Watch The Man from the Alamo For Free

So much average

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Drawing straws (or in this case beans) Texas patriot Glenn Ford is picked to leave the Alamo in order to evacuate his and his neighbor's families, only to find them all dead at the hands of marauders and himself branded a coward.Starting with a fairly colorful, low-budget Alamo siege (shot on a sound-stage!), this is pretty compelling all the way, with an excellent, hard-boiled performance from Ford and nice direction from the great Budd Boetticher, one of the best unsung western filmmakers ever.This is almost as good as Boetticher's later collaborations with Randolph Scott. My only problem is that this wasn't shot in widescreen.As far as the supporting cast goes, Chill Wills is always fun to watch, while the incredibly beautiful Julie Adams is always fun to look at, and Neville Brand delivers some great, macho, swaggering villainy that easily overshadows the more subdued Victor Jory.On the other hand, I can't quite understand the Golden Globe win by Hugh O'Brian. He's okay, but slightly bland as Ford's main accuser.

"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.

By chance, June clouds threatening, I sat down and watched this entertaining western on a Saturday afternoon. An earlier commentator ended his praise for this film by noting that it is "an excellent western for a Saturday afternoon." And it was. The ethical dilemma of leaving a field of battle (in this case the Alamo)to try and save the lives of loved ones is a powerful theme. The repercussions to John Stroud, Ford's weary but stalwart character, are scorn, accusations of cowardice and worse. The best part of the film are the sweeping shots of the Texas plains. The movie is well-composed, capturing the majestic plains and hills with a strength of purpose that demands an emotional response. One of the early films of Jeanne Cooper, who is a favorite of mine.

Glenn Ford is fighting at the Alamo and he is chosen among friends to go out and save their families. Hugh O'Brian also has to leave on an official mission. Just after Ford leaves, the Alamo falls, and he is branded a coward, especially by O'Brian, who does not know the real reason Ford left. Very good story,about the individual standing up against a collective prejudice, co-written by Niven Busch (Duel in the Sun, Pursued, The Westerner) and directed by Budd Boetticher, who in later years directed many westerns with Randolph Scott. This film is full of action, very good music and scenery. Boetticher shows his special touch when there is a shootout with plenty of strategy involved.