The Last Command (1955)

Much has been said about the apparent argument between Republic Pictures owner Herbert J. Yates and John Wayne over the filming of a story based on the siege of the Alamo. Evidently Yates didn't see Wayne as Davy Crockett and the two never agreed on the film.Republic's version centers around the character of Jim Bowie (Sterling Hayden) and the days leading up to the famous battle. President Santa Anna (J.Carroll Naish) has become a ruthless ruler of Mexico and of Texas. The Texicans are pushing for self government but are being denied their independence.On his way to his Mexican home, Bowie is taken to Santa Ana by force even though the two men had become friends while fighting together for Mexican independence. Bowie learns that his family has succumbed to a plague. Bowie negotiates the release of Texas patriot Stephen Austin (Otto Kruger) while there.Bowie rides around aimlessly following his family's death trying to make sense of all of the political problems. Eventually, he decides to side with the Texicans. He joins together with Colonel William Travis (Richard Carlson) and Davy Crockett (Arthur Hunnicutt) to mount a defence against Santa Anna and his army at an old mission known as the Alamo. They expect to receive reinforcements from Sam Houston (Hugh Sanders) but they never come. Santa Anna attacks the Alamo and............................Republic Pictures was a minor studio but did excel in making westerns. There are many who consider this version of the Alamo to be as good or better than John Wayne version, which is twice as long, and was filmed five years later. You can decide.Sterling Hayden makes a strong hero in Bowie. His knife fight with Mike Radin (Ernest Borgnine, just on the verge of stardom) is a highlight of the picture. Anna Maria Alberghetti was being groomed for stardom by Republic and plays the female lead Consuela who has her eye on the much older Bowie. Ben Cooper plays Jeb Lacey who is in love with Consuela. Others in the large cast includes John Russell, Virginia Grey, Jim Davis, Slim Pickens, Eduard Franz, Russell Simpson, Roy Roberts, Morris Ankrum, Charlie Stevens and Harry Woods.The battle scenes as directed by Frank Lloyd are spectacular and well choreographed. Each of the principles gets to perish in a heroic fashion. Max Steiner's score adds to the excitement.Whether or not Yates made his version of the story to spite Wayne, we'll never know.

This Republic picture can stand tall in the shadow of the other Alamo movies from major studios. Director Frank Lloyd presents a film that is similar to another Republic flick...Man of Conquest released in 1939. This movie actually has that feel of major studio about it. Terrific camera angles. There are heroes and there are heroes. This time Jim Bowie(Sterling Hayden)takes the lead. Patriot Sam Houston has stirred up his share of faithful Texicans and closed minded men become anxious and unsure of the future. Texas is threatened by the armies of Mexican general Santa Ana(J. Carrol Naish)and a coexistence policy of Bowie's is not sitting well. The arrival of Davy Crockett (Arthur Hunnicutt)is like a ray of hope for courageous defenders assembled in the Alamo. A confrontation with Santa Ana seems nearing and any thoughts of reinforcements for the Texicans is dashed.Factual history is sidestepped for the sake of the movie. William Travis(Richard Carlson)agrees to share leadership with Bowie. It is a last-ditch stand with the overly outnumbered defenders of Texas and the Alamo dig in for one hell-of-a battle. A last man standing affair. Santa Ana can gloat, but not for long. Brilliant hand-to-hand combat sequences. The battle is realistic enough to almost smell the gunpowder. Actuality aside, this movie is well worth seeing.Other players featured: Ernest Borgnine, Jim Davis, Otto Kruger, Ben Cooper, Virginia Grey, John Russell, Slim Pickens and the beautiful Anna Maria Alberghetti.

In the habitual group of various characters we find the starring Jim Bowie of ¨Bowie knife¨ fame (Sterling Hayden) who held command until stricken with typhoid-pneumonia , Colonel William Barret Travis (Richard Carlson) , commander of the small garrison of some 180 men and Davy Crockett of Tenesse (Arthut Hunnicutt) who had arrived with a dozen volunteers . They're guarding El Alamo against a Mexican militia commanded by General Antonio Lopez De Santa Anna , President of Mexico (J. Carroll Nash) . They're featured in more realistic roles than successive films , though here predominates the melodrama . It's a spectacular film hampered by a tiring screenplay and including Max Steiner's excellent score with a title song by Gordon McRae . The motion picture well produced by Republic's founder , Herbert J. Yates, was professionally directed by Frank Lloyd . Subsequently , five years later , John Wayne made his own retelling : ¨El Álamo¨ (1960) , utilizing a lot of the still-standing sets that were used in this movie . The film is rightly based on historic events , these are the followings : On 23 February 1836 a army of 5000 entered San Antonio. When Santa Anna demanded the surrender, William Travis answered with a cannon shot. So began thirteen day siege that ended with the Mexicans storming the fortress, the defenders, to a man , fought on until death .With bugles sounding the ¨deguello¨(signifying no quarter to the defenders) attacked the adobe walls from all four sides and broke through. Travis was shot dead over his cannon . Crockett using his rifle as a club, fell under a swarm of the enemy . Bowie fought to the last from his sickbead. The Mexicans had won a Pyrrhic victory suffering more than 1500 casualties. Forty six days after the fall ,less than 800 Texans and American volunteers led by General San Houston defeated Santa Anna and his army of 1300 at San Jacinto. Shouting ¨Remember the Alamo¨ Houston's men completely routed the Mexicans in a matter of minutes, killing 630 while losing only 8. Santa Anna was captured, and the Republic of Texas was born.

While not totally historically accurate, this film is at least as accurate, if not more so, than most of the other Alamo epics. There are points in all the films that are arguable, if not totally wrong. However, I have researched most of the Alamo films and find this one more accurate from the viewpoint of the depiction of the Mexicans in the Alamo and some of the more personal facts about Bowie. For example, the death of his wife sometime before the start of the battle. No Alamo film is totally accurate, including the newly made Alamo with Billy Bob Thornton and Dennis Quaid. The important thing is that this is the story of brave men fighting a battle they cannot win against a far larger army. The spirit of the story is the important thing in this case.