The Alamo
Performance & Direction: The Alamo Review
Last updated: January 23, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is The Alamo (1960) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a HIT with a verified audience rating of 7.1/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this War.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any War is often anchored by its ensemble, and The Alamo features a noteworthy lineup led by John Wayne . Supported by the likes of Richard Widmark and Laurence Harvey , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
In summary, our editorial assessment of The Alamo (1960) is generally positive. With an audience rating of 7.1/10, it stands as a highly recommended experience for genre enthusiasts.
Story & Plot Summary: The Alamo
Quick Plot Summary: The Alamo is a War, Adventure, History, Western film that presents a compelling narrative that engages viewers from start to finish. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict and narrative structure.
Ending Explained: The Alamo
Ending Breakdown: The Alamo resolves its central conflict while maintaining thematic consistency. The finale has been praised for its approach to war resolution.
The conclusion addresses the core thematic questions, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes with clear resolution of its central conflicts, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Main characters complete meaningful transformations, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the war themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of The Alamo reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
The Alamo Real vs. Reel: Is it Based on a True Story?
The Alamo draws heavily from documented historical records. As a war, adventure, history, western film, it navigates the space between factual accuracy and narrative engagement.
Historical Context
The film balances historical fidelity with cinematic storytelling. Core events maintain connection to source material while adapting for theatrical presentation.
The production demonstrates respect for its source material, with attention to period detail and historical context.
Accuracy Assessment: The Alamo adapts its source material for dramatic purposes. The film prioritizes thematic resonance over documentary precision.
Who Should Watch The Alamo?
Worth Watching If You:
- Enjoy War films and don't mind familiar tropes
- Are a fan of the cast or director
- Want solid genre entertainment
Box Office Collection: The Alamo
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $12.0M |
| Worldwide Gross | $7.9M |
| Trade Verdict | CLEAN HIT |
The Alamo Budget
The estimated production budget for The Alamo is $12.0M. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: The Alamo
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Where to Watch The Alamo Online?
Streaming Hub📺 Stream on
MGM Plus Amazon ChannelThe Alamo Parents Guide & Age Rating
1960 AdvisoryWondering about The Alamo age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of The Alamo is 202 minutes (3h 22m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 7.1/10, and global performance metrics, The Alamo is classified as a HIT. It remains an essential part of the 1960 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Alamo worth watching?
The Alamo is definitely worth watching if you enjoy War movies. It has a verified rating of 7.1/10 and stands as a HIT in our box office analysis.
Where can I find The Alamo parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for The Alamo identifies it as NR. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of The Alamo?
The total duration of The Alamo is 202 minutes, which is approximately 3h 22m long.
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How The Alamo Compares & Where it Ranks
Critic Reviews for The Alamo
For what seems like 13 hours the film misses classic genre status. For 13 days these brave men hold the fort... The Alamo is not the film it should be, even after the 2004 remake (a great film that takes a reflective and thoughtful stance) we find ourselves still waiting for a blood pumping and stirring take on the folklore tale of what happened at the small missionary known as The Alamo. It's San Antonio, 1836 and General Santa Anna is marching his mighty armies into the contested territory of Texas, all that stands in his way is a small band of heroes, Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett and their trusty men who are led by the inexperienced William Travis. They must buy time in order for General Sam Houston to get an army together in which to crush Santa Anna's imposing forces. There really is no simpler way of putting it other than to say that The Alamo is an overlong misfire. Various cuts have been made to try and create an epic classic out of what was actually filmed, but neither of the cuts can succeed in making it the flowing genre piece it could have been. John Wayne directs and clearly cared about the project (with his own cash invested that was to be expected), but rumours have persisted that Cliff Lyons had to take up directing duties later in the picture, it's not hard to see why if that was the case, but various sources do poo poo this rumour, and is mostly believed to be Wayne's own work throughout the film. Wayne (having learnt from his mentor John Ford) had a great vision for the picture, and the scope is rather impressive, the recreation of The Alamo building in particular is first rate, whilst the formations of Santa Anna's armies finally rouse the picture out of its slumber. However, the high points in the picture are few and far between, the acting leaves a lot to be desired, with Wayne himself unable to let the Crockett character be anything other than the John Wayne show. Richard Widmark as Jim Bowie steadily holds his own and manages to eek out a bit of bravado interplay with Wayne and Laurence Harvey (William Travers), but outside of that there is not much to write home about. The final third just about saves the film from being a stinker, with the Academy Award for best sound richly deserved, but sadly The Alamo remains to this day a plodding dinosaur that bores when it really should be igniting the spirit. 5/10
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
