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Big Jake is not one of the Duke's classics, but a diverting attempt nonetheless. Everyone seems to think that Jacob McCandles is six-feet under ("I thought you was dead" is a running line throughout), so some bad men kidnap his grandson. They want a piece of the family fortune and will kill to get it. Patrick Wayne, the Duke's own son, plays one of Big Jake's kids, and together they start out after the boy's abductors. Richard Boone makes a worthy adversary to Jake's larger than life figure, and the final confrontation between the two contains some great gritted-teeth dialogue. Maureen O'Hara is barely in the feature, sharing the same fate as Bobby Vinton as the boy's father. He seems to be onscreen just to get shot. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Big Jake, the man who put the bad guys in their place!
Big Jake has always been a family favorite. Whenever it aired on TV, we watched it. If it were played 3-4 times a year, we watched it. You just can't beat the all-star cast. John Wayne, Bruce Cabot(very famous in the 1930'3 and 1940's) Richard Boone, as the lead bad guy, was a great choice. PAtrick Wayne and Christopher Mitchum were both excellent choices to be his sons. Maureen O'Hara, as the ex-wife, she is still as beautiful as ever. All-in-all, a great action-packed western that holds up to the best. Big Jake, a real treat for all.

don't call him DADDY!!!!!!!!!
This film is one of the better later-day John Wayne films, though strangely violent for a Wayne film. The Duke stars Jacob MacCandles (maybe a reflection of his real life family situation) as a tough man, estranged from his wife and grown sons. Bobby Vinton gives a quickie performance as Wayne's eldest son, shot when (the great) Richard Boone and his band of cutthroats nearly slaughter all on Jacob's ranch in the kidnapping of his grandson (played by Wayne youngest son Ethan). Patrick Wayne, his real son, plays second eldest son and youngest son, Michael, is played by Christopher Mitchum (Robert Mitchum's son!).

In tow are Wayne regulars, Harry Carey (disgusting tobacco chewing baddie), Bruce Cabot as the Indian tracker showing age with Jacob, Glen Corbett as breed the fast gun that faces off against Patrick Wayne in a gun fight, the most natural actor to ever grace the screen, the late Richard Boone, and a lovely appearance by the eternally beautiful Maureen O'Hara, once again playing John's long suffering wife whot loves him, but cannot live with him.

It is super to watch Wayne with Cabot, Carey, Boone and O'Hara, and Jim Davis (later rose to fame once more as Jock Ewing of Dallas) and though the film is intensely violent, I don't see it was gratuitous. The violence came from the end of a very violent era, times were changing, but not fast enough. The violence of the kidnappers had to be there to show Wayne's to-the-wall rescue of his small grandson was called for. Wayne's character was a violent man when the times called for it, but it was just as willing to let things go - if ONLY the other person walked away.

He worked well with his sons and Mitchum, and the interaction between Jacob and his two sons provides the Wayne brand humour in the film.

The times were changing for the code of the old west, and in the same way, times were changing for John Wayne....

I give Wayne credit for not pulling punches in a film that does him credit.

They made the mistake of kidnapping Big Jake's grandson
"Big Jake" is one of my favorite John Wayne movies, which is not to claim that it is a classic film. This film is directed by George Sherman, who first began doing Westerns back in the late 1930s, although Wayne is known to have directed some scenes as well. In retrospect I would argue that this 1971 film is the first of a trio of film that Wayne made at the end of his career reflecting the passing of the Western. The other two would be Wayne's next film, "The Cowboys," and obviously his final film, "The Shootist." Of that trio "Big Jake" is clearly the most fun and my biggest complaint about this film is that when it is shown on television they almost always have the first commercial break at the absolute worst moment.

The film begins with a raid on the McCandles Ranch where Little Jake McCandles (Ethan Wayne, the Duke's youngest son, named for the character he played in "The Searchers") is kidnapped by a gang of cutthroats led by John Fain (Richard Boone). Fain demands a ransom to be delivered across the border in Mexico. The Texas Rangers are willing to do it, but Martha McCandles (Maureen O'Hara), the boy's grandmother, announces that this is a disagreeable task and needs to be done by a disagreeable man. At this point the came cuts to a close up of John Wayne peering down the barrel of a rifle. It is a great introduction to Wayne's character in the film and a fitting counterpart to the moment in "Stagecoach" when we first see the Ringo Kid and his Winchester. But television stations keep putting commercials before the cut because the film's opening sequence, in which narrator George Fenneman, who went from being Groucho Marx's announcer and straight man on "You Bet Your Life" ended up doing the narration for Jack Webb's "Dragnet," introduces us to all of the members of the Fain gang runs on a bit before we have the raid and the decision of what to do next. So Act I runs out for a bit and if there is a good reason to have this movie on DVD or VHS it is because that way you miss this horrendous commercial placement.

