Posted on 10/24/2010 1:45:25 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
"In San Antonio, the Alamo is venerated as a sacred shrine. But it does not belong to Texas alone," Wayne told newspaper reporters. "It belongs to people everywhere who value the priceless treasure that has always been bought with blood — human freedom."
Pilar Wayne says that was no act.
"I feel that he wanted to show what America stood for and the courage and the love of the country," she said. "To him, it was a very important message that he wanted to put out there. Mainly, it was his love of America."
"The Alamo," which was the most expensive film ever made in the continental United States at the time, opened in theaters the same year as "Psycho," "The Apartment," "Spartacus," "The Virgin Spring" and "La Dolce Vita."
For Wayne, the movie had been an obsession, a 14-year quest.
"I've got everything I own in it. I borrowed from banks and friends," Wayne said. "But I'm not worried. This is a darn good picture. It's real American history, the kind of movie we need today more than ever."
(Excerpt) Read more at mysanantonio.com ...
In a Playboy Interview back about 1970 John Wayne said THE ALAMO bombed in the US. He also mentioned the movie was a hit IN FRANCE!
boy....that was a tightly wound Travis in that film
Great state no doubt
April 21, 1836 (San Jacinto Day) is a day that should be remembered by free men for all time.
I read a great article back at the Texas Bi-Centennial that was written by Frank Feuille (President of El Paso Times) connecting that date with 2 other events in history. In each of those events a few men in a short period of time left a legacy that affected huge expanses and numbers of people for a very long time.
Another one of those 3 events was the 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae. I cannot recall the other battle but it was less well know, but important.
Yes, God Bless Texas!
Thank you sir for that.
And God Bless the Unites States of America! And Protect her from the enemies of all free men.
At 2:30 this afternoon, as Chairman and Historical Marker Chair of our County Historical Commission, I will be emceeing the dedication ceremony for our newest Texas Historical Marker. It commemorates the only known location in Texas where Trammel's Trace is clearly visible from a Texas State Highway. (TX 77 in northwesten Cass County...)
For a glimpse of the site as seen from the marker location -- plus a CGI of the marker in the foreground, see this image.
I plan to have the attendees stand there and imagine that they are watching Travis, Crockett and Bowie pass before their eyes -- on their journeys to their heroic destinies at the Alamo. And I'll ask them to (mentally) nod to General Sam Houston -- as he rides by on his way to San Jacinto to kick the Mexicans out of Texas!
In honor of that event, and with a tip of the Stetson to Wayne's "The Alamo", I resurrect an old tagline...
Some of my ancestors were born in Texas during the Republic, but most of them came to Texas from AL during Reconstruction.
Those were literally “burned out” of AL. Those wounds were common at that time and whole communities migrated to be shed of that opression. They settled first in Coryell County near Hay Valley. They wound up in Haskell county around 1886.
I moved away in 1971, after college, but returned about 15 years ago. Plan to stay. My family still owns and farms land that has been in the family for 110+ years.
The Battle of Camerone is not on a great scale, but I always try to raise a drink to it every April 30th as a sign of respect.
“On the 30 April, at 1 a.m., the 3rd company — 62 soldiers and 3 officers — was en route. At 7 a.m., after a 15-mile march, they stopped at Palo Verde to rest and “prepare the coffee”. Soon after, a Mexican Army force of 600 cavalry was sighted. Captain Danjou ordered the company take up a square formation, and, though retreating, he rebuffed several cavalry charges, inflicting the first heavy losses on the Mexican army that suffered from the French long range rifle.
Seeking a more defensible position, Danjou made a stand at the nearby Hacienda Camarón, an inn protected by a 3-metre-high-wall. His plan was to occupy Mexican forces to prevent attacks against the nearby convoy. While his legionnaires prepared to defend the inn, the Mexican commander, Colonel Milan, demanded that Danjou and soldiers surrender, noting the Mexican Army’s numeric superiority. Danjou replied: “We have munitions. We will not surrender.” He then swore to fight to the death, an oath which was seconded by the men.
