Alamo

UPC: 027616855503

Studio: MGM

MPAA Rating: NR   Contains:[Questionable for Children]

Summary: 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, Rovi

Category: Historical Film

Awards: Best Original Score – null Best Color Cinematography – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Editing – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Picture – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Drama or Comedy Score – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Song – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Song – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Picture – National Board of Review Best Supporting Actor – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Original Score – Hollywood Foreign Press Association

Features: "John Wayne's The Alamo" documentary
Collectible booklet
Original theatrical trailer

Alamo

Format: DVD

Release Date: 12/05/2000

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: 5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, 2 PCM stereo, 1 USA & territories, Canada

Runtime: 162 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French,Spanish

Subtitles: French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Side #1 --
0. Scene Selections
1. Main Title [2:57]
2. No Army For Texas [5:09]
3. A God-Fearing Man [2:39]
4. A New Home [3:24]
5. Third-Hand Rumors [4:46]
6. Parson and the Boy [3:25]
7. Crockett Meets Travis [7:04]
8. "Republic!" [3:51]
9. Overdressed Riff-Raff [4:15]
10. "A Woman In Trouble" [6:38]
11. Bowie's Mexico [5:17]
12. The Church Arsenal [5:46]
13. Lying For a Cause [:22]
14. "Chastise!" [5:36]
15. The Tree Stump Speech [5:03]
16. Gallant Tennesseans [5:15]
17. The Short Way to War [4:21]
18. No Such Cannon [6:01]
19. 15 Men, All Sober [3:22]
20. No Insubordination [5:01]
21. The Morning After [6:20]
22. Message In a Hat [4:16]
23. Food Run [6:43]
24. Bring Home the Beef [4:21]
25. "No Woman Ever Lived..." [:50]
26. Attack! [4:11]
27. Blessed Be the Dead [8:52]
28. No Help, No Surrender [3:48]
29. News for General Sam [1:04]
30. The Longest Night [5:29]
31. Battle to the Death [3:05]
32. The Last Soldier's Wife [5:31]

Michael Costello

Since John Wayne was unable to persuade friend John Ford to direct the star's long-cherished project on the historic event, he decided to get behind the camera himself, with better results than might have been expected. Although overlong, especially in its current three-hour-plus running time, and, at times, clumsy in staging, composition, and pacing, the film remains an entertaining experience. This is especially true of the excellent battle scenes, at least some of which were directed by Ford with the second unit. There are also bright moments early on, as the three principals, Davy Crockett (Wayne), Jim Bowie (Richard Widmark), and Col. William Travis (Laurence Harvey), vie for leadership of the beleaguered force. There's also an oversupply of the kind of tiresome horseplay Wayne thought of as comedy. The cast, which includes many Western veterans such as Chill Wills and Ken Curtis, is solid. Cowboy icon Richard Boone, in particular, excels as tough Governor Sam Houston. On the other hand, Patrick Wayne and Frankie Avalon look as though they've just wandered in from a beach movie. ~ Michael Costello, Rovi

Cast and Crew: William Henry  Actor 
Jack Williams  Actor 
Charles Sanders  Actor 
Jim Walker  Actor 
Robert H. Harris  Actor 
Jack Pennick  Actor 
Jerry Phillips  Actor 
Jack Miller  Actor 
Buff Brady  Actor 
Mickey Finn  Actor 
Leroy Johnson  Actor 
George Ross  Actor 
Charles Akins  Actor 
Jim Burk  Actor 
Fred Graham  Actor 
Boyd "Red" Morgan  Actor 
Dean Smith  Actor 
Carol Baxter  Actor 
Ronald Lee  Actor 
Jim Brewer  Actor 
Miguel Garza  Actor 
Bill Shannon  Actor 
Guinn "Big Boy" Williams  Actor 
Bob Rose  Actor 
Jim Wright  Actor 
Rudy Robbins  Actor 
Chuck Hayward  Actor 
Gil Perkins  Actor 
Joe Graham  Actor 
Ted White  Actor 
Tap Canutt  Actor 
Danny Borzage  Actor 
Joe Jackson  Actor 
Ed Carter  Actor 
Big John Hamilton  Actor 
Alfred Taylor  Actor 
Cy Malis  Actor 
James Edward Grant  Screenwriter 
Dimitri Tiomkin  Composer (Music Score) 
John Wayne  Director 
John Wayne  Producer 
Paul Francis Webster  Composer (Music Score) 
John Wayne  Actor 
Richard Widmark  Actor 
Laurence Harvey  Actor 
Frankie Avalon  Actor 
Richard Boone  Actor 
Patrick Wayne  Actor 
Linda Cristal  Actor 
Carlos Arruza  Actor 
Joan O'Brien  Actor 
Chill Wills  Actor 
Joseph Calleia  Actor 
Ken Curtis  Actor 
Jester Hairston  Actor 
Veda Ann Borg  Actor 
John Dierkes  Actor 
Denver Pyle  Actor 
Aissa Wayne  Actor 
Hank Worden  Actor 
Bill Daniel  Actor 
Wesley Lau  Actor 
Chuck Roberson  Actor 
Olive Carey  Actor 
Ruben Padilla  Actor 

Country: USA