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Plot
The film depicts the Battle of the Alamo and the events leading up to it. Sam Houston leads the forces fighting for Texas independence and needs time to build an army. The opposing Mexican forces, led by General Santa Anna, are numerically stronger and also better armed and trained. Nevertheless, the Texans have spirit and morale remains generally high.
Lieutenant Colonel William Travis is tasked with defending the Alamo, a former mission in San Antonio. Jim Bowie arrives with reinforcements and the defenders dig in. Meanwhile, Davy Crockett arrives.
Santa Anna's armies arrive and surround the fort. The siege begins. Jim Bowie goes to Santa Anna under the peace flag, so Travis, angered by Jim Bowie, shoots a cannon at the armies, saying he will negotiate peace from a position of power only.
In a nighttime raid, the Texans sabotage the Mexicans' biggest cannon. The Texans maintain high hopes as they are told a strong force led by Colonel James Fannin is on its way to break the siege. Crockett, however, sensing an imminent attack, sends one of his younger men, Smitty, to ask Houston for help. Crockett knows this will perhaps save Smitty's life.
The Mexicans frontally attack the Alamo. The defenders hold out and kill hundreds of charging Mexican soldiers, further boosting morale, although the Texans' own losses are not insignificant. Bowie sustains a leg wound. The movie then depicts morale dropping when Travis tells his men that Fannin's reinforcements have been ambushed, and, after surrendering, slaughtered by the Mexicans.
Travis chooses to stay with his command and defend the Alamo, but he gives the other defenders the option of leaving. Crockett, Bowie and their men prepare to leave, but an inspired tribute by Travis convinces them to stay and fight to the end.
On the thirteenth day of the siege, Santa Anna's artillery bombards the Alamo and kills or wounds several Texans. The entire Mexican army sweeps forward, attacking on all sides. The defenders kill dozens of charging Mexicans, but the attack is overwhelming. The Mexicans blast a hole in the Alamo wall and soldiers swarm through. Travis tries to rally the men but is shot and killed. Crockett leads the Texans in the final defense of the fort. The Mexicans take heavy losses, but swarm through and overwhelm the Texans. The Texans retreat to their final defensive positions. Crockett is killed in the chaos when he is run through by a lance and then blown up as he ignites the powder magazine. Bowie, in bed with his wound, kills several Mexicans but is bayoneted and dies. As the last Texan is killed, the Mexican soldiers discover the hiding place of the wife and child of Texan defender Captain Dickinson. The battle is over and the Mexicans have won.
Santa Anna observes the carnage and provides safe passage for Mrs. Dickinson and her child. Smitty returns too late, watching from a distance. He takes off his hat in respect and then escorts Mrs. Dickinson away from the battlefield.
The subplot follows the conflict existing among the strong-willed personalities of Travis, Bowie, and Crockett. Travis stubbornly defends his decisions as commander of the garrison against the suggestions of the other two - particularly Bowie with whom the most bitter conflict develops - as well as trying to maintain discipline amongst a force made up primarily of independently-minded frontiersmen and settlers. Crockett, well liked by both Bowie and Travis, eventually becomes a mediator between the other two as Bowie constantly threatens to withdraw his men rather than deal with Travis. Despite their personal conflicts, all three learn to subordinate their differences and in the end bind themselves together in an act of bravery to defend the fort against inevitable defeat.
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Alamo_(1960_film)

Cast
John Wayne as Davy Crockett ジョン・ウェイン
Richard Widmark as Jim Bowie リチャード・ウィドマーク
Laurence Harvey as William Barrett Travis ローレンス・ハーヴェイ
Frankie Avalon as Smitty フランキー・アバロン
Patrick Wayne as James Bonham パトリック・ウェイン
Linda Cristal as Graciela Carmela Maria 'Flaca' de Lopez y Vejar リンダ・クリスタル
Joan O'Brien as Mrs. Sue Dickinson ジョーン・オブライエン
Chill Wills as Beekeeper チル・ウイルス

Academy Awards
Won
Best Sound

Nominated
Best Supporting Actor (Chill Wills)
Best Cinematography, Color
Best Film Editing
Best Music (Dramatic or Comedy Picture)
Best Song
Best Picture

1960年公開の映画「アラモ」です。ジョン・ウェインが監督、制作、主演を務めました。他にはリチャード・ウィドマーク、ローレンス・ハーヴェイらが出演。

1836年に実際に起こったテキサス革命中のアラモの戦いを題材とした歴史映画です。
今はテキサスはアメリカ合衆国の州となっていますが、1836年当時はメキシコ領だったんですね。
そこからの独立を目指したのがテキサス革命ですね。
アラモというのは地名ではなく、戦いの舞台となったアラモ伝道所から来ています。
このアラモ伝道所は今でも現存して博物館となっています。

映画の内容は歴史映画なので史実を描いただけに過ぎないんですが、なぜこの戦いが起こったのかという背景がほとんど映画では触れられません。冒頭に少し説明があるくらいです。テキサス革命やアラモの戦いの原因などについての説明がないため、いきなりこの映画を見るとわかりにくいところがあると思います。
見るには下知識が必要だと感じました。

※トリビア
撮影のために作ったアラモ伝道所のセットは撮影終了後も残されました。
今現在も現存し、アラモ村と呼ばれています。他の映画のセットとしても使われています。
セットとしてはかなり大掛かりで本格的なものでした。

アラモ [ リチャード・ウィドマーク ] 価格:1,000円 (2017/9/8 13:47時点) 感想(0件)