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Remember The Alamo
Had a nice weekend. I absolutely loved 8 Mile. It was even better then the script. It's a spectacular debut for Marshall Mathers' movie career. What could he possibly do next??? Meanwhile, today we have our returning friend Fred's take on The Alamo screenplay.
The Alamo Script Review
THE ALAMO
Screenplay by Leslie Bohem
Current rewrite by John Sayles
(Revision, 12 May 2002)
Reviewed by Frederick J. Chiaventone
"There are few legends so readily recognizable to Americans as that of the Alamo – a rather dilapidated mission in the Texas town of San Antonio de Bexar - which was defended to the last man by Texian separatists in the spring of 1836. Now, most of our familiarity with the legend comes from our exposure as kids to the role of Davy Crockett as played by Fess Parker (for Disney) or the inimitable John Wayne (for Batjac Productions). Yes, there are a number of other versions but these are the ones with mythic power in the American consciousness, and in either case the Texian view is fairly straightforward and, I hesitate to say it, relentlessly heroic. The old timers, and perhaps even the crowd who hang out with Harry Knowles at the Alamo Drafthouse in San Antonio, may well not appreciate this Bohem/Sayles version, but it is a powerful and compelling view nonetheless and, at the very least, it’ll give the drafthouse crowd something to argue about when the film lets out.
For those who do not flinch from the unpleasant nature of history (a’la Oliver Cromwell who insisted his portrait be rendered accurately right down to his facial wart) this is an engrossing journey into the lives and motivations of the players in the drama of early Texas. Sam Houston, Jim Bowie, William Barrett Travis, none of them are the knights in shining armor so often portrayed in the media and legend. These are men - let me rephrase that - these are frontiersmen; rough around the edges, Houston is a frequent drunk, Bowie an unscrupulous land swindler (also frequently drunk), Travis a self-centered, arrogant womanizer and would-be heroic figure.
Of the usual panoply of Texian heroes only David Crockett, legendary frontiersman and former Senator from Tennessee, is less objectionable than the rest. The impression one gets from the script is that Crockett, at loose ends following the collapse of his Congressional career, has wandered into Texas and the revolution looking for something – but as to what that is even he is unsure. Crockett’s problem is quickly outlined in a brief discussion with Jim Bowie:
BOWIE
So, did you really do any of those
things they say?
Crockett, embarrassed, looks around at the eating DEFENDERS
CROCKETT
A story is kind of like a tadpole.
Turn your back and it’s grown arms and
legs and gone hoppin’ all over Creation.
Crockett regards the huge KNIFE at the foot of Bowie’s cot.
CROCKETT
Course you’re kinda famous too -
BOWIE
Notorious. There’s a difference.
What Crockett is sure of is that once Santa Anna is at the gates of the Alamo, the lanky, homespun hero is stuck with his place at the doomed fort. Later in the same conversation with Bowie he admits:
CROCKETT (brooding)
If it was just me, simple old coonhunter
from Tennessee, I could drop over the
wall some night and take my chances.
But this Davy Crockett feller – they’re all watching him.
The fact that this is likely a very accurate portrayal of Crockett’s motivation and dilemma will not make the screenwriters or their associates any friends in San Antonio. But Crockett is not alone, as with most of his compatriots he is a man used up by civilization and looking for a fresh start, a new lease on life. Crockett can see beyond the rough surface of frontier life in Texas to what the land promises.
So does this mean don’t bother with this film? Quite emphatically the opposite! This is good material. Very good. This is provocative and, with a few minor oxymoronic slips here and there (easily remedied i.e., it’s not a Brown Betsy guys, it’s a Brown Bess - Betsy was, according to Disney anyway, Crockett’s rifle... .your Freudian slip is showing... no big deal), well researched and well-written. I can easily imagine that Disney (Michael Eisner in particular) was not thrilled with the final product – aside from the fact that this speaks well for the screenwriter(s) - as the protagonists are not 'ten feet tall' and uniformly sympathetic. I have to give credit to Ron Howard for defending his "vision" of the film to the studio and going a different route rather than compromise that vision. But enough of that, back to the script. Another aspect which distinguishes this script from its fellow travelers in the Texian Mythology is the sympathetic presence of figures such as Juan Seguin and his associates - Texians of Mexican heritage committed to their emerging republic and willing to fight for same. Previous screen retellings of the Alamo story have conveniently overlooked or ignored this facet of history and it is to the credit of the writers that these Texian patriots finally have their day in the sun.
