The Alamo (1960)

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  • Fun film, highly recommended. Even if there was allot of problems getting things together before, during and after the filming.

    Life is hard, its even harder when your stupid!!
    -John Wayne

  • I have a special place in my heart for "The Alamo," partly because it was made only 125 miles from here and, of course, depicts the historical events surrounding the shrine here in 1836. We were able to follow news reports of the making of the film and the big party for the world premiere here was televised. I think the uncut version of this is one of Duke's great achievements, however beset by problems and financial difficulties.
    The recent remake of "The Alamo" is only a pale attempt at depicting the story. In its determination to be politically correct, it lost a lot of entertainment value and was just downright dull.
    Duke's version is by far the best!
    Cheers - Jay :D:D

    Cheers - Jay:beer:
    "Not hardly!!!"

  • Even though The Searchers is probably considered Waynes best film ever, this one is my absolute favorite. Accuracy, smackuracy, I never cared what mistakes there were in the telling of the story, I just love this movie. Hell, it was nominated for Best Picture, that has to tell you something. It didn't get that for nothing.
    You're right Keith, the set looks alot different than it did when the movie was made. In fact, a good chunk of the set was destroyed during the filming. Parts of the north wall, where the Mexican army came through were knocked down. About 1/3 of the south wall, from the corner where a good chunk scenes were done was bulldozed by Wayne for the closing scenes. And, the upstairs where Travis HQ's was was blown up for battle scenes that were never in the final cut. Those scenes were of the Mexicans turning the cannon around at the southwest corner and shooting at the HQ where some Texians retreated to. There were also scenes filmed of fighting on the stairway that were never used. A very large part of the rear of the church was also destroyed which you can see in the movie near the end of the battle. I've got some photos that were given to me by a friend who worked down there during the 70's. This guy also has a few pieces of the set that he brought home, plus, he has about a dozen Mexican uniforms from the movie that he acquired a couple of years ago. His biggest prize is the model he built himself of the Alamo set that looks identical to the way it looked in the movie. He spared no detail. it takes up about 1/4 of his basement and is about 12 feet long and 6 feet wide.
    The set nowadays looks a bit the same but, there are notable differences. The south wall has been restored but, there is a large gate in the center to move film equipment in and out. The upstairs has been replaced but, looks nothing the same and has a large pink hump on top. There's also a portico in front of it and the stairway is long gone. The north wall has been replaced but, looks nothing like from the movie. And the in the church, a large ramp goes up to the back, which is historically right but, was not in the movie, plus, the inside of the church is quite different form the movie. You can go up the gun ramps on the set but, you're not allowed to up on the walls. Supposed to be unsafe. And the rooms or barracks you see in the movie are boarded up. You can see inside through the door cracks but, there's nothing them but, junk wood. Also, in the scene where Bowie chases Crockett into the hospital after getting soaked? That part of the set is still original, including the stairway and right around the corner is a set of rest rooms that were built for the cast and crew and now tourists. Camera angles prevent them from being seen during the movie. Also, in the town, all the building from the movie that represented San Antonio are still there but, others have been added over the years for other movies that were made there.
    Remember the scenes where Crockett and Flaca go up and down the stairs to and from her room? The stairs go nowhere. Just up and stop. the rest of those scenes were done on a set at Fort Clark, a few miles away in Bracketville. Still, if you haven't been there, it's worth the trip. I've been twice in the last 5 yrs and love every minute of being there. And, you'll be surprised just how small the set really is compared to the real Alamo compund.

  • On the Cutting Room Floor

    There are 12 scenes totalling 31 minutes cut from the original release,
    which ran 192+ minutes.

    1.A drunken Bowie, finds Travis in charge.
    2.Travis and Dickinson, discuss, Jefferson.
    3.Emil, is killed by Crockett, who tells Flaca, the news.
    4.Flaca and Mrs. Guy, talking, as settlers leave.
    5.Bowie defends Smitty.
    6.Crockett and Bowie, discuss pyrotechnics.
    7.Crockett tells Flaca, about a ridgepole.
    8.Travis and Bowie argue as Bonham arrives.
    9.A patrol suffers casualties,re-inforcements arrive, and Lisa Dickinsons Birthday party.
    10.The parson dies, as Crockett prays.
    11.Religious beliefs are discussed, before the battle.
    12.A line of dialogue by Bowie, is missing as the North wall falls/

    Other cuts include, the Overture,Intermission, and End music.

