The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 89, July 1985 - April, 1986 Page: 58
610 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Soiuthwlestern Ilistorical Quarterly
The Alamo the other tack is taken, in a part played by teen heartthrob
Frankie Avalon. Avalon is spared death at the Alamo for two reasons: to
fit the generic mold and to be able to sing the Oscar-nominated "The
Green Leaves of Summer."
Generic conventions aside, The Alamo is not as bad as many critics felt
at the time, nor is it as good as the Daughters of the Republic of Texas
believe. The DRT answered eastern critics of the film both through the
press and in private correspondence with magazines. Mrs. Phillip Har-
rell, president of the Alamo Mission Chapter of the DRT, defended
against charges of historical inaccuracy by referring to the film's lofty
aim: "It instills into the minds of people today that our wonderful free-
dom did not come by accident." In a letter to Time magazine, Marg-
Riette Montgomery, librarian at the Alamo, praised John Wayne's role:
"The character of Crockett is the best part of the casting and acting."
For them, John Wayne is the definitive Davy Crockett, and a painting on
display in the Alamo bears a striking resemblance to Wayne. What is
good about The Alamo, besides Wayne's performance, is the dramatiza-
tion of the central myth of democracy that is imbedded in the Alamo
story. It is clear from many interview statements that Wayne well under-
stood both the intended form and the meaning of the film. Wayne
regarded the story as "real Americana" and film as the appropriate me-
dium for conveying folklore in the modern era: "I think it's the greatest
piece of folklore ever brought down through history, and folklore has
always been the most successful medium [sic] for motion pictures." " As
for the subject matter itself, Wayne repeatedly drove home the signifi-
cance that he saw in the material:
If a fiction writer had contrived the story of "The Alamo," it might have been
unbelievable-because never to my knowledge, have that number of men
joined in a suicide pack [.%ic] to remain at their posts rather than to surrender or
retreat. '"
In short, Wayne believed that the Alamo embodied a great theme: it
dramatized that all the men at the fortress were equal in valor and com-
mitment to a great principle and were willing to die for an ideal.
The democratic theme of The Alamo is conveyed brilliantly in the
pivotal scene. Instead of using the legendary drawing of the line in the
sand, The Alamo stages this crucial event in a highly original way. Each
17 San Antonio News, Nov. 1, 960 (1St quotation); Marg-Riette Montgomery to Time, Nov. 1o,
196o, Alamo film file; San Antonio Light, Sept. 28, 1958 (3rd and 4th quotations).
,8 San Antonio Light, Jan. 12, 196o.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 89, July 1985 - April, 1986, periodical, 1985/1986; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117151/m1/84/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.