Martyrs of the Alamo
| Martyrs of the Alamo | |
|---|---|
 Scene from the film | |
| Directed by | Christy Cabanne |
| Produced by | D. W. Griffith |
| Written by | Christy Cabanne |
| Based on |
Martyrs of the Alamo by Theodosia Harris |
| Starring |
Sam De Grasse Douglas Fairbanks Walter Long Alfred Paget |
| Music by | Michael Boldt |
| Cinematography | William Fildew |
| Distributed by | Triangle Film Corporation |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 50 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language |
Silent English intertitles |
Martyrs of the Alamo (also known as The Birth of Texas) is a 1915 American historical war drama film written and directed by Christy Cabanne. The film is based on the historical novel of the same name by Theodosia Harris, and features an ensemble cast including Sam De Grasse, Douglas Fairbanks, Walter Long and Alfred Paget.[1] The film features the Siege of Béxar, Battle of the Alamo and Battle of San Jacinto.
While making claims to historical accuracy, the film depicts the Mexican population in San Antonio in 1836 as a group of ill-mannered drunks. One scene depicts a Mexican officer verbally assaulting a white woman and making advances on her. The white woman reports the incident to her husband, Almeron Dickinson who in turn shoots the Mexican officer. In his book Remembering the Alamo, author Richard R. Flores, argues that the negative portrayal of the Mexican population is due to racism toward Mexicans in 1915, the year the film was produced.[2] A copy of the film is preserved at the Library of Congress.[1]
Cast
- Sam De Grasse as Silent Smith (Deaf Smith)
- Allan Sears as David Crockett
- Walter Long as Santa Anna
- Alfred Paget as James Bowie
- Fred Burns as Almeron Dickinson
- John T. Dillon as Colonel Travis
- Douglas Fairbanks as Joe/Texan Soldier
- Juanita Hansen as Old Soldier's Daughter
- Ora Carew as Mrs. Dickinson
- Tom Wilson as Sam Houston
- Augustus Carney as Old Soldier
References
- 1 2 "The Martyrs of the Alamo; or, "The Birth of Texas"". silentera.com. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
- ↑ Flores, Richard R. (2002). Remembering the Alamo: Memory, Modernity, and Thew Master Symbol. University of Texas Press. pp. 99–100. ISBN 0-292-78196-2.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Martyrs of the Alamo. |
- Martyrs of the Alamo at the Internet Movie Database
- Martyrs of the Alamo is available for free download at the Internet Archive