Around 11 a.m. the Mexicans were increased in size by the arrival of 1,200 infantry. The Hacienda took fire but the French had lost all water early in the morning when pack mule were lost during the retreat.
At noon, Captain Danjou was shot in the chest and died; his soldiers continued fighting despite overwhelming odds under the command of an inspired 2nd Lt. Vilain, who held for four hours before falling during an assault.
At 5 p.m only 12 Légionnaires remain around 2nd Lt. Maudet. Soonafter, with ammunition exhausted, the last of Danjou’s soldiers, numbering only five under the command of Lt. Maudet, desperately mounted a bayonet charge. Two men died outright, while the rest continued the assault. The tiny group was surrounded and beaten to the earth. A Belgian Legionnaire, Victor Catteau, lept in front of Lt. Maudet in an effort to protect him from the Mexican guns when they were leveled at him but died in vain as both he and Lt. Maudet were hit in the barrage.
Colonel Milan, commander of the Mexicans, managed to prevent his men from ripping the surviving legionnaires to pieces. When the last two survivors, were asked to surrender, they insisted that Mexican soldiers allow them safe passage home, to keep their arms, and to escort the body of Captain Danjou. To that, the Mexican commander commented, “What can I refuse to such men? No, these are not men, they are devils,” and, out of respect, agreed to these terms.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Camar%C3%B3n
Thanks. I didn’t know that John Wayne’s Alamo was smaller than the real Alamo. In any case, it was an excellent movie.
Apparently they shortened the length of the side wall, where there was just a wooden barricade next to the full size chapel, and the front and back walls. Sort of chopping out 20-30 feet rather than doing an actual ‘scale model’. Apparently the walls were the correct height.
Here is the link to the tv production company that made the CGI videos about the Alamo and the bomb hit that caused the USS Arizona to blow up.
“What Went Down:” Experience what it would have been like to be present at history’s most world-changing moments in What Went Down, the gripping series from HISTORY that serves as an HD time machine to the past. From the showdown at the Alamo to the cockpit of a Japanese plane at Pearl Harbor, What Went Down brings crucial historical events vividly to life. With the help of top CGI artists and on-location experts,
One of mine too.
The French are definitely different from us, but too often wrongfully maligned. Including on FR.
Never forget: the French built and manned the same Maginot Line that the ascendant Nazi Germany was not willing to confront but had to sneak around.
And I have yet to meet the stereotypical rude Parisian. The ones I've met are nice, helpful and quite tolerant of the fact that I don't speak French.
(They make fantastic wines too.)
Vive la(?) France! (And with that I pretty much exhaust my knowledge of French -- I'm stronger with German.)
In a Playboy Interview back about 1970 John Wayne said THE ALAMO bombed in the US. He also mentioned the movie was a hit IN FRANCE!
***The French are definitely different from us, but too often wrongfully maligned. Including on FR.***
Perhaps THE ALAMO hits a nerve because of their own loss at Cameron, Mexico.
“Mes enfants! I command you now. We may die, but never will surrender.”- Vilian
http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,Wilson_022805-P1,00.html
Oh those cowardly French! (Wish Republicans had such spine *\;^)
[Is that a Crockett quote, or a Wayne quote?]
It’s a quote from the movie. Here is another.
“Republic. I like the sound of the word. It means people can live free, talk free, go or come, buy or sell, be drunk or sober, however they choose. Some words give you a feeling. Republic is one of those words that makes me tight in the throat - the same tightness a man gets when his baby takes his first step or his first baby shaves and makes his first sound as a man. Some words can give you a feeling that makes your heart warm. Republic is one of those words.”
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053580/quotes
Was it Roake’s Drift (Zulu War of 1879)?
Good job!
Roake’s Drift?
No, don’t think that was it. But I truely cannot remember the 3rd. I have looked for the article, but cannot find it in my archives or those of the newspaper.
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