Copyright 1958 by Batjac-Romina. No New York opening. U.S. release: January 1959. U.K. release: 2 November 1958 (sic). Australian release: 23 April 1959. 6,856 feet. 76 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Soon after the end of the Civil War, an ex-Confederate captain and his young daughter make a perilous journey through Indian country as they seek a new future in the north-west. VIEWERS' GUIDE: Lots of action, but the British Board of Film Censors didn't cut so much as a foot and they awarded the film a Universal Exhibition certificate way back in 1958. So who are we to argue?COMMENT: A taut and exciting little western, with more than enough action to satisfy the most demanding fans. In fact there's enough plot twists to keep any audience involved. True, the characters are much the usual stereotypes, but the players put them all across with commendable force and vitality. Even Victor Mature paints a likable portrait. It must be admitted that neither Elaine Stewart nor Faith Domergue are overly well-groomed or super attractively made up. This lack of superficial beauty may disappoint some of their followers, though I thought it made their presence in the picture more realistic. CinemaScope is engagingly utilized in the capable hands of director Francis D. Lyon. Not only is the action presented with maximum impact, but the frame arrangements — especially during early dialogue scenes — often make strikingly effective use of the full width of the anamorphic screen. Speaking of dialogue, it's indisputable that many "B" westerns fall down badly in this respect. But not "Escort West". No doubt actor Leo Gordon who co-wrote the screenplay, saw to it that the talk was much more natural and far less clichéd than the norm. Production values are well above average. Executive producer John Wayne has not stinted on funds for location filming and has engaged a most competent team of technicians to support the first-rate cast. If you don't like "Escort West", better give all "B" westerns a miss. This is as good as they get.

"Escort West" is interesting little low budget Black and White western about the efforts of an ex-confederate soldier Ben Lassiter (Victor Mature) and his daughter Abbey (Reba Waters) to reach Oregon and a new life.Set in 1865 just after the Civil War, Lassiter finds that not all of the old wounds have healed. At a way station he meets two sisters Beth Drury (Elaine Stewart) and her sister Martha (Faith Domergue) who are in the company of a cavalry detachment. Martha bears a resentment of Lassiter because of the war.Later on the trail Lassiter finds the cavalry detachment massacred except for quartermaster Nelson Walker (Rex Ingram) and the two ladies whom he had hidden away. The unlikely party then proceeds toward another army group who unbeknownst to them is pinned down under fire from the Indian renegade Tago (X. Brands) who is also in pursuit of the Lassiter group.Director Francis D. Lyon had the luxury of a seasoned cast of veterans although in some cases he doesn't take advantage of them often under utilizing their talents. Also in the cast are Noah Beery Jr., Leo Gordon (who co-wrote the story), Ken Curtis, William Ching, John Hubbard, Harry Carey Jr., Slim Pickens and Roy Barcroft as various soldiers.Victor Mature was always an under rated actor. He was usually better than his material as is the case here. Acting kudos in this film go to the veteran actor Rex Ingram who gives a sympathetic performance as the doomed Walker. Faith Domergue is one who never quite made it but is probably best remembered for her dalliance with Howard Hughes. Ken Curtis went on to portray "Festus Hagen" in the long running TV series "Gunsmoke".

This is a low budget Western that is a little corny, but highly watchable. Here are its good points:Excellent Civil War theme.Victor Mature is pretty good in the leadVery nice supporting cast with Slim Pickens, Harry Carey Jr., Leo Gordon and Ken Curtis.Story moves along nicely and holds interest. Only a couple of plot holes/inconsistenciesfilmed on location, although only in greater L.A. area, not "Nevada".Here's what dragged it downLittle girl is horribly corny and almost ruins movieFemale lead characters are weak and the actresses are lousy.Whole plot is on the thin side i.e. not that much really happens in this.Indians are not characterized.

"Gunsight Ridge" director Francis D. Lyon's "Escort West" ranks as an average, occasionally tense, but thoroughly predictable black & white, 76-minute, B-movie cavalry versus the redskins western with few surprises. Victor Mature of John Ford's classic "My Darling Clementine" and a number of other seasoned western stalwarts, among them Noah Beery, Jr., Slim Pickens, Harry Carey, Jr., Ken Curtis, and Leo Gordon, flesh out a solid cast that includes Elaine Stewart of "Night Passage" and Faith Domergue of "This Island Earth." The Indians on the rampage in this oater are renegade Modocs that have been outlawed by their own tribe. This United Artists release benefits from the widescreen cinematography of William Clothier who lensed many John Wayne horse operas, among them "Big Jake," "The Horse Soldiers," "The Train Robbers," "Chism," "Rio Lobo," "The Undefeated," "McClintock!," "The Comancheros," "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," "Cheyenne Autumn," and "The Alamo." When Clothier wasn't photographing John Wayne in the saddle, he was shooting James Stewart in "Bandolero!," "Firecreek," "The Rare Breed," "The Cheyenne Social Club," and "Shenandoah." Why the "Escort West" producers—particularly an uncredited John Wayne--did not see fit to shoot this adventure yarn in color is a mystery because it would have enhanced the colorful scenery and made the gray uniform that Mature sports stand out against the blue uniforms that the cavalrymen wear.The action takes place in Nevada in 1865, not long after the American Civil War. A former Confederate officer, Captain Ben Lassiter (Victor Mature sans a southern accent), and his young daughter, Abbey (TV actress Reba Waters), are riding to Oregon to live with his late wife's sister when they encounter a U.S. Cavalry patrol at the way station. The cavalry are taking two sisters, Beth Drury (Elaine Stewart) and Martha Drury (Faith Domergue), to meet an army escort. Beth plans to marry U.S. Cavalry Captain Howard Poole (William Ching of "The Sea Hornet") while Martha plans to head to the more civilized environs of San Francisco. Martha is snobbish, selfish, and when he sees Lassiter's gray uniform, she drips with venom, because the man that she was supposed to wed died in the Civil War. One character expresses his amazement that Beth and Martha are sisters. The cavalry patrol pulls out while Ben and Abbey hang around to dine.Later, when Ben and Abbey catch up with the cavalry patrol at the next way station, they discover that the savage, bloodthirsty Modocs have massacred everybody. Two troopers, Vogel (Leo Gordon of "Tobruk") and Birch (Ken Curtis of "Gunsmoke"), were out scouting when the Indians struck the way station. Ben comes across a old African-American, Nelson (Rex Ingram of "Cabin in the Sky"), who has been shot in the lower leg and has been faking that he is dead. Nelson tells Ben about the two Drury sisters hidden in a cellar. The entire way station has been burnt to a crisp, but the Modocs haven't touched the Army Payroll. Ben fixes up a litter to carry Nelson on and they strike out. While all of this is happening, Captain Poole and his men are pinned down by several Modoc marksmen, led by Tago (X Brands of "Gunmen from Laredo"), and they are gradually whittling down the cavalrymen.Eventually, Ben and company come upon Vogel and Birch. Abbey lets slip that they saved the payroll and Vogel pulls a gun on an unsuspecting Ben, and then Birch and he seize the money. Vogel doesn't have a qualm about killing the two women, Abbey, and Ben, until Birch complains.Perennial villain Leo Gordon penned the screenplay with Fred Hartsook and Steve Hayes of "Time After Time," and most of the action is cat and mouse stuff with our white heroes trying to outwit the redskins. "Escort West" looks and sounds like your typical western. It isn't bad, but it isn't anything to remember beyond the presence of Mature who looks out of place as a southerner.