The Alamo (2004)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

John Lee Hancock

Writers (WGA):

Leslie Bohem (written by) and
Stephen Gaghan (written by) ...

Release Date:

9 April 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | War | Western

Tagline:

You will never forget

Plot:

Based on the 1836 standoff between a group of Texan and Tejano men, led by Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, and Mexican dictator Santa Anna's forces at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.

Plot Keywords:

Texas | Alamo | Davy Crockett | Siege | Sam Houston

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Dennis Quaid	...	Sam Houston
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Davy Crockett
Jason Patric	...	James Bowie
Patrick Wilson	...	William Travis
Emilio Echevarría	...	Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana
Jordi Mollà	...	Juan Seguin
Leon Rippy	...	Sgt. William Ward
Tom Davidson	...	Colonel Green Jameson
Marc Blucas	...	James Bonham
Robert Prentiss	...	Albert Grimes
Kevin Page	...	Micajah Autry
Joe Stevens	...	Mial Scurlock
Stephen Bruton	...	Captain Almeron Dickinson
Laura Clifton	...	Susanna Dickinson
Ricardo Chavira	...	Private Gregorio Esparza (as Ricardo S. Chavira)

Also Known As:

The Alamo (Philippines: English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sustained intense battle sequences.

Runtime:

137 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-ES | Dolby Digital EX | SDDS

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Germany:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-11 | Iceland:12 | Ireland:12 | Italy:T | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #40620) | Norway:15

Filming Locations:

Texas, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

The role of Susanna Dickinson, the only adult Anglo survivor of the siege and the mother of the only child Anglo survivor, was much larger in the script than what it ended up being in the final version of the film. The role was one of the major roles in the script and the actress who portrayed Susanna, Laura Clifton, was the only female member of the permanent cast for the film. After Disney finished editing the theatrical release of the film, the character has only one line (screaming for her husband, Almaron Dickinson, during a cattle stampede) and a few appearances in other scenes (during Travis' speech and in the chapel during the siege) and is not even identified anywhere in the movie so that audiences would know who this significant figure in Texas history was. In fact, the role, far from being Laura Clifton's big break, actually hurt her career because of how insignificant it ended up being in the theatrical release.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Lt. Colonel Travis is departing from the house where he drops his son off, we see his black assistant standing next to his horse. In the next shot, the assistant is already mounted.

Quotes:

William Travis: In a few days, all of Texas will know of our situation.
James Bowie: Tell me, Buck, in Alabama, precisely how many is "a few"?

Movie Connections:

Version of The Alamo (1960)

Soundtrack:

Jarbe Pateno

The most historically authentic film yet on this subject!

This film was the first one to portray the character of the Texas Revolution participants which viewers have long sought. John Lee Hancock has build some credibility for himself over avoiding some overindulgence in using artistic license.

Limited use of special effects and reliance on good scripting and acting enhanced the film to its' optimum. There was not much that could be done better.

The creation of the set near Wimberly Texas, forty miles north of San Antonio, permitted excellent views of Texas scenery that most settlers would have seen.

One unfortunate miscarriage of this film, was on the subject of Native American participation during this battle what went uncredited. Sam Houston did have Native Americans under his command during the siege at San Jacinto. This Texas feels that more work needs to be done to credit Native Americans for their contribution.

Some untold truths left off the film are worthy of mention:

1. Once Santa Anna was captured, his constitutional power to act as a head of state was lost, thus introducing a complication for the recognition of Texas as an sovereign nation.

2. Sam Houston did have an additional reason to spare Santa Anna's life. Both were Masons and the code of conduct forbids taking the life of another Mason. Masons still routinely hold high political offices today throughout the United States.

3. The decision to acquire recognition of Texas as a nation required an acting head of state to preside, so the United States was chosen. At this most opportune time when recognition was given, a deal was struck for a land purchase from Mexico, for territory west and north of Texas.

4. Santa Anna was dictator four different times.

5. Santa Anna was married several times and his last wife was 16 years old. After Santa Anna was deposed from his dictatorship for this final time, he went into recluse humiliated to live a modest life with his young wife, who paid people NOT to laugh and taunt him in the streets of their home village. Santa Anna died a pauper.

6. The decision for Texas to be annexed into the United States has long been debated as pre-conceived, but it was clear that trade agreements and currency exchange was never going to be favorable to Texas as a nation with few alliances. In order to improve it's standard of living, a choice was made to either accept annexation into the United States or be part of Mexico again.

The Alamo is one of several missions along the Olmos Creek/San Antonio river. Most are still standing today and can be visited.

The Daughters of the Texas Revolution were responsible for restoring the Alamo into it's current condition. Developers nearly snuffed the existence of the entire Alamo before DTR intervened and secured funding for a purchase and restoral of about one-third of the original mission.