    I have the full version, and it certainly enhances and makes the story line
    much more flowing, with these pieces restored.

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

  • You're right Keith, it does. Wouldn't it be great if they found some more lost footage, especially the battle scenes I mentioned. There's even one, and you can see it on the documentary on the DVD and VHS Directors Cut that shows Wayne grabbing the head off a lance of one Mexican lancer and throwing into the chest of another right after he comes down from the flag pole hill. I also have a tape which I've since recorded to DVD of some home movies taken by one of the extras on the movie that shows Crockett on the flag pole hill and you can see the Mexicans flooding into the plaza from the north wall area. As it pans to the left, you can see Mexicans on the southwest corner begin to turn the cannon around to fire at the long barracks. All that film is probably long gone now and that's a shame. It would've certainly added to the scope of the battle.

  • Memorable Quotes


    Jim Bowie: I've never had anything to say about that long-winded jackanapes, but he sure does know a way how to start a war.


    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.


    [repeated phrase]
    Tennessean: It do!


    Davy Crockett: It was like I was empty. Well, I'm not empty anymore. That's what's important, to feel useful in this old world, to hit a lick against what's wrong for what's right even though you get walloped for saying that word. Now I may sound like a Bible beater yelling up a revival at a river crossing camp meeting, but that don't change the truth none. There's right and there's wrong. You got to do one or the other. You do the one and you're living. You do the other and you may be walking around, but you're dead as a beaver hat.


    Gen. Sam Houston: Where's Jim Bowie?
    Captain James Butler Bonham: He's indisposed, sir.
    Gen. Sam Houston: Indisposed? By God if you mean drunk, you say drunk, sir!
    Captain James Butler Bonham: He's drunk, sir!


    Smitty: So many times every day you stop and give thanks, but mostly I don't catch on what you're thanking the Lord for. I mean, there's nothing special.
    Parson: I give thanks for the time and for the place.
    Smitty: The time and the place, Parson?
    Parson: The time to live and the place to die. That's all any man gets. No more, no less.


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


    Gen. Sam Houston: Travis, I've never been able to like you. But you are one of the very few men I would trust with the life of Texas.


    Col. Davy Crockett: Travis says Fannin's coming.
    Jim Bowie: Travis says! I wouldn't take Travis' word that night's dark and day's light!


    Tennesseean: We sure killed many brave men today.
    Thimblerig: Funny, I was proud of 'em. Even while I was killing 'em, I was proud of 'em. It speaks well for men that so many ain't afraid to die when they think right is on their side. It speaks well.


    [the Alamo garrison is informed that no reinforcements are coming]
    Jim Bowie: Well, that's it. I'm taking my men out of here now. Cutting through to the north. You coming?
    Davy Crockett: Seems like the better part of valor.


    Travis' man: Hey, Davy! Is it true that you and Mike Fink fought a three day fight on the Mississippi?
    Davy Crockett: That's just an example of the tall tales folks tell about me! Me and Mike fought all right, but we quit at dark. It wouldn't of been the third day until the next morning!
    [Laughs and rides off]


    INFORMATION IMDb

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

  • Quote

    Originally posted by smokey@Jan 23 2006, 08:58 AM
    to see a shakesperian actor play the part of travis and pull it of well is a treat.

    [snapback]25726[/snapback]



    Laurence Harvey kept cast and crew entertained with Shakespearean dialogue done in a Southern accent.
    Cheers - Jay :D

    Cheers - Jay:beer:
    "Not hardly!!!"

  • I have a video of the ABC special from 1960, Spirit of the Alamo, which was meant to give some publicity to the movie by showing scenes of the movie and tell about building the movie site. It has Harvey standing on the balcony of what's supposed to be the San Antonio Hotel and quoting Shakespeare but, in a cultured southern accent.

  • This film was truly a labor of love on the part of John Wayne, and there is so much to like about it, as has been pointed out by so many others ahead of me. We especially enjoy the sweeping score by Dmitri Tiomkin. It was one of the first movies we watched on our HDTV last year - it was incredible!


    Deep Discount DVD has the movie for under $10.


    Available from Amazonis "The Alamo: Original Uncut Version (1960)" in VHS. They also have The Alamo available on DVD.