"Big Jake" is basically a chase story as the title character goes after his grandson, heading out with the ransom with only his trusted Native American friend Sam Sharpnose (Bruce Cabot) and a dog named "Dog." But there are several others things going on to make the proceedings more interesting. Big Jake did not even know that he had a grandson, and while the boy's father Jeff (Bobby Vinton, the singer) is wounded, his two brothers James (Patrick Wayne, another of the Duke's son) and Michael (Christopher Mitchum, son of Robert Mitchum who co-starred with the Duke in "El Dorado"). Clearly Big Jake has been separated from his family for a while and there are issues, particularly with James, who makes the mistake of calling his father "Daddy."

There is also a whole sub-text about relying on modern technology. While Big Jake heads off with horses the Texas Rangers take off in new fangled motorcars. Of course this is a mistake, but there is a recurring theme of the old ways being best. Michael has a motorcycle and James has a new fangled pistol, but they are able to overcome their reliance on modern technology. If the Old West is disappearing it is not disappearing until the Duke has his last fight.

Then there is the running gag that everybody seems to think Big Jake is dead. When we are treated to that great close up our hero is watching a group of cattlemen get ready to string up a sheep farmer. Big Jake does not want to get involved, not wanting to make a mistake of his youth that almost cost him his life. But then the leader of the lynch mob (Jim Davis) makes the mistake of kicking a boy ("Aw," says Big Jake, "why'd he want to go and do that for?"). There could be trouble but then it is discovered that the big man on the horse is Jacob McCandles, who apparently is not dead. This happens so often that Big Jake swears he will kill the next man who says that and, of course, he does.

Finally, this film has some great dialogue by Harry Julian Fink and Rita M. Fink. This was their first film together (he did "Major Dundee" and "Ice Station Zebra") and after this they created "Dirty Harry" for Clint Eastwood (no wonder the choice lines in this movie are so choice). When James calls Big Jake "Daddy," the Duke knocks his son on his can and announces: "You can call Dad, you can call me Father, you can call me Jacob and you can call me Jake. You can call me a dirty old son-of-a-b***h, but if you EVER call me Daddy again, I'll finish this fight." But my favorite is when Fain first encounters Big Jake (not knowing who he is, of course) and gives a very serious warning. At the climax of the film Big Jake repeats the warning word for word with a grim earnestness that is quite impressive. That is why this is not a great film, but a great movie.

One of my Favorite John Wayne Movies
Big Jake, although not his best, was still one of my favorite movies. My own grandpa was a larger than life figure, and this movie rings true to what he was in the prime of his life. One of Wayne's last, and I think it has to be on everyone's list. The adversary is a tough nut to crack, and knows just how to hit the nerves. It's not over the top violent (I suppose that compares with today's movies). GOD i wish they would have picked anything else for that kid to wear but that girlish little jumper with the white collar!

Not as good as I hoped...
I'm giving this one four stars for the quality of the video, sound, and the fact that this movie has, for at least 90 minutes, everything you would ever want in a late-era John Wayne movie. The acting is not bad at all, the story is set up very well, the villians are believable, and you have the obligatory old codger showing up his estranged smart-aleck sons while he teaches them a thing or two.

After we've been through 90 minutes of establishing trust and killing a few bad guys along the way, we come to the big showdown where the Duke tries to bluff the kidnappers, and then kill them. It's a pretty good shoot-out, and of course the good guys win.

