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:

Stabbed In The Chest | Directed By Star | Explosion | 1830s | Alamo

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	...	Graciela Carmela Maria 'Flaca' de Lopez y Vejar
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:

New Zealand:G | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | 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:

Batjac Productions

Trivia:

John Wayne was a fan of The Kingston Trio's recording of "Remember the Alamo", composed by Jane Bowers, and wanted to use the song in the film. When, for various reasons, the rights to the song couldn't be obtained, Dimitri Tiomkin, who scored the film, and Paul Francis Webster wrote their own song for the film, "The Green Leaves of Summer".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the last Mexican army attack, a dead soldier folds his right arm, approaching his hand to his head.

Quotes:

Davy Crockett: Republic. I like the sound of the word. It means people can live free, talk free, go or come, buy or sell, be drunk or sober, however they choose. Some words give you a feeling. Republic is one of those words that makes me tight in the throat - the same tightness a man gets when his baby takes his first step or his first baby shaves and makes his first sound as a man. Some words can give you a feeling that makes your heart warm. Republic is one of those words.

Movie Connections:

Edited into How the West Was Won (1962)

Soundtrack:

Green Leaves of Summer

The FULL Version is Great, The Cut Version is Awful

This grand, over blown piece of Hollywood historical fable making is one the old Hollywood's last gasps. Its an old Hollywood star vehicle done at the start of the modern film era. Its far from realistic, but its a hell of a fun ride. In its full form its a grand epic that may not be one of the greatest films ever made but certainly in the second ring.

When the film was originally released this ran well over three hours. MGM wasn't thrilled, and hacked 40 minutes out of it for general release, despite numerous Oscar noms. Much of the subtler shades to the story went leaving a huge bloated and wrong headed tale of heroism at the Alamo.I can't really recommend the shorter version because its not very good. This is the version that was the only one you could see for years and its colored many peoples feelings towards the film which is a shame since its not a fair depiction of the events at the Alamo or the intentions of John Wayne.

The footage was thought lost until a print was discovered about ten or fifteen years ago and released to video and laserdisc. To see the full version is to have a night and day experience. Here in the full version we have real characters and not cartoons. The events suddenly have a weight missing from the shorter version. This is the version that should be seen, however the current DVD release of the Alamo by MGM is, the short release version of the film. That's a shame since since the missing minutes are the difference between a 9 out of 10 and a 6 out of 10.

If you can manage to see the full, uncut version do so, its worth the investment of time and popcorn.