william holden character and in the civil war era western escape from fort bravo ( 1953 ) and have a very appropriate name . when we first see his capt . roper and he be drag an escaped confederate prisoner and by rope and across the desert while a not so subtle warning to any other reb who might be plan a similar break from the union fort and deep in the arizona territory . but when that escape come and lead by southern capt . marsh ( john forsythe ) and abet by texan belle carla forester ( eleanor parker ) and roper be force to follow the fugitive . even though the path lead straight into the country of the bloodthirsty mescalero apache . film in death valley national monument and in gorgeous color and escape from fort bravo showcases some truly spectacular scenery and not the least of which be eleanor herself . one of the 1950s most gorgeous of actress and she look absolutely ravish here and her famous red hair a wonder to behold . she would also appear the next year in another film the naked jungle feature man eat ant . ( oh and do i forget to mention that those mescaleros have a nasty habit of tie their prisoner to ant hill . ) escape boast a very tough talk script and with glint of humor come from the bickering between ( those great character actor ) williams demarest and campbell and and it final third be remarkably suspenseful and a roper and carla and the escaped reb be lay siege in a ditch and while the mescaleros pick them off with rifle shot and lob volley of arrow into their midst . director john sturges would go on to make three more classic western over the next seven year ( gunfight at the o. k. corral and last train from gun hill and and of course and the magnificent seven ) and and here turn what be basically a cavalry and injuns pic into a thing of real beauty and excitement . yes and i really do enjoy this one .