The Alamo (1960)

 John Wayne's heartfelt epic on a heavily cut DVD
With the exception of the recent Billy Bob Thornton retelling of the tale, few epics have had quite as bad a press as John Wayne's The Alamo. If it is not the masterpiece Wayne set out to make, it is also certainly not the disaster it is often painted. Even financially the film eventually turned a very healthy profit, although the staggered nature of its roadshow release meant that it didn't do so quickly enough to save Wayne from having to sell his share in the picture he had invested so much in.

Very much a personal crusade, he raised the $12m budget partially from a trio of Texas millionaires and from his own pocket. The set and surrounding village were actually built three years before shooting, ostensibly so that vegetation could grow naturally around it, though problems raising the budget seem more likely. Nonetheless, the film's much-trumpeted great pains to look authentic extends to the casting, enhanced by some of the great faces in the supporting cast, not least of them the irreplaceable Hank Worden, replacing Old Mose Harper's desire for a rockin' chair for 'the time to live and a place to die' in one of his best performances as the Parson. Laurence Harvey, a man reputedly in life as innately impossible to like as his character in The Manchurian Candidate, carries the dramatic element as Travis more than efficiently, while Wayne and Widmark give perfect demonstrations of fleshing out a part through star quality as Davey Crockett and Jim Bowie.

Along with 55 Days at Peking, this was the biggest of the siege epics of the sixties (Zulu, Khartoum, The War Lord), recounting a somewhat romanticised version of the iconic battle that saw some 185 men hold off 7000 Mexican soldiers for thirteen days. Very much a populist epic, it is broadly entertaining but with a quiet dignity at its heart, and while there is sentiment, it is pure and honest enough not to seem desperately manipulative. Wayne's direction is a strong point, with a good visual eye that owes nothing to John Ford (who had less to do with the film than is commonly believed and nothing to do with the truly spectacular battle scenes) and a surprising generosity to friend and foe alike.

There are many moments of pure visual poetry, too - a rider galloping through a stream, defeated Mexican troops reflected in a muddy pond while their women carry away the bodies of their loved ones and the astonishing finale where the screen is packed to bursting with thousands of extras. The cavalry sequences in particular are strikingly well handled, with a healthy respect for the horses (unlike many sixties epics, none were hurt or killed). True, it sure is a long time a-comin', but if there's a more spectacular battle scene on film this side of Bondarchuk's Waterloo, I've not seen it.

Unfortunately, the DVD is something of a travesty. Facing personal bankruptcy, two weeks after the film opened Wayne asked his producer son Michael to cut the film to get in more shows to improve its cash flow - the film was popular, but at nearly three-and-a-half hours was limited to only two shows a day at a handful of theatres. No prizes for guessing which version MGM/UA have chosen to release. Although the uncut version was available on video and laser disc, the company's rationale for releasing the cut version to DVD was that since there were no foreign language soundtracks surviving for the uncut version and they were committed to releasing multiple-language versions, the cut version was preferable to subtitling the film for foreign languages. To add insult to injury, even the hour-long documentary produced for the laserdisc release has been cut back to 40 minutes to paper over any mention of the restored version!

As a result, some half an hour of footage is now missing once again not much more than a decade after it was restored. Even the Overture, Intermission, Entr'acte and Exit Music from Dimitri Tiomkin's superb score have been lost. The only positive is that the widescreen transfer at least makes the most of Wayne and cinematographer William Clothier's careful Scope compositions - and films like this are what Scope is all about.

As for what you're missing, much of the extra running time was taken up by slightly extended scenes, such as Travis' explaining why he knows "I am better than that rabble" that he commands, crucial to understanding his character. Nonetheless, there are several 'new' scenes, the more significant additions including: more of Bowie's opening scene and various bridging scenes enlarging on his conflict with Travis; the death of the profiteer Emil when he tries to stop Crockett taking the gunpowder from the church and a subsequent love scene between Crockett and Flacca; nearly a full reel after the Intermission where Bowie decides to leave the Alamo but is dissuaded by Patrick Wayne reluctantly lying about the number of reinforcements on their way; Scotty's patrol discovering the cattle and coming off badly at the hands of some pursuing Mexican Lancers and Dragoons; and the death of Parson and Crockett's quietly effective prayer.

Even if to some the film still felt too long at 203 minutes (and frankly, it do), none of these scenes should have been the ones to be cut, and their restoration helped the film flow more smoothly than the shorter version. Worse, it's not an isolated incident - MGM/UA meted out similar treatment to the restored version of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World] on DVD, while some other titles like The Dogs of War and F*I*S*T are available in two different cuts on either side of the Atlantic.

