The Alamo (1960)

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:

Texas | Mexican | Army | Sam Houston | Mission

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 originally intended that Richard Widmark should play Davy Crockett, while Wayne himself would have taken the small role of Sam Houston so he could focus his energy on directing the picture. However, Wayne was only able to get financial backing if he played one of the main parts, so he decided to play Crockett and cast Widmark as Jim Bowie.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The opening scene of the movie shows Sam Houston giving orders to William Barrett Travis to hold off the Mexican army until he could build an army. In reality he sent Travis to the Alamo to help Jim Bowie burn it down and retreat to Gonzales, Texas. Bowie and Travis ignored the order.

Quotes:

Col. Davy Crockett: Step down off your high horse, Mister. You don't get lard unless you boil the hog!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Soundtrack:

Eyes of Texas

John Wayne's Massive Tribute to Texas Terrific!

Viewed as history, John Wayne's epic production of 'The Alamo' is as full of holes as Swiss Cheese (the final battle actually lasted less than an hour, in the pre-dawn darkness of March 6, 1836; current scholarly consensus is that the historical Crockett attempted to surrender, at the end of the furious onslaught, but was executed), but just as Wayne mentor John Ford never let 'the facts' interfere with a good story, first-time director Wayne wanted to tell a tale of larger-than-life heroes, taking a stand for what was right, and being willing to die for that cause. It was a firm belief in these truths that pushed Wayne into investing over ten years of his life, and much of his personal fortune, in telling this story, and 'The Alamo' was, and is, a triumph.

The film can really be broken into two distinct parts; the first part introduces the characters, providing insights into their personalities, and tells a melodramatic tale of a beautiful woman (the radiant Linda Cristal), being forced into an unwilling relationship with an evil, profiteering Texan, who is rescued by the plain-spoken and heroic Davy Crockett, as portrayed by Wayne. The story bears similarities to 'The Fighting Kentuckian', a Wayne vehicle of twelve years earlier. In this version, however, Wayne doesn't 'win' the girl, but gives her a rather preachy speech about patriotism, and doing what's right, and sends her on her way.

Despite a terrific fight scene between a bunch of the Texan's henchmen, and Crockett and Jim Bowie (portrayed with easy charm by Richard Widmark), this first part drags, a bit, and seems contrived to allow Wayne to air his political beliefs. Bear with it, though, because when the action moves to the mission/fortress of the Alamo, for the second half of the film, Wayne's talents as a director truly shine.

The story of the 13-day siege between the Alamo's 187 defenders, and General Santa Anna's 6,000-man army, has NEVER been told on a grander scale than in the John Wayne version, and the uncut edition of the film is presented in a wide-screen format, which allows the viewer to really share Wayne's vision. With a nod to the fact that the Mexico of today is a staunch ally (several characters make a point of saying how 'proud' they are of the Mexicans, even as the two forces are killing each other!), the story flows between exciting 'victories' (stealing the cattle, spiking the Mexican cannons), and an understanding of the inevitable conclusion (defined by Lawrence Harvey, as Travis, in the memorable 'sword in the sand' scene). Harvey's Travis is the best-realized of the film's many characters; he brings a humanity to the complex, driven commander, growing from someone insensitive to others, into a leader who earns everyone's respect.

Wayne used thousands of Mexicans as extras in the film, which gives the viewer a far greater sense of the magnitude of the siege than Republic's 'The Last Command' or Disney's 'Davy Crockett' ever could. The battles, particularly the final one, as row after row of Mexican foot-soldiers overrun the pockets of defenders, are unforgettable! Each character is allowed to die heroically, and is given a lingering moment to make a final gesture (Travis breaks his sword over his knee as Mexicans surge past, Bowie fires his unique gun, a brace of pistols, and swings his famous knife, Crockett, bayoneted to a door, still manages to pull free, and torch the magazine). The film's climax, alone, would make the film a 'must' for any action fan.

The cast includes many well-known character actors and long-time Wayne friends, including Ken Curtis as Lt. Dickinson, Travis's adjutant; Chill Wills as the most outspoken of Crockett's men; Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams, Denver Pyle, Chuck Roberson, and many others, as defenders. Wayne's son, Patrick, has a small but visible role as James Butler Bonham, the famous Alamo dispatch rider, and his daughter Aissa plays the Dickinson's child, Angelina.

'The Alamo', for all it's faults, is a magnificent spectacle, monumental in scope. It is a fitting tribute to it's star/director, and an ESSENTIAL part of any John Wayne collection!