The problem I have is that the Duke loses his best friend and his dog in the fight, as well as getting shot twice himself. When it's all over, Big Jake, his two sons, and his grandson exit with big smiles on their faces. The camera freezes on this image while the credits are rolling. It was kind of like a bad 1970's crime drama. I expected to see in bold letters, "A QUINN MARTIN PRODUCTION." ... Read more

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Anyone who fought in Vietnam can tell you that the war bore little resemblance to this propagandistic action film starring and codirected by John Wayne. But the film itself is not nearly as bad as its reputation would suggest; critics roasted its gung-ho politics while ignoring its merits as an exciting (if rather conventional and idealistic) war movie. Some notorious mistakes were made--in the final shot, the sun sets in the east!--and it's an awkward attempt to graft WWII heroics onto the Vietnam experience. But as the Duke's attempt to acknowledge the men who were fighting and dying overseas, it's a rousing film in which Wayne commands a regiment on a mission to kidnap a Viet Cong general. David Janssen plays a journalist who learns to understand Wayne's commitment to battling Communism, and Jim Hutton (Timothy's dad) plays an ill-fated soldier who adopts a Vietnamese orphan. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Good, But Flawed
Although I have seen this picture well over a dozen times and although I think it's basically a good movie, I must be objective and admit that "The Green Berets" is basically a propaganda piece that at the time of its filming was an attempt to change public sentiment about our country's involvement in Vietnam. For this reason, as well as the healing period our country went through after Vietnam, the movie seems rather archaic and naive today. Those on the far left ridicule it. Those on the far right treat it with the reverence of a Biblical tale. The truth about "The Green Berets" is that it lies somewhere between these two extremes.

The Fort Benning, Georgia filmed training sequences appear to be as real as anything I ever saw while I was in uniform. The combat sequences, however, contained a fair share of errors, most notably the well-known "sun setting in the east" flub. The acting was rather wooden, especially from Wayne as well as Jack Soo, portraying the ARVN officer, and the plot meandered from being quite good in some parts to being downright silly in others.

The most important thing to remember about this movie is that it should be taken for what it is...a good war movie. To casually dismiss it as irrelevant or hopelessly out of step with the truth simply doesn't do it justice. In similar fashion, it's rather stupid to portray it as an homage to the American way of life and characterize those who point out this picture's many flaws as "un-American", as one previous review did. This picture is best enjoyed with the viewer's bias, be it liberal or conservative, turned off.

from a patriot who was not afraid.
if John Wayne had made something like this today he would be ostracized from all of Hollywood and from about 2% of this nation. he was a man, a patriot and he wanted to show the good of our struggle. vietnam was a war that was not unlike every other war, the only difference was our citizens. the baby boomers grew up spoiled (founding fathers of the modern left). they didnt understand hard work and what a country need's to do for freedom. the left will today say freedom is a slogan, that we will always be free, they will say bush's war is for oil or some uneducated and clichéd response, but freedom is not just about a war or occupation, it's the freedom to not be afraid to get on a airplane, the freedom to not fear going into tall buildings, the freedom not to fear gathering large groups in public. and for the arab world it means to not be afraid to have your wife drive your car, or wear a dress in public, or to question a religious authority. the whole idea of vietnam was to prevent the spread of communism, it was a war that transcended vietnam itself, it was a war to measure our country and our people's resolve. vietnam taught our enemies (and todays modern terrorists) that if they can scare us, horrify us or kill enough of us that we will cower and not fight. Stalin, Khrushchev, khadafi, Usama, and hussein thought this, and we taught them all a lesson through might.

just because liberal's think war is not the answer it does not mean that our enemies do also. we are not europe, if we do not spend money on our military, flex our muscles, set deadlines and take action no one ele will. we do not have anyone to protect us like europe and the world have us. terrorist do not seek peace, they do not hate us because we are us they hate us because of hollywood, because of our freedom from starvation, our comfort in life and from our belief that we can live life any way we want without regard.

John wayne in his portrayal of vietnam was not "propaganda" it was to boost moral for the country, to support our efforts in defeating communism. i read before someone said john wayne was no patriot, what is a patriot if not to support the united states and to keep it's moral up? john wayne did that, ask any soldier from WWII to the present day. i feel bad for the liberal's they hate everyone, stand for everything while believing in nothing and really do not know anything of history or of humanity.

THE DUKE HAS THE LEFT TIED IN KNOTS
In 1969, John Wayne infuriated the Left with "The Green Berets", a film that made no apologies in its all-out support of America's effort in Vietnam. It was lambasted by critics, but in a very interesting sign, sold out at the box office. It plays today and while it is heavy-handed, there is little about it that rings untrue. The soldiers do not swear, complain or bastardize their uniforms like the actual guys did, but their patriotism and military professionalism was the real deal. The Communists they fight in the film are shifty little pissants. This does not deviate from the essential truth.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

bad propoganda but a couple of gem performances
the performances of david jansaan and jim hutton stand out in this really blatant propoganda piece.
wayne the director and producer is not someone i empathize with but i do believe wayne the actor was vastly underrated.
too many people, myslef included, often let waynes politcs get in the way of acknowledging his acting powers.
this film is that in a nutshull.
his politics are unavoidable but the scen in which he wells up, on the verge of tears, trying to tell the young boy of huttons death is powerhouse acting pure and simple.
try to appreciate it.