The film's reputation may limit its appeal to Wayne's fans and the epic collector, but it's a fine film that deserves better treatment on DVD than it received. December 30, 2007

 The greatest film of all time
It is the greatest, period. Let's start by dispensing with criticism it is historically inaccurate. This is about the legend of the Alamo. It is not a PBS documentary. So as another reviewer has said, let's move on. Now back to the Alamo. Great stars (50s giants at the peak of their powers, Wayne, Widmark, Harvey, Boone), legendary film score by Tiomkin, superb acting and dialogue. As the trailer used to say, "Four years in the making" and a cast of thousands. Perfectly framed technicolor scenes.

What got me as a 4th grader in 1960, and many more times since then, were the heroic, perhaps over the top, last stands of the Alamo's big three: Wayne's Davy run through by a bayonet yet summoning enough strength to torch the powder room and blow up half the Alamo. Bowie, laid low by a cannonball, taking out fifteen attackers with his seven barrel shotgun, then two pistols, and then his meat cleaver-sized knife, yes, the "Bowie knife." And Colonel Travis outfencing four attackers before one shoots him, but breaking his sword across his knee in a final act of defiance. I think it is the Wayne's film's depiction of the line in the sand scene (although his version does not involve the drawing of a physical line) that sets it apart from other Alamo films. Wayne's gets right what other Alamo films get wrong. Others show the Alamo defenders shamed or bullied into staying after the news the Alamo is about to fall. In the Wayne film, Travis tells his troops, "Go not with your heads hung low. You are brave and noble soldiers." In Wayne's version, whether they stay or flee will be totally left up to them. Their decision to stay thus is clearly an act of courage. Watching Bowie, crippled by a horse fall, get off of his horse and walk over (to, in effect, cross the line in the sand) as the first man to stand 'side Travis, a man Bowie had despised (at least in the movie), is one of the most dramatic scenes of all time. It does not matter what version you see by the way: the DVD shows the cut version which deletes Tiomkin's legendary overture, intermission, entre'acte, and exit music and leaves out scenes such as Parsons's powerful death scene from the longer so-called road show version (which is shown on VHS and several times a year on cable's TCM or public television). But the cut version does move faster and works better as an action film. Both versions are five stars. Now that the swirl of politics which prevented any rational evaluation of the film during Wayne's lifetime has passed, we can fully appreciate this cinematic achievement. Enjoy the film's greatness for it will never be duplicated. No? Just ask the makers of the unfortunate Billy Bob Alamo remake. November 22, 2007

 Greatness.
A truly great film. A very accurate portrayal of this historical event. Well directed and well acted. Stirring and heart-wrenching. A beautiful, glorious, fine, fine, fine movie. September 6, 2007

 Despite some flaws, one of the best
Of Hollywood's efforts to produce a great Alamo movie, John Wayne's 1960 production remains out in front. Yes, it has its historical and technical flaws, but these do not detract from the overall portrayal of the situation and main events. Its scope and its "you are there" feeling clearly stand out.

The film's general tone is quite in contrast to that of the recent (2004) movie of the same name with Billy Bob Thornton as Crockett, of which another reviewer has aptly noted: "Where the battle, as depicted in the new film, shows scared men doing the best they can to stay alive, the 1960 Wayne film shows a more heroic stand, men selling their lives dearly." In a word, the newer version is more "politically correct" according to some currently popular worldviews, with its portrayal of the main heroes with "warts and all" often distracting from their decisive roles as defenders of Texas independence and individual liberty. (See my Amazon review of that movie.) Nonetheless, in both films the 183 Alamo defenders are shown as having made the fateful choice to remain and fight despite the hopeless odds -- each having been given the chance to leave when Colonel Travis frankly described to them their dire situation in what turned out to be the third day before main the attack, and all fell as a result -- an American Thermopylae indeed!

Many criticisms of the Wayne film by some reviewers are misplaced even where, strictly speaking, correct. Actually, the final assault on the Alamo took place in the darkness well before dawn. Still, its being portrayed here in broad daylight does allow the unfolding of some of the most impressive battle scenes ever filmed. Among other criticisms that have been leveled, many are trivial and shallow. In the end, what real difference does it make whether Crockett habitually wore a coonskin cap or not, whether he preferred being called "Davy" or "David," or whether the pre-battle sorties to sabotage a big enemy cannon, or heisting and stampeding cattle into the Alamo for food, were invented for the film or not? (A cattle raid of sorts did take place, but sooner, much nearer the walls and netted about 30 head, not the couple of hundred or so filmed.) These two scenes add interest and in a larger sense well portray the defenders' resourcefulness and determination which, from all we do know, were certainly not lacking. After all, this is a MOVIE, not strict history, and a bit of pictorial and dramatic license is not amiss; those wanting "just the facts" (known, that is) can easily find them elsewhere.

