The Man from the Alamo (1953)

Director:

Budd Boetticher

Writers:

Steve Fisher (screenplay) and
D.D. Beauchamp (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

24 August 1953 (Sweden)

Genre:

History | Western

Tagline:

Out Of Texas' Bravest Hour... Came The Man They Called The Coward

Plot:

During the war for Texas independence, one man leaves the Alamo before the end (chosen by lot to help...

Plot Keywords:

Wagon Train | Alamo | Texas | One Armed Man | Deception

Awards:

Won Golden Globe.

Cast

Glenn Ford	...	John Stroud
Julie Adams	...	Beth Anders (as Julia Adams)
Chill Wills	...	John Gage
Hugh O'Brian	...	Lt. Tom Lamar
Victor Jory	...	Jess Wade
Neville Brand	...	Dawes
John Daheim	...	Cavish (as John Day)
Myra Marsh	...	Ma Anders
Jeanne Cooper	...	Kate Lamar
Marc Cavell	...	Carlos (as Mark Cavell)
Edward Norris	...	Mapes
Guy Williams	...	Sergeant McCauley

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | Norway:12 (1957) (cut) | Norway:16 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #16344) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The revolvers employed by many of the characters all date from after the American Civil War (1861-1865). The film is set between the Battle of the Alamo (February/March 1836) and the Battle of San Jacinto (April, 1836).

Quotes:

[Reb is complaining about being cooped up in the Alamo]
John Stroud: If you get tired of it here, why don't you walk out?
Reb: I think the biggest mistake I ever made was when I walked in.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Budd Boetticher: A Man Can Do That (2005) (TV)

Excellent western from the master of tight action

Glenn Ford plays the only survivor of the Alamo -- not a very popular man in Texas. Of course, the story gives him a good excuse -- he drew lots with some other Alamo soldiers to see who would go west to defend their homes from Texan bandits hired by the Mexicans, but the families were already dead when he gets there -- but nobody wants to believe him, except one lovely woman on the wagon train he sets out to defend. Only problem is his strategy of siding with the bandits to get into their confidence puts him in a nearly impossible situation.

A well-made film, with convincing action and gritty characters. Unlike other Boetticher westerns, here the scale of the film is "epic" as the future of the West hangs in the balance. Ford makes a surprisingly good substitute for Randolph Scott or John Wayne.