A solid, well-made film
John Wayne like any other American had the right to promote his opinion. Period. ...

Now, the film is as accurate as any other Vietnam film made in that last 30 years because films are created to promote an opinion. (I've known Vietnam Vets who were not dope smoking, gun-totting genocidists.)

As far as action and commitment, the Green Berets succeeds as a solid "war film." No one who cares about good film making can argue that, unless they believe in censorship. The film is panoramic and energetic in cinematic quality. The characters are strong male types (like Vets I've known.) The film chose its side and promoted it. There is one strong element that the film brings home. The US military was better at killing, and it had to be. Most US detachments were generally outnumbered, fighting an opposition armed by numerous totalitarian countries from Europe to Asia. That is a historical fact, which interestingly enough, was introduced into a film over 35 years old.

The Green Berets, again, is a solid war-film and interestingly enough, is less fancifully than Platoon. The Green Berets is worth the time to see. ... Read more

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Nobody made a fuss about The Comancheros when it came out, yet it has proved to be among the most enduringly entertaining of John Wayne's later Westerns. The Duke, just beginning to crease and thicken toward Rooster Cogburn proportions, plays a veteran Texas Ranger named Jake Cutter. When we first see him (in a tongue-in-cheek delayed entrance), he's catching up with a New Orleans dandy (Stuart Whitman) who killed a judge's son in a duel just after that gentlemanly practice was banned. Monsieur Paul Regret--or "Mon-sooor," as Jake insists on calling him--is not a bad fellow, let alone a badman, and it only follows that, after the requisite number of misunderstandings, he and Jake will join forces to subdue rampaging Indians and the evil white men behind their uprising.

The Comancheros was the last credit for Michael Curtiz, who, ravaged by cancer, ceded much of the direction to Wayne (uncredited) and action specialist Cliff Lyons. With support from Wayne stalwarts James Edward Grant (coscreenplay) and William Clothier (camera), the first of many rousing Elmer Bernstein scores for a Wayne picture, and a big, flavorful cast including Lee Marvin (the once and future Liberty Valance), Nehemiah Persoff, Bruce Cabot, and Guinn "Big Boy" Williams (in his last movie), they made a broad, cheerfully bloodthirsty adventure movie for red-meat-eating audiences of all ages. Even the liberal-pinko Time magazine had to second the salute from leading lady Ina Balin at film's end: "Take care of yourself, Big Jake ... we've sort of gotten used to you." --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Lightweight but entertaining John Wayne western.
John Wayne rules in this big, sprawling western adventure film. The screenplay, co-written by western novelist Clair Huffaker, struggles with the historical accuracy of Texas in the 1840s and the rifles seem a little advanced for 1843, but, nit-picking aside, this is an entertaining film. Texas Ranger Jake Cutter (Wayne) and sometime gambler Paul Regret (Stuart Whitman) go under cover after a vicious army of outlaw raiders known as "Comancheros," led by the diabolical Graile (Nehemiah Persoff). Hard-hitting, large scale action sequences deftly directed by Michael Curtiz, who directd some of Errol Flynn's better adventure films, will please action-adventure fans. The movie includes a comfortable blend of action, suspense, and humor with occasional serious overtones of duty, friendship, and the love of a good woman. Taken within the context of the film that isn't as corny as it might sound. Great outdoor color photography adds to the appeal. A pulse-pounding musical score by Elmer Bernstein matches the excitement. Lee Marvin makes the most of his costarring role as Tully Crow, one of the West's wildest bad men. Watch for the hilarious vignette featuring Edgar Buchanan as a judge of dubious integrity. Ditto the comic relief segment with Guinn "Big Boy" Williams as a seemingly bewildered gunrunner. There is nothing intellectual or artistic to say of this movie, but it's good old fashioned fun. Recommended viewing.

