THE MAN FROM THE ALAMO

US, 1953, 79 minutes. Colour.
Glenn Ford, Julie Adams, Chill Wills, Hugh O’ Brian, Victor Jory, Neville Brand.
Directed by Budd Boetticher.

The Man from the Alamo is one of Universal Studios’ small-budget, short-running westerns of the first half of the 1950s. With Glenn Ford, it has a bigger star than Audie Murphy and Rock Hudson and others who were emerging in this kind of film at the time. Julie Adams was a regular in the films at Universal at this time. Chill Wills brings his character style to the role as the town elder. Hugh O’ Brian is particularly strong-jawed as the lieutenant who accuses Ford of cowardice. Victor Jory and Neville Brand always look villainous. They are Texans who masquerade as Mexicans in order to get the land and prosper after the war.

The film has a small-scale presentation of the Alamo – but the defeat takes place off screen. Instead the film focuses on Ford as John Stroud, who by lot is sent from the Alamo to look after his family and the family of others. However, he is accused of cowardice and does not particularly defend himself. He is imprisoned, escapes, infiltrates the Texas gang, vindicates himself, leads the wagon train to defend against the attackers (a very strong presentation of the women in defending the wagons).

Budd Boetticher directed many westerns, small-scale films at Universal at this time (The Cimarron Kid with Audie Murphy). However, in the later 1950s he made a series of fine westerns with Randolph Scott.

1. The popularity of this kind of western? The background of the Alamo? The wagon trains, the outlaws, law and order?

2. The location photography, Texas, the mountains and deserts? The small towns of the 1830s? The Alamo? The score?

3. Audience response to the Alamo? The historical explanations of Texas as part of Mexico but independent, peaceful coexistence, the takeover of Santa Ana, the reaction against military rule? Sam Houston and the rising against Santa Ana? Travis and the group at the Alamo, Davy Crockett and his style, Jim Bowie and his knife? The decision to stay after Houston’s orders? Stroud and his not crossing the line, not revealing that he had got the bean which meant that he had to go to the families? The defeat at the Alamo, the deaths of all the men?

4. Stroud, discovery of the ruined farms, the death of his wife and child? Meeting Carlos? The death of Carlos’s father? Carlos and the Mexicans in Texas? His taking Carlos with him?

5. The accusations of cowardice? The people gossiping in the town? Gage and his resentment? Beth and her believing Stroud a coward? Tom Lamar and his accusations? The mentality of the people, the resentment against the Mexicans, the reaction to the defeat at the Alamo? The lynch mentality? The sheriff putting Stroud in jail?

6. Jess Wade, his gang, masquerading as Mexicans, killing Texans? The members of his gang, their drinking? Dawes and his being captured, in prison with Stroud? The escape? Stroud and his pretending to resent the Texans, joining the group, standing up to Jess Wade, admired by Wade?

7. Wade and his attack on the town, the empty bank, his being routed? Regathering the mountains, the planned attack, Stroud and his giving the warning shot? Stroud and his confrontation with the man with the gun, falling down the mountain? Being rescued by Carlos, revived by Beth? By an unwilling Gage?

8. The military, the orders, Lamar and his having to take his men away? Stroud insisting on orders? The reconciliation? Stroud and his taking charge of the wagon train?

9. Wade and the further attack, being repulsed by the women and their guns? The regrouping, the dividing of his forces? Gage and Stroud and the defeat of Wade, the fight in the water, at the waterfall? The women repelling the others?

10. Stroud and his vindication? Becoming a hero? His taciturn behaviour, not defending himself – and the audience feeling frustrated and the lynch mentality of the townspeople despite his heroism?