Genres:
Western
Historical Film
Release Date: 01/01/2001
Sound: 5.1/2/1
Run Time:
Flags: Questionable for Children
Distributor/Studio: MGM
John Wayne's directorial debut
The Alamo is set in 1836:
Wayne plays Col.
Davy Crockett, who, together with Colonels
Jim Bowie (
Richard Widmark) and
William Travis (
Laurence Harvey) and 184 hardy Americans and Texicans, defends the Alamo mission against the troops of Mexican general
Santa Ana. There's a lot of macho byplay before the actual attack, including the famous "letter" scene in which
Wayne craftily rouses the patriotic ire of his subordinates. Also appearing are
Richard Boone as
Sam Houston, and
Chill Wills (whose somewhat tasteless Oscar campaign has since become legendary in the annals of shameless self-promotion) as Beekeeper.
Wayne's production crew was compelled to reconstruct the Alamo in Bracketville, Texas, about a hundred miles from the actual site.
Dimitri Tiomkin's score, including
The Green Leaves of Summer, received generous airplay on the Top-40 radio outlets of America. Rumors persist that
Wayne's old pal
John Ford directed most of
The Alamo; cut to 161 minutes for its general release, the film was restored to its original, 192-minute length in 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
;)