    Chester :newyear:

  • Chill Wills and The Alamo fiasco

    This is a piece I will be posting in Pals Of The Saddle


    Hi,
    Chill Wills, character actor, and liked by Duke, although it's a wonder,
    he ever spoke to him again, after almost totally losing Duke an Alamo
    oscar, by his own personal comments!!

    When Chill Wills was nominated for an Oscar, for his supporting role in The Alamo,
    he campaigned so aggressively for the award, many felt he lost,
    because voters grew tired of seeing his trade paper ads.
    His electioneering was tasteless, at best.
    A full page ad in the Hollywood Reporter,
    showed the cast and crew, standing in front of The Alamo, replica,
    with the caption,

    We of The Alamo cast are praying harder,
    than the real Texans prayed for their lives in the real Alamo,for Chill Wills,
    to win the Oscar.


    The copy read,
    Cousin Chill's acting was great,
    The noticed was signed,
    Your Alamo cousins

    Academy voters, and the general public, resented this ploy.
    Russell Birdwell, the movies, publicist, added his misguided views,
    and the movie, fell into a form of Hollywood disrepute.
    In hindsight Duke, should have kept his eye on the ball.

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

  • Hi Keith - I always wondered why Duke selected Chill Wills to be in "McLintock" when he and Birdwell pretty well sunk chances for "The Alamo" to get any major Oscar award with their antics. Duke fired Birdwell after this fiasco, but evidently retained some kind of relationship with Wills.
    Cheers - Jay <_<

    Cheers - Jay:beer:
    "Not hardly!!!"

  • I heard this story years ago, regarding Wills campaign for BSA. It was said that Groucho Marx, upon seeing the ad that Wills took out sent him a note saying, "Dear Chill, I'm very glad to see that we're cousins but, I'm voting for Sal Mineo". True? I don't know but, I've heard it repeated many times over the years.

  • Hi WaynamoJim,

    Quote

    Dear Mr. Chill Wills;
    I am delighted, to be your cousin, but I voted for Sal Mineo


    This was indeed was true, and it was published,
    in The New York Times, Atlanta Constitution,
    Los Angeles Times. Hollywood Reporter, and San Antonio Light,
    all between March and April 1961.

    Hope this helps to clear the un-certainty?

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

  • Can someone tell me if there is a DVD version of the Alamo that has the same scenes as the VHS tape. In the DVD version I have some scenes have been edited out and they are very important scenes. If anyone can help me I would appreciate an email at [email protected]. Thanks so much

  • Hi Mike and welcome.


    Your question has been brought up numerous times on the board and unfortunately we don't have the answer you are looking for. The extended version at this time is only on the tape and we have yet to find it on a DVD. Perform a search on the board and you will see numerous topics talking about this.


    Again, welcome to the board and we hope you stick around and join in on the conversations.

    Life is hard, its even harder when your stupid!!
    -John Wayne

  • mikec1010,


    To answer your question in a nutshell, there was only one copy of the Director's Cut of The Alamo in existence, and the fools at MGM destroyed it due to poor storage.


    You can read the whole sickening story in these old threads:


    http://www.dukewayne.com/showthread.php?t=662&hl=


    http://www.dukewayne.com/showthread.php?t=1648&hl=


    http://www.dukewayne.com/showthread.php?t=2172



    and in these news articles:


    http://www.jwayne.com/news/archives/00000028.shtml


    http://www.in70mm.com/news/2002/alamo/alamo.htm


    Quote

    "I am not intoxicated - yet." McLintock!

  • mikec1010,


    Welcome to the John Wayne Message Board!


    As SXViper and ejgreen have so capably pointed out, there is one version on VHS that is complete, with all scenes. It's late and I don't have the energy to dig it out of the drawer and give you more particulars, but I am pretty sure I own that version. I'll get back to you and let you know.


    Again, welcome to a knowledgeable, friendly community of fans of John Wayne!


    Chester :newyear: (and the Mrs. :angel1: says "Howdy" too!)

  • Hi mikec1010



    Welcome to the most informative board
    around I can't add any more to what the
    guys have told you, but if you stick around
    you'll get all the answers you are looking
    for and more. This is the place to be when
    it comes to all things John Wayne.



    Best wishes


    Emmanuel.

    Emmanuel.


    I'll try one of those black beers....THE QUIET MAN.