VERY CLOSE to the truth.

Rating: 10/10 (11 April 2004)

If you studied the history of Texas more than about 5 years ago you may not be able to swallow all of this movie. Until that time the OFFICIAL VERSION said that all perished in the battle for the Alamo. Recent revelations have led historians to believe that James Bowie was dying of lung cancer and fought his last fight from his death bed. Davy Crockett was not killed in battle but was captured and later executed. A couple of things that I think were not portrayed well or at all were that Bowie was a scoundral who had defrauded a lot of folks in Louisiana befroe fleeing for Texas. Sam Houston had ordered The Alamo abandoned as he saw that it held no strategic or political value. William Barrett Travis did indeed abandon a pregnant wife but it is (and was) widely believed that she was pregnant with another man's child. There were many political and military divisions within the community of men fighting for Texas. "Volunteer" groups were acting as their own armies and doing what they pleased at the moment. Some believed that The Alamo was the gateway to Texas and that to capture it was to capture Texas. Not all the political leaders approved of Houston as the General of all the armies. Houston was too smart to think that he could whip Santa Anna in a "fair" fight. SAM HOUSTON ended up defeating the Mexican Army the way Washington defeated the British. By getting a little lucky and picking the right time to fight. THAT is why Houston absolutely could not ride to the rescue of those at the Alamo but could not come right out and say so.
IF you have a desire to get a real good take on Texas history of the time check out LONE STAR NATION by H.W. Brands. An Excellent writer. The book is available at any bookstore
As to the movie itself...I fought back tears when Travis addressed the men. Billy Bob was excellent. If Davy Crockett was NOT as Thornton portrayed him he might well wish he was.
Quaid was very good as Houston. NONE of the characters in this movie have enough time to develop their entire backstories and it is not always evidenet why he does the things he does. He was a hard drinker and often drunk but pulls things together when necessary.
As to Santa Anna he was about like he is portrayed. At Goliad he executed ALL those who surrendered. At the battle of San Jacinto they were also yelling REMEMBER GOLIAD. He was cruel. He did things to his own people that were later repeated against Texas.