Directed by: John Wayne
Starring: John Wayne, Richard Widmark, Laurence Harvey, Frankie Avalon
Factual error: The last battle is fought in daylight. In fact in was still dark out on March 6. By dawn all the defenders were dead.
Suggested correction: The last battle started at 6:30 and the sun rose at 6:50, so when the battle started it was already getting light out.
Factual error: Approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes into the "restored" full-length video version, there's a birthday party for little Lisa Dickinson, and the Alamo defenders sing "Happy Birthday" to her. The Alamo battle happened in 1836. According to David Ewen's "All the Years of American Popular Music," the song "Happy Birthday to You" was composed and copyrighted by sisters Patty and Mildred J. Hill, first as "Good Morning to All," in 1893.
Jim Bowie: I'd hate to say anything good about that long-winded jackanapes, but he does know the short way to start a war.
Trivia: In 2010, on the 50th anniversary of the release of the film a reunion was held at The Alamo Village. Of the main actors only 6 of them were still alive. 69 year old Frankie Avalon was there and five defectors were there with Mrs John Wayne. Richard Widmark (Jim Bowie) had died in 2008.
Question: In the John Wayne film, Frankie Avalon is riding into Sam Houston's camp and is stopped by two sentries. The one questioning him appears to bear a striking resemblance to Robert Mitchum. Is this him?
Answer: No, that's not him. Robert Mitchum has no part in this movie.