Watch Houston: The Legend of Texas For Free

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

I will fully admit to prejudice as far as Houston: The Legend Of Texas is concerned. Sam Houston is one of my favorite characters from American history. To do full justice to his life and all the events of it and all history that he was part of would require a mini-series. Maybe someone will do one some fine day.But for now this film will do insofar as the years of 1829 to 1836 are concerned. This is as scrupulously accurate account of Houston's life as we're likely to get being that his years with the Cherokee and his scandalous divorce are concerned. Especially the latter since Eliza Allen destroyed all her correspondence and Houston never spoke publicly of the split between them.Sam Elliott plays Sam Houston and he completely fills my conception of the role. Lean and rangy Elliott has the requisite background and skills to bring the character of Houston to life. The women in his life up to that point are played by Claudia Christian as Eliza Allen and Devon Ericson as Cherokee princess Tiana Rogers.Rogers by the way was of the same family that later gave us Will Rogers, a noted Cherokee himself. She was Houston's common law wife and sad to say he deserted her as he reinvents himself for a political comeback in Texas. Though he was one of the few frontier characters who respected and fought for American Indians, he knew that was a minority opinion. Though he stood up to Andrew Jackson himself on the subject, when Houston went to Texas he never saw Rogers again.Jackson by the way is played by G.D. Spradlin who steps into a place occupied by Lionel Barrymore and Charlton Heston as our screen image of the 7th president. His part is brief, but memorable.Of course the battle of San Jacinto is the highlight of the film, again recreated with scrupulous accuracy. With that the Republic of Texas is secure and Houston is elected its first president. But even after this there is still so much more to the Houston story. Knowing that you wish the film wasn't ending.As for his personal life, it was on a visit to Alabama while Texas was a Republic that Sam Houston met Margaret Lea, a southern belle from a rich plantation family who was a generation and a half younger than him, but whom he married. They had a whole bunch of kids so his personal life was fulfilled eventually. But that was a few years after the action of this film ended.This is a well crafted look at one of our greatest Americans and I highly recommend it for all audiences, for children of all ages, especially if they reside in the Lone Star State.

Passable Western inspired by historical events about Sam Houston and his fight for Texas independence . Historic events and great action as well as an acceptable cast . Sam (Sam Elliott) left his mark across the West's thousand toughest miles to escape a scandal back east . From the Red River to the Rio Grande he was hunted and feared ; a restless giant in a violent land . Tall in the saddle, restless of heart , he ranged across a violent land , forging an era with cold steel . President Jackson (G.D. Spradlin) personally orders him to lead the battle for Texan independence, he overcomes his reluctance to become involved and leads his partners to a string of victories over the Mexican army . Advocate at law Sam Houston gets together with notorious Texan leaders , his compatriots as Jim Bowie (Michael Beck) , Davy Crockett , William Barrett Travis (William Russ) and Stephen Austin (James Stephens) . When the Texans revolted against Mexico rule in 1835 , Sam was made commander-in-chief of the rebel army . After the fall of the Alamo on 6 March 1836 to the Mexican army and the subsequent retreat of the Texan forces , Sam managed to keep together a small force of less than 800 men and on 21 April 1836 launched a furious surprise attack . At the end takes place the famous battle of San Jacinto , in which was imprisoned General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana (Richard Yniguez) . It's until the spectacular crushing spotlight of total defeat with Sam Houston as commander-in-chief when the movie comes alive at all . This exciting picture about Texas fights for independence contains action Western , drama , historical happenings and is quite entertaining . Interesting writing based on a story and screenplay by Frank Q. Dobbs , a Western expert and also producer . Good main cast in which Sam Elliott stands out , he gives a good acting as impulsive as well as two-fisted leader . Ample support cast formed by notorious secondaries playing brief roles , many of them performing historical characters , such as John P. Ryan as David Burnett , James Stephens as Stephen Austin , Richard Yniguez as Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna , Michael Beck as Jim Bowie ,John de Lancie as Van Fossen , Bo Hopkins as Col. Sidney Sherman , Ned Romero as Indian chief , G.D. Spradlin as President Andrew Jackson and uncredited , Katharine Ross , Sam Elliott's wife . Atmospheric as well as thrilling musical score by Dennis McCarthy . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Frank Watts , though in television style and being necessary a right remastering . Medium budget TV film , being professionally directed by Peter Levin , though with no originality . Levin is a good craftsman who has worked in Television for decades directing a lot of films , series and episodes . The picture is based on historical deeds about Texas independence, these are the followings : With Mexican permission Stephen Austin (James Stephens) brought the first Anglo-American colonists to Texas, the first of many, their numbers grew and they wanted self-government and this desire led to the revolt of 1835, the Texas war for Independence . General Santa Anna (Richard Yniguez) , stormed the Alamo , being defended by Jim Bowie (Michael Beck) , Davy Crockett and William Travis (William Russ) , and wiped out the garrison on 6 March 1836 . The legendary defense served as a rallying point for the beleaguered Texas . Although Santa Anna , who lost at least 600 of some 3000 troops against a force of less than 200 , referred as a small affair , the valor of the defenders gave the surviving Texan troops something to remember . But on 21 April 1836 General Santa Anna suffered a crushing defeat by Sam Houston (Sam Elliott) and was taken prisoner . Texas was declared a Republic in October 1836 and Houston became its first president. In 1845 Texas joined the US, this lead to war with Mexico and disastrous results for that country. Samuel Houston (1793-1863) well performed by Sam Elliott , was a frontiersman and politician , he went to live with the Cherokees and took a Cherokee wife . After the fall of the Alamo , he managed to keep together a small force and launched a furious surprise attack on the Mexican army of 1300 camped on the western bank of the San Jacinto River . With Texas free and independent republic , Houston was elected the first president . When Texas was admitted to the United States in 1845, Houston was a senator to Washington . Later , when civil war threatened , he was opposed to secession from the Union and refused to take oath of allegiance to the Confederate government . He relinquished his office and retired from public life .

Saw this over the weekend. The story of the founding of the Republic of Texas (the Battle of the Alamo, the Battle of San Jacinto) and all the real people who were involved is extremely dramatic in itself. Therefore, no matter how it is treated, it is always going to look "over the top"; in the light of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, that "drama" will seem hokey. But Sam Elliott deserves an acknowledgement of at least trying to portray Sam Houston was an actual human being (Houston was a true statesman- one who looked at the future consequences); Sam Elliott did the same sort of "humanizing" for Wild Bill Hickock, another person who can easily be overdone because that was how he was. Katharine Ross did well as Mrs. Dickinson, the woman who was buried with the sobriquet: The Only Survivor of the Alamo. Maybe someday, people will also know the importance of Emily Morgan (the real Yellow Rose of Texas). Factually, this was a correct filmplay, not as bloody as it could have been. Somewhat cheesy, but all-in-all, not too bad.

Cheesy, badly done TV movie shot on the cheap about Sam Houston. Listlessly acted--except by Sam Elliott in the title role, whose performance consists mostly of shouting at the top of his lungs--sloppily written, wretchedly directed, cheap-looking junk has no atmosphere, no sense of history, no suspense, no drama, no nothing. The action scenes, especially the battle of San Jacinto, are clumsily set up and badly shot. The supporting cast has a few well known character actors, such as Bo Hopkins and Ned Romero, but consists mostly of unknowns, and judging by their performances here, they should stay unknowns. The 1939 Richard Dix film "Man of Conquest," also about Houston and the battle of San Jacinto, is vastly more entertaining and professionally done. If you want to watch a film about Sam Houston, check out that one and leave this one to gather dust on the shelf, where it belongs.