a rope to the chagrin of the other prisoner . even bravo command officer ( carl benton reid ) think he be too harsh ( roper when i see you work at soldier i be glad be in the same army ) . on a visit to the fort for a wedding be the lovely carla forester ( eleanor parker ) whose real business be to arrange for the escape of her confederate officer lover ( john forsyth ) and three of his men while at the same time ensure captain roper fall for her charm and little suspecting that she herself would fall in love with him . eventually they do make good their escape and the remainder of the picture have roper and his troop in hot pursuit after them through dangerous mescalero apache territory culminate in a a very exciting sequence towards the end of the picture when after a terrific chase by the apache captor and capture be pin down by the indian in a desert gully . now together union and confederate unite in a last ditch stand against a common enemy . add greatly to the proceeding be a terrific score by the almost forget composer jeff alexander . this be the best thing this composer have ever do especially the beautiful ballad he write soothe my lonely heart which be sing in the picture by stan jones . jones himself write the rouse cavalry song heard over the opening and closing credit . a wonderful exciting movie that every fan will want in their collection now that it available on dvd . good one sturges . classic line from escape from fort bravo . a the young confederate serviceman ( william cambell ) say impatiently to veteran ( william demarest ) . how do a decrepit old man like you ever get in the war . prompt the retort from demarest cause all the smart young men like you be losin it .