Also absent from previous screen versions is the Mexican point of view. In this instance the screenwriters attempt to redress this lapse by telling the story of a young conscript who is shanghaied into Santa Anna’s force and serves throughout the campaign. A fair portion of the tale is related through his eyes and the eyes of a Texian counterpart named Matt. While interesting characters I am unsure how much they add to the story except for the fact that they provide convenient voice over talent to connect some of the otherwise disjointed parts of the tale. Santa Anna and his entourage receive more coverage than was previously given them but these characters have a distant, detached air to them. The gulf between the Mexican officer corps and the troops is glaring and it is almost a mystery as to how the officers are able to motivate their followers. But one has to ask the question; 'Do these characterizations work?, And the answer, yes, quite well. There is enough distance between the omniscient and overbearing Santa Anna and his staff and the shoeless campesinos/soldatos to make both believable.
Are there any disconnects or superfluous moments? Certainly. To be honest I found the references (flashbacks), for example, to Bowie’s infamous sand bar duel, and to Houston’s participation at Horseshoe Bend during the Creek War, unnecessary and even distracting from the action. I don’t know that these scenes truly contributed anything to the motivations of the individuals concerned. But then this might be a personal 'druther' and should be taken as such.
All this being said, this is a tragic, compelling story and almost depressing in its inevitable resolution at San Jacinto. All told, I suspect that this film’s version of events will not be the most popular with the general movie going public but it will be a welcome and necessary restatement of history 'warts and all.' Now, there will be those who will object to this gritty, rather unpleasant view of Texas history but I am reminded of Bismarck’s admonition to those who were as uncomfortable with viewing politics as they were with the making of sausage – neither activity is for the squeamish. A note to Ron Howard, this is a very worthwhile project and a good retelling/recasting of historical characters. Get your funding/backers and go for it.
For those who would prefer to see a more unvarnished view of historical events and personages involved in Texas independence they are recommended to 'Three Roads to the Alamo' (a triple biography of Travis, Bowie and Crockett) by William C. Davis (HarperCollins), and 'The Gates of the Alamo' a recent, bestselling novel by Stephen Harrigan (Knopf). Also worth a hard look are 'Texian Iliad' by Stephen Hardin and 'Blood of Noble Men' by Alan C. Huffines. I urge the crowd at the Alamo Drafthouse to get copies of these books and give ‘em a read before jumping all over this view of a famous confrontation. To Bohem and Sayles I say; 'Well done, folks.' "
Frederick J. Chiaventone, an award-winning novelist and screenwriter, is a retired Army officer and Professor Emeritus of International Security Affairs at the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College. His most recent book, Moon of Bitter Cold, a novel of Red Cloud’s war, has just been nominated for the Pulitzer. His most recent piece for American Heritage magazine (October 2002) is on Native American leadership.
Looking for an Artist
In the past six months, my love for comic-books has risen again. After I stopped collecting three years ago, a friend of mine got me hooked again in late Spring. I'm back at it like in the good ole days. I'm a huge Marvel fan. I'm following Ultimate X-Men, The Ultimates, The Incredible Hulk, X-Statix, Agent X (the new DeadPOOL title!!!!), Ultimate Adventures, New X-Men and the soon to be cancelled Soldier X. I've also been reading Amazing Spider-Man and Ultimate Spider-Man from my friend's collection. Marvel has finally awakened from it's creative coma. They have some very gifted writers working for them now. Mark Millar's The Ultimates and Ultimate X-Men are some of the best stuff written in a while. A modern update of those mystical characters. Hulk has been reinvented by Bruce Jones. He's a damn good writer. Peter Milligan's X-Statix is just one of those kick ass titles. The beginning of his run, on what was previously called X-Force, is unlike anything I've ever read. We all know how spectacular Grant Morrison is. His New X-Men stories are modern day classics. J. Michael Straczynski's writing on Amazing Spider-Man is wonderful. Knowing that he'll be replaced by Kevin Smith(Who's Spidey/Black Cat mini is great) is even more exciting.
All of this has awakened an old dream of mine. I want to write like these guys. I want to write comic books. So I'm looking for an artist, someone who can draw to team up with me. I'm looking for the next Bryan Hitch, Mike Allred, John Romita Jr., Frank Quitely, Adam Kubert etc... Not sure what the concept will be right now. It might be superheroes or a reality based serial. I'm not offering any money, only exposure and perhaps a partnership. So if anyone is interested, please email me and send me an art sample along...
Stay tuned...
That's all folks...
Jean-François Allaire (aka DeadPool)
Questions, comments, praise etc. Email me at deadpool@tnmc.org
Jean-François Allaire is TNMC's first columnist. At only 24 years old he has become a respected entertainment journalist, with his columns appearing in Corona's Coming Attractions and Scr(i)pt magazine. He also writes a monthly column in Screenwriters Monthly entitled 'The Last Word.' Hailing from Montreal this young writer is determined to dig up all the details on the movies before they hit your local theater. If you're part of a movie production then you really need to be talking to him.
