A movie with larger than life characters directed by one of the most famous men in film history, John Wayne had an immense expectation of greatness. Ninety-five million dollars and the placement of John Wayne as a lead character: Davey Crockett helped “The Alamo” reach the greatness expected. Although largely fictionalized, the film not only helped future Americans “Remember the Alamo,” but brought about another feat of nationalism popular in the movies during this era. The movie was a magnificent color movie that many were excited to see. To make the great film, many of the historical facts had to be made into tall tales of grandeur in order to sell the movie. To emphasize the sets, effects, stunts and make the stars shine on screen as exciting characters, the directors chose fiction over facts. In December 1835, in the early stages of Texas’ war for independence from Mexico, a group of Texan (or Texan) volunteers led by George Collinsworth and Benjamin Milam overwhelmed the Mexican garrison at the Alamo and captured the fort, …show more content…
After repelling two attacks, the Texans were unable to fend off a third attack. As Mexican soldiers scaled the walls, most of the Texan soldiers withdrew into interior buildings. Defenders unable to reach these points were slain by the Mexican cavalry as they attempted to escape. Between five and seven Texans may have surrendered; if so, they were quickly executed. Most eyewitness accounts reported between 182 and 257 Texans died, while most historians of the Alamo agree that around 600 Mexicans were killed or wounded. Several noncombatants were sent to Gonzales to spread the word of the Texan defeat. The news sparked both a strong rush to join the Texan army and a panic, known as "The Runaway Scrape", in which the Texan army, most settlers, and the new Republic of Texas government fled eastward toward the United States ahead of the advancing Mexican
Travis was born in 1809, and died in battle defending the fort known as the Alamo against overwhelming Mexican forces in 1836. He was the oldest out of his 11 brothers and sisters. His parents were Mark Stallworth and Jemima Stallworth. Travis officially became a lieutenant colonel in January 1836. On that same year the governor Henry Smith ordered for Travis and 100 reinforcements to arrive at San Antonio. James Bowie also arrived at the fort. The Texas army knew that they were outnumbered; therefore, Travis was sent a very deep profound letter to all Patriot Americans for aid. On March 1, 1836 Travis received 32 men led by Albert Martin and George C. Kimball. The reinforcements arrived, due to the meaningful letter Travis sent out to any that would listen. The town of Gonzales was the few to comply to Travis’s letter to provide reinforcements even though the people from Gonzales knew it was a lost cause due to the impact of lieutenant colonel’s words stating that Travis was determined to sustain as long as possible and die like a soldier whoever forgets what is due to his own honor and that of his country –Victory or Death. The Gonzales reinforcements were the few that came to Travis’s aid.
After the Alamo Santa Anna was chasing Houston and the Texas army. Houston retreaded but the government, citizens and his own army did not take well to his actions and called it “ The Runaway Scrape". Even
Once Santa Anna rode across the Rio Grande river, he immediately went into battle. Santa Anna defeated the Texicans at the Battle of Alamo. Every Texican soldier who survived the battle were sent to execution, a tactic Santa Anna likely picked up from h is training with General Joaquin Arrendondo as a boy (Mckeehan). After the massacre, Santa Anna felt as though his job in Texas was done but wanted to take one final swipe at the Texicans – a detrimental mistake.
San Antonio, Texas-- The Battle of the Alamo, a battle in San Antonio, against the Mexicans broke out, marks the most important of the battles so far during the Texas fight for independence. The battle began on February 23, 1836 and ended two days ago on March 6, 1836, lasting for 13 days. General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, leader of the Mexican force, planned to seize the fort with an army of thousands. Unprepared, the Texans had an army of around 200 men, including well- known congressman David Crockett and James Bowie and not so well-known William Barret Travis.
Sixteen are killed in the Mexican attack along the Rio Grande! In 1821, Mexico freed itself from Spain. Mexico is equal in size to the United States. The Mexican government wanted to increase population, so they invited Americans to settle in Texas. These settlers did not want to abide by Mexico’s rules and laws.
At the start of the film we are set in the year 1836 in the Mexican State of Coahuila and Tejas town of San Antonio de Bexar, the site of the Alamo. We can see massive amounts of fallen Texan Defenders and the Mexican Army invaders dispersed around the battle site. The film then flashes back to the year 1835 where we see Dennis Quaid, Sam Houston, attending a party where he is trying to persuade others at the party to migrate to Texas. Houston meets David Crockett, Billy Bob Thornton, and discusses what Crockett will receive if he moves to Texas. We are later presented with a shot of a group of people having a meeting discussing the matter of what action to take after
On February 23, 1836, the arrival of General Antonio López de Santa Anna's army outside San Antonio nearly caught them by surprise. Undaunted, the Texians and Tejanos prepared to defend the Alamo together. The defenders held out for 13 days against Santa Anna's army. William B. Travis, the commander of the Alamo sent forth couriers carrying pleas for help to communities in Texas. On the eighth day of the siege, a band of 32 volunteers from Gonzales arrived, bringing the number of defenders to nearly two hundred. Legend holds that with the possibility of additional help fading, Colonel Travis drew a line on the ground and asked any man willing to stay and fight to step over — all except one did. As the defenders saw it, the Alamo was the key to the defense of Texas, and they were ready to give their lives rather than surrender their position to General Santa Anna. Among the Alamo's garrison were Jim Bowie, renowned knife fighter, and David Crockett, famed frontiersman and former congressman from Tennessee.
