The Last Command (1955)

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  • THE LAST COMMAND


    DIRECTED AND PRODUCED BY FRANK LLOYD
    REPUBLIC PICTURES

    Photo with the courtesy of lasbugas

    INFORMATION FROM IMDb


    Plot Summary
    Moderate Jim Bowie leads rebellious Texicans--and Davy Crockett--in a
    last-ditch stand against his old friend, Santa Anna.


    Full Cast
    Sterling Hayden ... Jim Bowie
    Anna Maria Alberghetti ... Consuelo de Quesada
    Richard Carlson ... William B. Travis
    Arthur Hunnicutt ... Davy Crockett
    Ernest Borgnine ... Mike Radin
    J. Carrol Naish ... General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana
    Ben Cooper ... Jeb Lacey
    John Russell ... Lt. Dickinson
    Virginia Grey ... Mrs. Dickinson
    Jim Davis ... Ben Evans
    Eduard Franz ... Lorenzo de Quesada
    Otto Kruger ... Stephen F. Austin
    Russell Simpson ... The Parson
    Roy Roberts ... Dr. Summerfield
    Slim Pickens ... Abe
    Hugh Sanders ... Sam Houston
    Rico Alaniz ... Tomas (uncredited)
    Fernando Alvarado ... Groom (uncredited)
    Morris Ankrum ... Military Governor Juan Bradburn (uncredited)
    Argentina Brunetti ... Maria (uncredited)
    Robert Burton ... Business Man in Cantina (uncredited)
    Cheryl Callaway ... Dickinson's Little Girl (uncredited)
    Edward Colmans ... Scout Seguin (uncredited)
    James Conaty ... Party Guest (uncredited)
    Steve Darrell ... Irate Texan in Cantina (uncredited)
    Abel Fernandez ... Spanish Soldier (uncredited)
    Robert 'Buzz' Henry ... Alamo Defender (uncredited)
    Pepe Hern ... Seguin's Son (uncredited)
    Tom Hernández ... Aide (uncredited)
    Kenner G. Kemp ... Man at Meeting (uncredited)
    Don Kennedy ... Bonham (uncredited)
    Tyler MacDuff ... Messenger (uncredited)
    Kermit Maynard ... Cantina Barfly (uncredited)
    Alex Montoya ... Mexican Colonel (uncredited)
    Alberto Morin ... Mexican Official (uncredited)
    George Navarro ... Mexican Lieutenant (uncredited)
    Vicente Padula ... General Cos (uncredited)
    Post Park ... Coach Driver (uncredited)
    Walter Reed ... Irate Texan in Cantina (uncredited)
    Buddy Roosevelt ... Alamo Defender (uncredited)
    Charles Stevens ... Peon Villager (uncredited)
    Ken Terrell ... Alamo Defender (uncredited)
    Harry Woods ... Irate Texan in Cantina (uncredited)
    Joe Yrigoyen ... Alamo Defender (uncredited)


    Writing Credits
    Warren Duff (screenplay)
    Sy Bartlett (story)


    Original Music
    Max Steiner


    Cinematography
    Jack A. Marta


    Goofs
    Crew or equipment visible
    When General Santa Ana's men and horses charge toward the Alamo, the tire tracks of the camera truck are visible in front of the horses.


    Filming Locations
    Brackettville, Texas, USA
    Hobbs Ranch, Brackettville, Texas, USA
    Universal Studios Hollywood - 1000 Universal Studios Blvd, Universal City, California, USA

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited 4 times, last by ethanedwards ().

  • The Last Command is a 1955 Trucolor film about
    Jim Bowie and the fall of the Alamo during the Texas War of Independence.
    Filmed by Republic Pictures, it was an unusually expensive undertaking for the low-budget studio.



    The film was originally set to be produced and directed by John Wayne but Wayne
    and Republic Pictures head Herbert Yates wanted Wayne to star, not produce or direct.
    Wayne left Republic to form Wayne-Fellows Productions.
    Five years later, Wayne would play Davy Crockett in, as well as direct, the three-hours-plus Todd-AO production
    The Alamo, released by United Artists that featured many elements of The Last Command in its screenplay.


    Max Steiner's theme song for The Last Command, "Jim Bowie", is sung by musical film star Gordon MacRae,
    who that year (1955) was starring in the smash hit film Oklahoma!,
    adapted from the famous Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.



    Released during the Walt Disney Davy Crockett frenzy, the film follows Jim Bowie (Sterling Hayden)
    who was initially a friend to Generalissimo Antonio López de Santa Anna (J. Carroll Naish)
    but now sides with the Texians in their bid for independence.
    from Wikipedia


    User Review

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited 4 times, last by ethanedwards ().

  • really enjoyed this film,sterling hayden and ernest borgnine gave a solid performance's.good action scene's aswell.

  • The part about parts of the Last Command script ending up in the Alamo is really the other way around. John Wayne and James Edward Grant already had the script that Wayne wanted to use way back in the late 40's for the Alamo movie he wanted to do. When Yates refused to allow Wayne to direct & produce his version, Wayne left Republic to start Batjac. But the script stayed with Yates who used some of it when he decided to make an Alamo movie focused on Jim Bowie.

  • Hi


    One of my all time favourite pictures. its a pity that Yates interferred in the post production, it would have saved Duke a great deal of money. But I suppose from the ashes of the Last Command rose the later Alamo.


    Regards


    Arthur

    Walk Tall - Talk Low

  • Arthur Hunnicutt steals the show with every line he says! He doesn't look like the real Crockett, but hell, neither did Fess Parker.
    Borgnine, Slim Pickens, Jim Davis and Russell Simpson are all memorable, but Hayden plays Bowie like a zombie in a trance.
    The battle scenes are full of great stunt work, much better than the 2004 version.



    We deal in lead, friend.

  • Yep, Hayden always struck me that way in most of his films. Fortunately, even with the low budget, the action and the rest of the cast made up for him.

  • Never seen this film but will have to track it down purely on the strength of these amazing stills!


    Peter, I enjoyed the film, and it is interesting to compare
    this movie with The Alamo.
    Mind you, I did find having a stupid looking Davy Crockett a bit off putting,
    compared to Dukes portrayal!

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

  • Since this seems of interest, I have time to post a few more. I read somewhere that this title is on the list of Olive Films releases for last year. The best copy I have is a dvd I downloaded from TCM HD.
    The stunt work is fantastic!