Classic, Crowd-Pleasing Duke!
You can see by the title that I am a John Wayne fan, and this rip-roaring Western is one of the reasons why. With equal portions of rousing action, humor, and drama, this film keeps your interest and, like the Duke's performance, never loses its authenticity. It's said that John Wayne took over direction of some of the action sequences, and they're great. There are well-drawn, clear differences between the good buys and bad guys, but the characters are human and developed enough for the actors to sink their teeth into, which all do with gusto. By this time in his career, the Duke only had to show up on screen to be the authentic Western hero, but as usual he goes 'way beyond that, giving a colorful, humorous, absolutely real and terrific performance as the Texas Ranger who helps a man on the wrong side of the law redeem himself and find the woman he loves--as well as stopping a motley, dangerous bunch of white renegades (Comancheros) who are selling weapons to warring Comanche Indians. It's great movie-making and a great couple of hours with the Duke, so check it out!

Drunk Indians
This movie was good for the most part but then again if you dont want to see drunk indians shoot white people then dont worry about seeing it. There were some good parts in this movie but the whole movie was a rather large dissapointment. These Indains would kill people so they could get their Jollies off byy getting alcohol. This movie was very unrealistic(...). I take my reviews very serioulsly. John Wayne was a good actor props to my man Wayne, he's my man.

A Real Entertaining John Wayne Western
THE COMANCHEROS is one of John Wayne's most entertaining Westerns. It has a great cast, story, photography and one of Elmer Bernstein's best scores. The widescreen DVD looks incredible. John Wayne and Stuart Whitman play off each other brilliantly. Lee Marvin as Crow has a small but effective and outrageous character part. There's plenty of action and heroics to go around in this great outdoor adventure. I wish they would make movies like this today.

Excellent Duke western
The Comancheros is another great John Wayne western with a great supporting cast. The story follows Captain Jake Cutter, a Texas ranger, and his efforts to capture a prisoner, and then to infiltrate a group of gunrunners and bandits, the Comancheros. This group has been supplying the Comanches with repeating rifles who then wreak havoc on the area. There is plenty of action here with numerous shootouts, and also plenty of great characters. At parts during this movie, I wondered why the Duke never took more comedic roles since he is very funny in several scenes.

John Wayne plays Captain Jake Cutter, the big, brawling Texas Ranger who attempts to bring in a prisoner who keeps escaping his grasp, "Monsoor" Paul Regret, played by Stuart Whitman very well. Another notable performance is Lee Marvin's Crow, the contact between Cutter and the Comancheros. He doesn't have a very big part, but what is there is very good. The film also stars Ina Balin, Nehemiah Persoff, Michael Ansara, Patrick Wayne, Bruce Cabot, and Joan O'Brien. Elmer Bernstein also turns in another excellent score that has elements of the Sons of Katie Elder and The Great Escape. The DVD offers a widescreen presentation which looks very good, two trailers(one in Spanish), and also Movie Tone News about an award presented involving the movie. More John Wayne movies should be put out like this, and I give credit to the companies putting out so many new ones recently. A very exciting, enjoyable Duke western that all his fans will love! ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Big Jake, the man who put the bad guys in their place!
Big Jake has always been a family favorite. Whenever it aired on TV, we watched it. If it were played 3-4 times a year, we watched it. You just can't beat the all-star cast. John Wayne, Bruce Cabot(very famous in the 1930'3 and 1940's) Richard Boone, as the lead bad guy, was a great choice. PAtrick Wayne and Christopher Mitchum were both excellent choices to be his sons. Maureen O'Hara, as the ex-wife, she is still as beautiful as ever. All-in-all, a great action-packed western that holds up to the best. Big Jake, a real treat for all.

don't call him DADDY!!!!!!!!!
This film is one of the better later-day John Wayne films, though strangely violent for a Wayne film. The Duke stars Jacob MacCandles (maybe a reflection of his real life family situation) as a tough man, estranged from his wife and grown sons. Bobby Vinton gives a quickie performance as Wayne's eldest son, shot when (the great) Richard Boone and his band of cutthroats nearly slaughter all on Jacob's ranch in the kidnapping of his grandson (played by Wayne youngest son Ethan). Patrick Wayne, his real son, plays second eldest son and youngest son, Michael, is played by Christopher Mitchum (Robert Mitchum's son!).

In tow are Wayne regulars, Harry Carey (disgusting tobacco chewing baddie), Bruce Cabot as the Indian tracker showing age with Jacob, Glen Corbett as breed the fast gun that faces off against Patrick Wayne in a gun fight, the most natural actor to ever grace the screen, the late Richard Boone, and a lovely appearance by the eternally beautiful Maureen O'Hara, once again playing John's long suffering wife whot loves him, but cannot live with him.

