The Man from the Alamo

If you are looking for a Glenn Ford western from the early 50s, taking place in the post Civil War west, this is a good movie. Even has notable actors like Glenn Ford, Julie Adams, Chill Wills, Victor Jory, and a young Hugh O'Brian. But if you are looking to see a western taking place in Texas during the Texas revolution in 1836, you will be very disappointed. Yes, it starts off in the Alamo and features Sam Houston, Travis, Bowie, and Crockett. But beyond that, everything is wrong. Uniforms, clothing, tactics, weapons, all are from the post Civil War era. Even the scenery is all wrong for that part of Texas. There is a legend of the Alamo that when Travis drew the line in the sand, one person didn't cross the line and left, but he did not resemble the Glenn Ford character at all. If you want to see a period picture from 1836 Texas, don't waste your time.

source: The Man from the Alamo

Highly conventional storytelling - with nice visuals - and capable acting - - strangely enuf - the story of the real man who didn't cross Travis's line to stay to fight - Moses Rose - isn't touched upon - this bears no resemblance to his story.

I grew up watching Glenn Ford as Pa Kent in the 1978 Superman movie, and after watching The Man from the Alamo I can see why he was great as Superman's earth dad -- he knows how to play a tough man! Glenn Ford's character John Stroud is branded an unpopular coward but that doesn't stop him from doing what he has to do; no matter what people think of his actions, he does what he believes is right, and that takes a tough man. As is pointed out in the movie, it takes more nerve to go against the grain than to stay with the herd. This movie demonstrates that doing what looks wrong to others takes more guts than doing what others do, and it takes a tough man to do it.

This western is the opposite of WAYNE's epic :it demonstrates that the personal is personal -as well as the political;Alamo is a background,since most of the action takes place after the defeat. Glenn Ford portrays a character that strongly recalls that of Richard Widmark in Delmer Daves ' "the last wagon" ;a "deserter" in the former ,an outlaw in the later,they are both rejected by the whole community of a town,then a convoy ;their fiercest enemy is a marshal (caravane) and a lieutenant(Alamo). Both "so called " cowards,pariahs save many lives and thus regain their lost honor;the most moving moment is when Hugh O'Brian asks Ford if he can shake hands with him. A pleasant western ,with a credible figure of a man who has lost all that was his Raison d'être.

Just wish they showed what fighting in those days was like with six guns

"The Man From the Alamo" is a slick fast paced littler actioner from Director Budd Boetticher and another of those little 80 minute gems that Universal produced during the 1950s. It starts out during the siege of The Alamo in 1836. The battle scenes are quite well done in light of the small budget. A group of ranchers draws straws to see which of them will leave the battle and go home to check on their families. John Stroud (Glenn Ford) "wins" the draw. A messenger from Sam Houston, Lt. Tom Larmar (Hugh O'Brian) arrives to inform the fighters that Houston is unable to send reinforcements. Stroud is the only fighter to choose to leave and Larmar is ordered back to Houston by Col. Travis. When Stroud reaches the ranches, he discovers them burned and the families murdered. He find out that it was not the Mexicans who were responsible but a gang of pro Mexican Americans led by Jess Wade (Victor Jory) who were responsible. He then goes to the town of Franklin where he learns that The Alamo has fallen and all have been killed. He also learns that the town has branded him a coward for "deserting" the fighting and want to string him up when Lt. Larmar, who is assigned to escort the wagons, accuses him of cowardice. Town elder John Gage (Chill Wills) plans to lead a wagon train of women and children away from Franklin when Houston warns them of an impending attack by Wade and his renegades. Stroud is jailed for his own protection and by chance is put in the same cell of one of Wade's henchmen (Neville Brand). The men manage to escape during Wade's raid on the town and Stroud joins Wade's gang to obtain his revenge. Before Wade and his men can attack the wagon train, Stroud manages to warn them and escape Wade to the wagons. Lt. Larmar, still thinking Stroud a coward, places him under arrest. Beth Anders (Julie Adams) begins to sympathize with Stroud, believing him to be innocent. Eventually Larmar comes to believe in his innocence as well. Before the wagon train can cross a river to safety, Larmer and his men are recalled by Sam Houston and leave the wagons unprotected. Stroud volunteers to lead the wagons. But as they are about to cross the river, Wade and his men attack and.............................. Glenn Ford as always, is better than his material. As the beleaguered Stroud, he steals the picture. Adams is a stock western heroine who comes to love the hero. Wills has little to do as the one-armed Gage and Jory, who is wasted here, looks ridiculous in his outlandish costume. Others in the cast include Trevor Bardette as Davy Crockett, Dennis Weaver as one of his men and Stuart Randall as Jim Bowie. An excellent "B" Plus western.