Similarly, Crockett's brief liason with the beautiful and cultured young Mexican widow is more than just entertaining but points out early that a significant number of political aware Mexicans in Texas were determined opponents of Santa Anna's dictatorship: Some "Tejanos" in fact supported the mostly Anglo "Texicans," even as leaders who fought alongside them -- most notably Juan Seguín, whose heroic role in bringing the Alamo's appeal for help to Houston through Mexican lines, however, is rather misleadingly usurped by the engaging teenager "Smitty," played by Frankie Avalon. (Although in fact a brave teenager named James Allen did gallop away with Travis's last plea to Fannin at Goliad to the south, it was Juan Seguín who earlier brought Travis's message east to commander-in-chief Houston -- the film conflates the two, with Seguín's more consequential role lost.) The film portrays Mexicans with respect throughout, even as adversaries.

Principles of freedom are portrayed frankly and without apology in Crockett's and others' remarks. Such principles really were held very widely and fervently at the time -- however much they are so often downplayed and even lampooned today.

Bowie's incapacitating illness is rather conspicuously missing, however (his only "ailment" being shown as a fractured leg suffered in the bombardment, hastily splinted so he could carry on). As convincingly played by Richmard Widmark, Bowie's prickly disputes with Travis, however, are appropriately emphasized. Lawrence Harvey's portrayal of Travis is simply superb on all counts, as is Richard Boone's brief portrayal of Houston.

Since the film ends at the Alamo's fall, the subsequent defeat of Santa Anna at San Jacinto some six weeks later by Houston, made possible in large part by the unyielding stand at the Alamo, is not shown. In dramatic terms this makes sense, as covering the aftermath, although informative for the uninitiated, would be rather anticlimactic and reduce the full impact of the film's main event. (Note that the recent movie of the same title, with Dennis Quaid as Houston, does briefly cover this. For further observations on San Jacinto, see my review of that film.)

A real standout in the movie is the wonderful music provided by Dimitri Tiomkin, by turns stirring and inspiring. It draws one into the story to an extent few scores have been able to do. In this setting "The Green Leaves of Summer" is one of the most moving songs ever committed to film, especially its choral background rendition in the scene during the evening before the final assault.

Of all his films I've seen, I believe this is John Wayne's most convincing performance, despite -- or maybe partly because of -- his taking on the demanding and perhaps excessive burdens of producing and directing as well. And also, despite his inexperience in the latter two departments (as noted in the DVD's accompanying documentary on the making of the movie), the overall result is still a deeply satisfying and basically true drama. Wayne quit his association from his longtime studio, Republic, and sunk much of his personal fortune into making this film, for which we owe him profound thanks. Those who wish to probe more deeply and straighten out the known details of the story (though many will never be known since no defenders survived) can delve into books such as Walter Lord's excellent, consise and readable "A Time to Stand", which includes both background and aftermath; it also outlines major areas of contention concerning disputed points. Also, Albert A. Nofi's "The Alamo" is well worth a read as it highlights many fascinating aspects often not dealt with elsewhere.

Since I have not as yet seen the "Director's Cut" on VHS and Laserdisk (compared to which many reviewers have declared the present DVD is flawed on account of scenes cut for theater release), I cannot comment on that. But I can say that despite those cuts, the DVD nonetheless presents a sweeping and mostly coherent impression of the events portrayed. A point of interest is that the included documentary on the film's production happens to show, very interestingly, how much the original celluloid film has faded in picture quality in the nearly half-century since being shot -- the restoration of both color and sound for the DVD's main content is magnificent. Digital technology came along just in time to save many classic films. One hopes that a similarly restored full Director's Cut will be made available in this widescreen format in the future.

The film's flaws such as those noted above are enough to deny it 5 stars here, but if a full 10-point scale were allowed I'd unhesitatingly give it a 9. August 26, 2007

 The Alamo John Wayne's view
This movie was a life long dream of John Wayn. He had wanted to make it for many years and finally in 1960 he was able to give the world his vision. It has great action sequences and the battles are among the best you can find. Detail in the costumes is great. It does have a large part of the movie being used as a platform for Mr. Wayne's political views but it is worth a watch. June 27, 2007

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