The siege, fall and ensuing massacre of nearly two hundred Alamo defenders at the hands of Mexican General, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna y Perez de Lebron’s army of over five thousand was a defining moment in both Texan, and American history. For 13 days against insurmountable odds, a small, but very determined Texan garrison force fended off an equally determined Mexican Army ordered to capture it. I’ll discuss the events and political climate leading up to the siege, key historic figures involved on both sides, the siege itself, along with events immediately following the battle. The iconic phrase, “Remember the Alamo!” would later go on to become a rallying cry at the Battle of San Jacinto.
“Film is more than the instrument of a representation; it is also the object of representation. It is not a reflection or a refraction of the ‘real’; instead, it is like a photograph of the mirrored reflection of a painted image.” (Kilpatrick) Although films have found a place in society for about a century, the labels they possess, such as stereotypes which Native Americans are recognized for, have their roots from many centuries ago (Kilpatrick). The Searchers, a movie directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne, tells the story of a veteran of the American Civil War and how after his return home he would go after the maligned Indians who killed his family and kidnapped his younger niece.
Mexico saw the fire of revolution in the Texans and acted quickly. They soon sent spies in to observe the actions of the Texans and slowly started to move troop...
Beginning in 1845 and ending in 1850 a series of events took place that would come to be known as the Mexican war and the Texas Revolution. This paper will give an overview on not only the events that occurred (battles, treaties, negotiations, ect.) But also the politics and reasoning behind it all. This was a war that involved America and Mexico fighting over Texas. That was the base for the entire ordeal. This series of events contained some of the most dramatic war strategy that has ever been implemented.
Defenders unable to reach these points were slain by the Mexican cavalry as they attempted to escape. Between five and seven Texians may have surrendered; if so, they were quickly executed. Most eyewitness accounts reported between 182 and 257 Texians died, while most historians of the Alamo agree that around 600 Mexicans were killed or wounded. Several noncombatants were sent to Gonzales to spread word of the Texian defeat. The news sparked both a strong rush to join the Texian army and a panic, known as The Runaway Scrape, in which the Texian army, most settlers, and the new Republic of Texas government fled eastward toward the United States ahead of the advancing
Few Hollywood film makers have captured America’s Wild West history as depicted in the movies, Rio Bravo and El Dorado. Most Western movies had fairly simple but very similar plots, including personal conflicts, land rights, crimes and of course, failed romances that typically led to drinking more alcoholic beverages than could respectfully be consumed by any one person, as they attempted to drown their sorrows away. The 1958 Rio Bravo and 1967 El Dorado Western movies directed by Howard Hawks, and starring John Wayne have a similar theme and plot. They tell the story of a sheriff and three of his deputies, as they stand alone against adversity in the name of the law. Western movies like these two have forever left a memorable and lasting impressions in the memory of every viewer, with its gunfighters, action filled saloons and sardonic showdowns all in the name of masculinity, revenge and unlawful aggressive behavior. Featuring some of the most famous backdrops in the world ranging from the rustic Red Rock Mountains of Monument Valley in Utah, to the jagged snow capped Mountain tops of the Teton Range in Wyoming, gun-slinging cowboys out in search of mischief and most often at their own misfortune traveled far and wide, seeking one dangerous encounter after another, and unfortunately, ending in their own demise.
The movie I decided to analyze for this course was American History X (1998), which stars Edward Norton. Though this movie isn’t widely known, it is one of the more interesting movies I have seen. It’s probably one of the best films that depict the Neo Nazi plague on American culture. The film takes place from the mid to late 1990’s during the Internet boom, and touches on subjects from affirmative action to Rodney King. One of the highlights of this movie that really relates to one of the key aspects of this course is the deterrence of capital punishment. Edward Norton’s portrayal as the grief stricken older brother who turns to racist ideologies and violence to cope with his fathers death, completely disregards the consequences of his actions as he brutally murders someone in front of his family for trying to steal his car. The unstable mentality that he developed after his father’s death really goes hand-to-hand specifically with Isaac Ehrlich’s study of capital punishment and deterrence. Although this movie is entirely fictional, a lot of the central themes (racism, crime punishment, gang pervasiveness, and one’s own vulnerability) are accurate representations of the very problems that essentially afflict us as a society.
The film Amistad is based on a true event that occurred in 1839. It is about a mutiny by recently captured slaves, who take over a ship known as La Amistad, and the legal battle that followed regarding their freedom. The movie begins by showing many Africans chained together on the lower deck of La Amistad. They manage to break free and go to the upper deck and attack the sailors, leading a mutiny and taking over the ship. They leave two men alive to guide them back to Africa, but they point them towards the US. When they arrive in the states, the Africans are thought to be runaway slaves, and are imprisoned. The case of their freedom is taken to court, to decide whether the Africans were originally slaves or free men. One lawyer decides to fight for them, and pleads his case that the Africans were never slaves and were indeed free men. The case eventually makes it to the Supreme Court and a translator is eventually found to communicate with the leader of the Africans, and he tells his story. He was one of many illegally captured in Africa, and sold into slavery. When the time comes for the trial, John Quincy Adams pleas for their freedom. After a grueling trial, the slaves are said to be free men, and are to be sent back to their homeland, Africa.