The Man from the Alamo (1953)

Director:

Budd Boetticher

Writers:

Steve Fisher (screenplay) and
D.D. Beauchamp (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

24 August 1953 (Sweden)

Genre:

History | Western

Tagline:

Out Of Texas' Bravest Hour... Came The Man They Called The Coward

Plot:

During the war for Texas independence, one man leaves the Alamo before the end (chosen by lot to help...

Plot Keywords:

Wagon Train | Alamo | Texas | Shot In The Chest | Source Music

Awards:

Won Golden Globe.

Cast

Glenn Ford	...	John Stroud
Julie Adams	...	Beth Anders (as Julia Adams)
Chill Wills	...	John Gage
Hugh O'Brian	...	Lt. Tom Lamar
Victor Jory	...	Jess Wade
Neville Brand	...	Dawes
John Daheim	...	Cavish (as John Day)
Myra Marsh	...	Ma Anders
Jeanne Cooper	...	Kate Lamar
Marc Cavell	...	Carlos (as Mark Cavell)
Edward Norris	...	Mapes
Guy Williams	...	Sergeant McCauley

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | Norway:12 (1957) (cut) | Norway:16 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #16344) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the sheriff's office in Franklin the picture on the wall is of Rutherford B. Hayes, President from 1877 - 1881. In 1836, when this movie takes place, Hayes was 13 years old.

Quotes:

Jess Wade: The Alamo? What were you doing there in the first place?
John Stroud: Well, what would you do there if the whole Mexican army...
Jess Wade: That wasn't what I asked.
John Stroud: That's the answer you're going to get.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Budd Boetticher: A Man Can Do That (2005) (TV)

Excellent western from the master of tight action

Glenn Ford plays the only survivor of the Alamo -- not a very popular man in Texas. Of course, the story gives him a good excuse -- he drew lots with some other Alamo soldiers to see who would go west to defend their homes from Texan bandits hired by the Mexicans, but the families were already dead when he gets there -- but nobody wants to believe him, except one lovely woman on the wagon train he sets out to defend. Only problem is his strategy of siding with the bandits to get into their confidence puts him in a nearly impossible situation.

A well-made film, with convincing action and gritty characters. Unlike other Boetticher westerns, here the scale of the film is "epic" as the future of the West hangs in the balance. Ford makes a surprisingly good substitute for Randolph Scott or John Wayne.