美國歷史上曾稱之為“Alamo精神”即Spirits of The Alamo。這也是全片的主旨。 電影講述的是美國德州歷史中可能最精彩也最難忘的一段，一個以13日圍城，13日守城失敗為題的戰爭故事。
1821年的德州地區是西班牙的殖民地，經過1815-1821年的墨西哥獨立革命後，德州也因此成為墨西哥其中一個州，自此大量當時的美國拓荒者湧入。 至Alamo戰役之前，這裡已經居住大量的美國移民。堅持蓄奴的德州與主張禁奴的墨西哥政府之間的矛盾升級導致了1835年的德州動亂，同時因為格蘭德河（Rio Grande）的國界問題，1836年3月2日，德州正式宣佈獨立，成為德克薩斯共和國。
1836年3月6日，墨西哥獨裁將軍Santa Anna對佔據在Alamo的德州人進行圍城。The Alamo講述的就是自此開始的13日的德州人的守城故事。
Alamo戰役中有3個主要人物，分別是總指揮、將軍William Travis(Laurance Harvey) ，帶領志願者來參戰的Jim Bowie(Richard Widmark)，和離開議會南下支援的將軍Davy Crockett(John Wayne)。電影中這3個人性格各異，主張也不同，於是在求同齊抗敵的信念上，克服困難，彼此協作，共同作戰。當地的美國移民也義無反顧地為保護家園而戰。
戰爭是殘酷的。墨西哥人在Santa Anna的帶領下，率領7000人的大軍，帶同槍支大炮攻城。美國將軍Houston需要這個驛站的人前赴後繼，為他在抵達營救前盡可能多爭取多一分鐘的 堅持。只有不到200人的在這個原本是西班牙傳教站的Alamo守城人，因敵我力量太懸殊，最終不敵。
片中的墨西哥將領Santa Anna開戰前讓城內的婦孺離城，我曾懷疑歷史的原型並非如此。William Travis的助手及堂弟Almeron Dickinson的太太一家堅持留下，故，在片尾，屍骸遍地的城內，走出Dickinson太太和孩子 – 他們是唯一的倖存者。
John Wayne的特別之處，就是這個結局 – 不交待Sam Houston的到來，不說明Alamo在3個星期後最終被營救。這裡只有充滿信念的忠魂，面對強敵視死如歸，留守家園，捍衛自由。
The Alamo is a 1960 American historical epic released by United Artists. The film was directed by John Wayne, who also stars as Davy Crockett. The cast also includes Richard Widmark as Jim Bowie and Laurence Harvey as William B. Travis, with Frankie Avalon, Chill Wills, Patrick Wayne, Linda Cristal, Joseph Calleia, Ruben Padilla, Richard Boone as Sam Houston, Ken Curtis, Hank Worden, and Denver Pyle. The movie was photographed in 70 mm Todd-AO by William H. Clothier. The subject is the 1836 Battle of the Alamo.
The Alamo 1960 Movie Trailer
http://www.youtube/watch?v=3PpcHfMTjn0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3amU4FqKCqw
Lyrics
In the southern part of Texas, in the town of San Antone,
There’s a fortress all in ruin that the weeds have overgrown.
You may look in vain for crosses and you’ll never see a one,
But sometime between the setting and the rising of the sun,
You can hear a ghostly bugle as the men go marching by;
You can hear them as they answer to that roll call in the sky:
Colonel Travis, Davy Crockett and a hundred eighty more;
Captain Dickenson, Jim Bowie, present and accounted for.
Back in 1836, Houston said to Travis:
“Get some volunteers and go fortify the Alamo.”
Well, the men came from Texas and from old Tennessee,
And they joined up with Travis just to fight for the right to be free.
Indian scouts with squirrel guns, men with muzzle loaders,
Stood together heel and toe to defend the Alamo.
“You may never see your loved ones,” Travis told them that day.
“Those that want to can leave now, those who’ll fight to the death, let ’em stay.”
In the sand he drew a line with his army sabre,
Out of a hundred eighty five, not a soldier crossed the line.
With his banners a-dancin’ in the dawn’s golden light,
Santa Anna came prancin’ on a horse that was black as the night.
He sent an officer to tell Travis to surrender.
Travis answered with a shell and a rousin’ rebel yell.
Santa Anna turned scarlet: “Play Degüello,” he roared.
“I will show them no quarter, everyone will be put to the sword.”
One hundred and eighty five holdin’ back five thousand.
Five days, six days, eight days, ten; Travis held and held again.
Then he sent for replacements for his wounded and lame,
But the troops that were comin’ never came, never came, never came.
Twice he charged, then blew recall. On the fatal third time,
Santa Anna breached the wall and he killed them one and all.
Now the bugles are silent and there’s rust on each sword,
And the small band of soldiers lie asleep in the arms of The Lord.
In the southern part of Texas, near the town of San Antone,
Like a statue on his Pinto rides a cowboy all alone.
And he sees the cattle grazin’ where a century before,
Santa Anna’s guns were blazin’ and the cannons used to roar.
And his eyes turn sort of misty, and his heart begins to glow,
And he takes his hat off slowly to the men of Alamo.
To the thirteen days of glory at the seige of Alamo.