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Nov 24, 2018lukasevansherman rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
I don't really like John Wayne, and I wonder if anyone under 50 does. Sure, he's an icon, but he represents a certain kind of Americanism (swaggering, patriotic, violent) that, while still popular, has an unpleasant odor. So I was surprised that I didn't hate "The Alamo," which Wayne directed, produced, and starred in. Predictably, he plays the mythic Davy Crockett, while Richard Widmark, an actor I always like, plays Jim Bowie, and Brit Laurence Harvey plays Colonel Travis. It's too long, poorly paced, and has a sentimental streak, but the lead actors are good, the soundtrack is memorable, it doesn't demonize the Mexicans, and the action scenes are well-done. There's a newer version (2004) with Billy Bob Thornton and Dennis Quaid in the lead roles. Oh, for some reason Frankie Avalon is in it.