It is super to watch Wayne with Cabot, Carey, Boone and O'Hara, and Jim Davis (later rose to fame once more as Jock Ewing of Dallas) and though the film is intensely violent, I don't see it was gratuitous. The violence came from the end of a very violent era, times were changing, but not fast enough. The violence of the kidnappers had to be there to show Wayne's to-the-wall rescue of his small grandson was called for. Wayne's character was a violent man when the times called for it, but it was just as willing to let things go - if ONLY the other person walked away.

He worked well with his sons and Mitchum, and the interaction between Jacob and his two sons provides the Wayne brand humour in the film.

The times were changing for the code of the old west, and in the same way, times were changing for John Wayne....

I give Wayne credit for not pulling punches in a film that does him credit.

They made the mistake of kidnapping Big Jake's grandson
"Big Jake" is one of my favorite John Wayne movies, which is not to claim that it is a classic film. This film is directed by George Sherman, who first began doing Westerns back in the late 1930s, although Wayne is known to have directed some scenes as well. In retrospect I would argue that this 1971 film is the first of a trio of film that Wayne made at the end of his career reflecting the passing of the Western. The other two would be Wayne's next film, "The Cowboys," and obviously his final film, "The Shootist." Of that trio "Big Jake" is clearly the most fun and my biggest complaint about this film is that when it is shown on television they almost always have the first commercial break at the absolute worst moment.

The film begins with a raid on the McCandles Ranch where Little Jake McCandles (Ethan Wayne, the Duke's youngest son, named for the character he played in "The Searchers") is kidnapped by a gang of cutthroats led by John Fain (Richard Boone). Fain demands a ransom to be delivered across the border in Mexico. The Texas Rangers are willing to do it, but Martha McCandles (Maureen O'Hara), the boy's grandmother, announces that this is a disagreeable task and needs to be done by a disagreeable man. At this point the came cuts to a close up of John Wayne peering down the barrel of a rifle. It is a great introduction to Wayne's character in the film and a fitting counterpart to the moment in "Stagecoach" when we first see the Ringo Kid and his Winchester. But television stations keep putting commercials before the cut because the film's opening sequence, in which narrator George Fenneman, who went from being Groucho Marx's announcer and straight man on "You Bet Your Life" ended up doing the narration for Jack Webb's "Dragnet," introduces us to all of the members of the Fain gang runs on a bit before we have the raid and the decision of what to do next. So Act I runs out for a bit and if there is a good reason to have this movie on DVD or VHS it is because that way you miss this horrendous commercial placement.

"Big Jake" is basically a chase story as the title character goes after his grandson, heading out with the ransom with only his trusted Native American friend Sam Sharpnose (Bruce Cabot) and a dog named "Dog." But there are several others things going on to make the proceedings more interesting. Big Jake did not even know that he had a grandson, and while the boy's father Jeff (Bobby Vinton, the singer) is wounded, his two brothers James (Patrick Wayne, another of the Duke's son) and Michael (Christopher Mitchum, son of Robert Mitchum who co-starred with the Duke in "El Dorado"). Clearly Big Jake has been separated from his family for a while and there are issues, particularly with James, who makes the mistake of calling his father "Daddy."

There is also a whole sub-text about relying on modern technology. While Big Jake heads off with horses the Texas Rangers take off in new fangled motorcars. Of course this is a mistake, but there is a recurring theme of the old ways being best. Michael has a motorcycle and James has a new fangled pistol, but they are able to overcome their reliance on modern technology. If the Old West is disappearing it is not disappearing until the Duke has his last fight.

Then there is the running gag that everybody seems to think Big Jake is dead. When we are treated to that great close up our hero is watching a group of cattlemen get ready to string up a sheep farmer. Big Jake does not want to get involved, not wanting to make a mistake of his youth that almost cost him his life. But then the leader of the lynch mob (Jim Davis) makes the mistake of kicking a boy ("Aw," says Big Jake, "why'd he want to go and do that for?"). There could be trouble but then it is discovered that the big man on the horse is Jacob McCandles, who apparently is not dead. This happens so often that Big Jake swears he will kill the next man who says that and, of course, he does.

