Rod Serling's first original screenplay for the Big Screen was the psychological western Saddle the Wind. In one of his best performances, Robert Taylor plays Steve Sinclair, a world-weary gunslinger. Hoping to become a rancher, Sinclair is given a plot of land by patriarchal Dr. Deneen (Donald Crisp), on the proviso that Steve tries to curb the violent tendencies of his younger brother Tony (John Cassavetes). Unfortunately, Tony is not so easily controlled; he not only seethes with sibling rivalry, but also takes near-orgasmic delight in his gunslinging skills. Determined to prove to Steve and to his saloon-girl paramour Joan Blake (Julie London) that his shooting prowess somehow makes him a superior being, Tony brings tragedy to all concerned. Elmer Bernstein's overemphatic musical score is ideally suited to the larger-than-life histrionics of Saddle the Wind. Hal Erickson, Rovi
A nail-biting Indian deadlock remains the climax of this otherwise overly verbose Western filmed in M-G-M's then-new Ansco colors (forerunner of Eastmancolor). After ruthlessly dragging an escaped prisoner through the Arizona desert, Union Army Captain Roper (William Holden) suffers rebuke from both the rebel prisoners and his commanding officer (Carl Benton Reid). Things settles down a bit with the arrival of Carla Forester (Eleanor Parker), with whom Roper falls in love. But Carla proves to be a Confederate spy assigned to engender the escape of Captain Marsh (John Forsythe), the Rebel leader. The plan succeeds to a point but the escapees are hunted down by Roper and Lieutenant Beecher (Richard Anderson). Returning to Fort Bravo with his prisoners, Roper and his captives ride right into a Mescalero Apache hunting party. Filmed on location at California's Death Valley, Escape from Fort Bravo was co-written by Australian-born actor Michael Pate. Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
Adapted from a novel by Theodore V. Olsen, The Stalking Moon opens in the Arizona of the Old West, as the U.S. calvary is in the process of relocating Native Americans to reservations. One of the calvary men is Sam Varner (Gregory Peck), an aging scout who is ready to retire to his New Mexico home after this mission. Varner is called upon to sneak into a small Apache camp in order to disarm the guards before the rest of his troupe rides in to round up the whole tribe. After the round-up, a white woman is discovered among the Americans. Her name is Sarah Carver (Eva Marie Saint), and she was captured ten years ago by a mysterious and vicious warrior named Salvaje (Nathaniel Narcsisco), who is not among those captured in the round-up. Held against her will, she now has a nine-year-old son by Salvaje. Although her English is very rusty from disuse, she lets Varner know that she and her son would like to be taken away from the tribe. He agrees to transport her to his home, and they set out together for New Mexico, having to overcome obstacles such as a sandstorm to get there. Along the way, they seem to sense that someone is following them, and after they arrive at Varner's cabin, they find themselves set upon by the vengeful Salvaje. Enlisting the aid of a half-breed scout Robert Forster that he raised from childhood, Varner tries to fend off Salvaje, who seems to be toying with them before moving in for the final kill. Craig Butler, Rovi
- Genre: Western
- Category Traditional Western, War Adventure, Indian Western, Comedy Western, Adventure Drama
- Theme: Haunted By the Past, Members of the Press, Prospectors and Land Rights, Sheriffs and Outlaws, Sibling Relationships, Treasure Hunts, Taming the West, White People Among Indians
- Studio: Warner Home Video
- Run Time: 10 hr 19 min
- Edition: Restored / Remastered
- Language: English
- Subtitle Language: English, French
- Picture Format: widescreen
- Release Date: August 26, 2008
- Lead Actor: Gregory Peck, Glenn Ford, Robert Taylor, William Holden, Eleanor Parker
- Supporting Actor: Ivan Triesault, Russell Thorson, Sandy Wyeth, Richard P. Beedle, Alex Montoya, Lou Frizzell, Dawn Little Sky, Henry "Harry" Morgan, Fred Graham, Phil Rich, Jay Adler, Howard McNear, Harry V. Cheshire, Glenn Strange, Joaquin Martinez, L.Q. Jones, Lonny Chapman, Valerie Vernon, Charles Tyner, Forrest Lewis, Frank Matts, Michael Dugan, Richard Bull, Rolf the Dog, Boyd "Red" Morgan, William Newell, Edward Little Sky, Frank Silvera, Henry Beckman, Eloise Hardt, Charles Stevens, Eva Marie Saint, Julie London, Maria Schell, Richard Widmark, Anne Baxter, Victor McLaglen, Patricia Owens, Robert Forster, John Forsythe, John Cassavetes, Noland Clay, Jeff Richards, Arthur O'Connell, Donald Crisp, William Demarest, Robert Middleton, Russ Tamblyn, Henry Silva, Charles McGraw, William Campbell, Nathaniel Narcisco, James Arness, John Lupton, DeForest Kelley, Mercedes McCambridge, Royal Dano, Vic Morrow, Richard Erdman, Burt Douglas, Alan Hale Jr., Richard Anderson, Eddie Firestone, Polly Bergen, Robert Keith, Douglas Spencer, John Hudson, Carl Benton Reid, Ray Teal, Rhys Williams, Josephine Hutchinson, Sig Rumann, David Opatoshu, Rosemary de Camp, Aline MacMahon, Russell Johnson, Lili Darvas, Edgar Buchanan, Ralph Moody, Mary Wickes, Abel Fernandez, George Brenlin, Vladimir Sokoloff, Buzz Martin, John Cason
- Director: Roy Rowland, Robert Mulligan, Anthony Mann, Robert Parrish, John Sturges