The Alamo (1960)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

John Wayne

Writer:

James Edward Grant (original screenplay)

Release Date:

24 October 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History | War | Western

Tagline:

They stood firing until they could stand no longer...156 MEN AGAINST A RAGING ARMY OF 7000!

Plot:

In 1836 General Santa Anna and the Mexican army is sweeping across Texas. To be able to stop him, General...

Plot Keywords:

Mexican | Texas | Mission | Bowie Knife | Tree Stump

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 6 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

John Wayne	...	Col. Davy Crockett
Richard Widmark	...	Jim Bowie
Laurence Harvey	...	Col. William Travis
Frankie Avalon	...	Smitty
Patrick Wayne	...	Capt. James Butler Bonham
Linda Cristal	...	'Flaca'
Joan O'Brien	...	Mrs. Sue Dickinson
Chill Wills	...	Beekeeper
Joseph Calleia	...	Juan Seguin
Ken Curtis	...	Capt. Almeron Dickinson
Carlos Arruza	...	Lt. Reyes
Jester Hairston	...	Jethro
Veda Ann Borg	...	Blind Nell Robertson
John Dierkes	...	Jocko Robertson
Denver Pyle	...	Thimblerig (the Gambler)

Runtime:

167 min | UK:203 min (25 fps) (director's cut) (1993 video release) | USA:140 min (1967 re-release) | USA:192 min (roadshow version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | New Zealand:G | USA:Approved ( certificate #19635) | UK:PG | Australia:G (VHS rating) | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Alamo Village - Highway 674, Brackettville, Texas, USA

Company:

Alamo Company, The

Trivia:

John Wayne partially financed this film himself. During shooting, the film was delayed due to various production problems. Wayne was under so much pressure, he smoked cigarettes almost non-stop when not acting.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Crockett and his men arrive at the Alamo, he stops and is standing with his rifle across his body in both hands. When the camera angle changes, the rifle is upright and he is leaning on it.

Quotes:

Gen. Sam Houston: Where's Jim Bowie?
Captain James Butler Bonham: He's indisposed, sir.
Gen. Sam Houston: Indisposed? By God if you mean drunk, you say drunk, sir!
Captain James Butler Bonham: He's drunk, sir!

Movie Connections:

Version of The Alamo (2004)

Soundtrack:

Green Leaves of Summer

If you love the uncut version, then DON'T buy the new DVD

I love this movie as much as anyone, but the recently released DVD is inexplicably almost half an hour shorter than the version of this film that has been in release on video and laserdisc for years. Why, oh why MGM/UA did this, I don't know, but I know I am not keeping my copy of it. I got worried when this new version didn't have an overture...but I can live without that. However, when Richard Widmark's first scene occurred and over half of it was missing, I could only groan.

Shame on you MGM/UA. This movie is more than a classic for a good many of us. You should release the cut that you have been putting out for years now, the one that is 3 hours, 10 mins.