8 Best Movies About The Alamo That You Should Watching Update 04/2024

Movies About The Alamo

The following is a list of the eight that I witnessed. All of them were enjoyable to me as an Alamo aficionado. However, because I am writing this review from the perspective of an ordinary viewer, I was able to limit my suggestions to just three. Setting, conflict, and resolution are the three factors that I use to judge these movies’ quality.

(It should be noted that historical accuracy was not a factor at all.)

Ultimately, if you’re interested in the Alamo and want to watch an entertaining movie at the same time, this selection is for you. Enjoy!

1.) Martyrs of the Alamo (1915)

Martyrs of the Alamo (1915)

With the following title card, the movie reveals its core conflict.

What started the Texas uprising in the first place? After being elected president of Mexico in 1833, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was quickly installed as dictator by his army, despite the fact that Mexico’s constitution of 1824 stipulated a republican system of government.

It’s evident what’s at risk in this situation. We are aware that a conflict with a despotic administration is imminent. Martyrs of the Alamo opens with a village teeming with Mexican soldiers as if to emphasize this point. Meanwhile, Santa Anna’s soldiers, who have taken over Texas and established up a colony there, are harassing the people living there to show off their might.

The sexual approaches made by Mexican soldiers toward the women settlers are highlighted in particular. In order to protect their spouses, the husbands are scared of the government’s brutal retaliation. The only option left to the Texans is to form a clandestine militia.

Director’s can show why you don’t want to live in a totalitarian government in many different ways. Braveheart (1995), a war epic about Scotland’s quest for independence, also uses this topic in Martyrs of the Alamo. This blockbuster won an Oscar for best picture, and the sets are nearly identical in the sequel. People’s daily routines are thrown off by a permanent army. For a time, the victims will put up with the tyranny, but when the women are exploited as sexual objects, the dam breaks. When his wife is assaulted by an English soldier, William Wallace, played by Mel Gibson, does not respond.

2.) Heroes of the Alamo (1937)

Heroic Mexican immigrants who put their lives on the line to cross into the United States are turned away and told that the border is now closed.

A number of the colonists are outraged by the situation and want to declare independence, but Stephen F. Austin urges restraint. Consider becoming a state in Texas. If it weren’t for Al Dickinson, he would have been overturned. He wants to try every other option before resorting to violence.

Nevertheless, when Stephen F. Austin meets with Santa Anna to discuss statehood, his suggestion only makes the dictator wary. Despite Santa Anna’s efforts to have Stephen F. Austin jailed, his xenophobic policies remain in place.

3.) Davy Crockett : King of the Wild Frontier (1955)

Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier (1955)

As “Houston reorganizes his force,” Jim Bowie tells Davy Crockett that the Alamo garrison needs more soldiers and supplies to keep the Mexican army at bay. The Texas cause is doomed if they fail to stop Santa Anna. While Davy Crockett wants to leave the Alamo in search of more reinforcements, James Bowie prefers to keep Crockett in the fort so that he can help boost morale.

When Davy Crockett arrives, the Texans are able to fend off the Mexican army while they await reinforcements under the leadership of James Bowie.

4.) The Last Command (1955)

In spite of James Bowie’s efforts, Santa Anna frees Stephen F. Austin, but he continues to use violence to suppress dissent.

On hearing that the Texas Legislature had been closed, Santa Anna decided he had no other alternative but to join the side of the rebellion.

The Alamo’s defenders must curb William Barret Travis’s reckless leadership style as they prepare for battle. When he falls unwell, he has little choice but to transfer his responsibilities to the less capable members of his team.

5.) The Alamo (1960)

The Alamo (1960)

Even before any major characters are introduced, The Alamo establishes its underlying conflict. With a title list that has appeared in every Alamo film to date,

As Santa Anna marched north across Mexico toward them, he crushed everybody who stood in his way of a totalitarian government. It was time for them to make the choice that all men must make at some point in their lives: “to tolerate oppression or to rebel.” Throughout the film, there are relatively few references to the oppression. It’s the characters’ willingness to resist and die that’s really highlighted here. We presume that the level of potential tyranny must be equal to the level of their will to resist.

6.) Viva Max (1969)

The Mexican soldiers didn’t bring bullets for their firearms since they were preparing for a parade. As soon as the Alamo has been retaken, the Texans are scrambling to keep the hilarity hidden. The national guard is summoned to persuade the Mexicans to leave the Alamo. Without the use of ammunition, they are also instructed to fight in combat.

We learn why the military retook control of the Alamo. It was a blow to his self-esteem when his girlfriend mocked his leadership skills. “One of my female friends informed me that the men don’t respect me,” she said. Even if I went to a brothel, they wouldn’t follow me there!

The national guard and the Mexican forces face battle in the Alamo, both without rounds in their weapons. After the lieutenant of the general discharges a gun into the air, the national guard surrenders. After his “military success,” the general is overcome with delight. He eventually realizes that his soldiers’ only reason for not deserting him was their dread of the lieutenant, and he concludes that he will never be respected by his men again. He makes the decision to hoist the white flag on top of the Alamo’s fortifications.

7.) The Alamo : Thirteen Days to Glory (1987)

The Alamo  Thirteen Days to Glory (1987)

The conflict between William Barret Travis and Jim Bowie threatens to undermine the leadership of the Texan state.

The town is occupied by Santa Anna, and he immediately falls in love with a young woman. Santa Anna marries the woman as the Alamo siege continues. He delegated his obligations to his subordinates because he was too preoccupied with his romantic excursions. Violence is a menace if they fail to achieve his standards.

8.) The Alamo (2004)

The key question is whether or not the sacrifices made at the Alamo will be in futile, given that we already know it will be taken by Santa Anna. The Alamo’s defenders were clearly not willing to risk their lives for the cause of Texas independence.

Upon arriving at the Alamo, Davy Crockett believes the battle is done. After the war, William Barret Travis intends to begin a fresh life with his son. Despite the recent loss of his immediate family, James Bowie appears unconcerned about his own mortality.

It is during the siege when the protagonists realize that they are mortal.

As soon as Sam Houston discovers that the Alamo has been taken, he is forced to command an army of vengeance-seeking settlers. As risks of desertion continue to loom, Houston waits for the right moment to take on the Mexican army.