I am a long time fan of the western genre, and I found this film to be about average fair. What is short on plot is made up with action and suspense.

Glenn Ford has been put in jail for desertion over the fight at the Alamo, and nobody believes that he actually left his post for honorable reasons. When the town that has turned its back on him shows up to lynch him, he is briefly lucky when an American bandit (pretending to be Mexican) shows up and abducts him, falsely believing that Ford is on their side. In reality, the villain (Victor Jory) was responsible for Ford's family's deaths, and Ford is determined to expose the truth that Jory is out to rob the wagon train that these settlers are now in to get to California. The beautiful Julia Adams ("The Creature From the Black Lagoon", the TV soap "Capitol") is a feisty heroine who may look fragile but isn't above loading and using a rifle to keep the bandits away from her group which includes an obvious Caucasian kid (Mark Cavell) playing a Mexican whose family worked for Ford's. Daytime soap diva Jeanne Cooper may be hard to spot for those expecting to find "The Young and the Restless's" Katherine Chancellor, but once you do, you'll be delightfully surprised. Chill Wills, as a one-armed member of the wagon train, seems to have taken over here the roles that Walter Brennan was playing just a decade before. Overall, this is a fast-moving, colorful western, no classic or historically accurate, but fun and filled with action. Ford proves again he was one of the more versatile actors in Hollywood with his ability to go from comedy to romantic lead to film noir hero to action star.

Texas , when General Santa Anna seized the Presidency of Mexico. They were them faced with the prospect of military government of war. General Sam Huston was entrusted with the task of mapping a course of action that would determine the future of Texas. 1836 a soldier called John Stroud, Glenn Ford, is sent from The Alamo during its last hours to get help, but then he is branded as a coward and a deserter. As he struggles to clear his name. Stroud infiltrates Wade's band led by Victor Jory. As The Alamo mission became a fortress and the fortress that became a shrine. Well acted and colorful film, this one will satisfy those with a taste for action. Furthermore, here shows up some historic roles from The Alamo such as Col. Travis , Davy Crocket and Jim Bowie. Stars Glenn Ford and Julie Adams give acceptable interpretation. While support cast is pretty good, such as Chill Wills who played in El Alamo by John Wayne, Neville Brand as a rebel, Hugh O'Brian and special mention for Victor Jory as leader of a gang of renegades turncoats supporting Mexicans. And Guy Williams , before his successful series playing El Zorro. It displays a glimmer and brilliant cinematography by Russell Metty, Universal Pictures regular . And a moving as well as charming musical score by the classic composer Frank Skinner. The motion picture was well directed by Budd Boetticher who was a Western expert. His first Western was in 1949 called The Wolf Hunters, following Cimarron Kid , Bronco buster, Horizons West, Seminole, and Wings of the hawk . In 1956 with 7 Men From Now starts his collaboration with Randolph Scott, along with producer Harry Joe Brown and writer Burt Kennedy , including prestigious titles as Tall T, Decision at sundown, Buchanan rides alone , Ride lonesome, Comanche station , among others. Rating 6. 5/10 . His last Western was in 1969 titled A time for dying with Audie Murphy. The movie witll appeal toWestern aficionados and Glenn Ford fans