During the final battle in duke’s movie the Alamo has anybody else noticed that the duke is absent for a lot of the battle he is involved in very little fighting, he knocks one Mexican of his horse, blows up the gunpowder and then gets killed surly the hero of the story should have done more than this.. I thought that this was very disappointing, as I had recommended this movie to friends of mine whom raised this point with me to which I couldn’t deny. The only thing I can think of is that Duke probably did a lot more fighting and we must have seen a badly edited version can anyone enlighten me I know duke had to direct the scenes but this is not a reason for him not to be involved in the thick of the action.

Robbie,

Just remember that the title of the movie is The Alamo, and not Davy Crockett. I'm not trying to be smart, but the movie is centered around the war with Santa Anna and the Texacans at the Alamo. Davy was the main character, but Col. Travis, and Jim Bowie were a major part as well. It also shows that this battle was about the soldiers, and their dedication to this revolution.

You did mention that Duke was director of this film. He was also producer, so he wore many hats, and he really didn't want to star in this movie. He originally wanted Bogart, but he died before the picture went into production, and Universal would not help finance this film without Duke as Crockett.

I will agree that Duke should have been in more scenes, but knowing him, he wanted to get the point out of what this is all about, and if you look at the battle scenes, you will also see just as little of Bowie, and Travis as you saw Crockett.

Hondo :wacko:

I am well aware of what the Alamo is about, but remember movies like Iwo Jima, which is also based on a real event, and look how the Duke shines in the action scenes. The second factor I would like to state is that the Alamo is far from being historically accurate so there is no reason why Duke couldn’t have done a little more in the action scenes. I did previously point out that the Duke directed the movie but I did state that this was not an excuse he does however have many scenes within the movie (non action) it was just weird be was so absent from the final does no one else agree. By the way I am the biggest John Wayne fan there is and I am not critisicing him I just wish there was more of him in the final showdown.

Since Duke saw the Bradberrys ( sp) filming their Alamo , he wanted to bring HIS version to the big screen.
The film is the ALAMO, and no one wanted more to tell that story more than Duke.
The story about 180 Americans not one, and if anyone wanted to convey it, it was Duke.
So to appear in it more would have made it "a John Wayne film" , and not the film of people standing up for and dying for FREEDOM.
So why not more Duke? It didn't fit in.

Rick

Thanks Rick,

You conveyed my message better than I did, and made my point. When war happens, there is no one hero but many who gave their lives. I visited the Alamo years ago, and I saw all who died for the cause.

This filming project was very important to Duke who gave a lot of himself to make this happen.

Hondo

P.S. My mistake, the movie was made by MGM/UA.

:rolleyes:

Richard Widmark and Lawerence harvey and a large number of other people within the alamo have heroic endings in which they take down a large number of mexicans but why did the duke not? that my question I still have not had a suitable answer??(I also realise he was directing but clint directed unforgiven and look at the ending to that).

B)

I agree with Robbie, because of:
In alot other B westerns about the Alamo you see Crocket that is fighting with 4 mexicans at the same time and dieing a heroic death.

In history books and in comics that Crocket was on several places at once and did the work of 5 men.

I also think that the mexicans are very fast over the wall, I saw alot of other movies about the Alamo and you see that the Texans are fighting the mexicans for a long time the wall of.

but that is my opinion, but still the Alamo is a great movie to see

Danny

You HAVE gotten that answer, Robbie. We discussed that before, didn't we?
Again:
Get the director's cut of the film. Watch the documentary: it contains battle footage involving Davy which Wayne cut.
Get the book "John Wayne's Alamo", about all aspects of the making, see the post "Definite list of JW books". Read it. You'll enjoy it if you really want your questions answered once and for all.
And in closing: the battle Wayne put on screen has been hailed as one of the greatest action pieces ever filmed. I couldn't agree more. There are record-breaking stunts in it. The finest stuntmen EVER participated in this motion picture. I can't understand why you keep riding the point that the movie lacks action?

Itdo

That last post I made on this topic was made at least six months ago.

:agent:

True, so did you get to see the director's cut and the documentary with more deleted scenes in the meantime? Because your question has not changed. At another time I told you what you would get on the Laserdisc, and what the difference to the version now on DVD is. And get the book. You will be thrilled. That is if you really want the answers to your questions. Sorry, Robbie, I'm not trying to be a wise-ass. But when it comes to Wayne's Alamo we're on sacred ground. If we're talking about a sequence that ranks with the greatest single action sequences in movie history as it generally is regarded I hate to see the same comment twice: not enough action here, not enough action there... Heck, this isn't Lord of the Rings! And thank God it's not. Again: sorry for roughing this up a little, Robbie. I guess I'm not yet walking around like a dead beaver hat yet when it comes to The Alamo! Of course, I like to discuss every aspect with you. But damn, I'll have Old Betsy ready to shoot!
:headbonk:

Itdo

I have yet to see the directors cut but I'm looking foward to seeing it, but where I come from it is not available and I'm not quite sure where I can access it from and what media it is available on ie DVD or video or laserdisc.

I will try and look out for that book Roland as it looks interesting.

You have answered my question and the answer seems to be yes Duke did do more fighting and I will see that when I watch the directors cut.

Thanks a lot Itdo and I hope that Betsy isnt loaded.

:agent:

well if u think about more actually john wayne had the idea back in the mid 50's when he was busy with other movies. the movie rurend him fincally and that si why it was so hard for him to make it . i mean he morged his own house,put his own salery and such he also put up the majority of the money. :huh: :D