Finally, this film has some great dialogue by Harry Julian Fink and Rita M. Fink. This was their first film together (he did "Major Dundee" and "Ice Station Zebra") and after this they created "Dirty Harry" for Clint Eastwood (no wonder the choice lines in this movie are so choice). When James calls Big Jake "Daddy," the Duke knocks his son on his can and announces: "You can call Dad, you can call me Father, you can call me Jacob and you can call me Jake. You can call me a dirty old son-of-a-b***h, but if you EVER call me Daddy again, I'll finish this fight." But my favorite is when Fain first encounters Big Jake (not knowing who he is, of course) and gives a very serious warning. At the climax of the film Big Jake repeats the warning word for word with a grim earnestness that is quite impressive. That is why this is not a great film, but a great movie.

One of my Favorite John Wayne Movies
Big Jake, although not his best, was still one of my favorite movies. My own grandpa was a larger than life figure, and this movie rings true to what he was in the prime of his life. One of Wayne's last, and I think it has to be on everyone's list. The adversary is a tough nut to crack, and knows just how to hit the nerves. It's not over the top violent (I suppose that compares with today's movies). GOD i wish they would have picked anything else for that kid to wear but that girlish little jumper with the white collar!

Not as good as I hoped...
I'm giving this one four stars for the quality of the video, sound, and the fact that this movie has, for at least 90 minutes, everything you would ever want in a late-era John Wayne movie. The acting is not bad at all, the story is set up very well, the villians are believable, and you have the obligatory old codger showing up his estranged smart-aleck sons while he teaches them a thing or two.

After we've been through 90 minutes of establishing trust and killing a few bad guys along the way, we come to the big showdown where the Duke tries to bluff the kidnappers, and then kill them. It's a pretty good shoot-out, and of course the good guys win.

The problem I have is that the Duke loses his best friend and his dog in the fight, as well as getting shot twice himself. When it's all over, Big Jake, his two sons, and his grandson exit with big smiles on their faces. The camera freezes on this image while the credits are rolling. It was kind of like a bad 1970's crime drama. I expected to see in bold letters, "A QUINN MARTIN PRODUCTION." ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Wayne drew on what he learned from John Ford, Howard Hawks, and practically everyone who directed him during his long career when he made his own directorial debut on this labor of love. The Alamo is a sprawling, unabashedly patriotic epic of the sacrifice made by 187 men defending the Alamo from Santa Ana's bigger and better equipped army. Wayne stars as Col. Davy Crockett, the straight-talking, fun-loving frontiersman turned senator, with Laurence Harvey as the stiff, by-the-book Col. William Travis and Ricahrd Widmark as the legendary Jim Bowie who bristles under Travis's military protocol. The mix of regular army soldiers, Texican irregulars, scouts, and civilians makes for a volatile melting pot, but they all come together in a time of crisis in this metaphor for Wayne's heroic vision of America. Wayne spared no expense in this, one the last of the old fashion Westerns, re-creating the Alamo in exacting detail and corralling a cast of Western icons and old friends, including Richard Boone, Chill Wills (who earned an Oscar nomination), Hank Worden, Denver Pyle, Ken Curtis, and Olive Carey, in addition to teen heartthrob Frankie Avalon and Wayne's son Pat. Even old pal and spiritual godfather John Ford lent a hand shooting second-unit footage. Wayne is no Ford, but despite himself (and a talky script), he delivers an entertaining film full of intriguing characters and excellent action scenes, earning the film an Oscar nomination for Best Picture in 1960. Remember the Alamo! --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (90)

A Duke Classic
The Alamo is a true western/historical classic that John Wayne wanted to make for years before the actual release. The movie tells the story of the days leading up to and during the famous siege of the Alamo. Many people say it isn't accurate or its boring, but it is really anything but. The movie is full of patriotic speeches that at times slow it down, but they are still very enjoyable. As for historical accuracy, The Alamo goes on its own way. Many things seen in the movie never actually happened, but it contributes to the overall feeling of the picture.

All the performances are truly great. John Wayne portrays Davy Crockett with Richard Widmark as James Bowie and Laurence Harvey as William Travis. The cast is full of Wayne regulars who also give great performances; Chill Wills, Patrick Wayne, Ken Curtis, Denver Pyle, Hank Worden, Chuck Robertson and many others. Other good parts include Joan O'Brien as Susannah Dickinson and Linda Cristal as Flaca, the woman who captures Crockett's heart. The only out of place actor is Frankie Avalon as Smitty, the youngest of the defenders of the Alamo.

Overall, The Alamo is one of my all-time favorite movies. The set built in Bracketville is truly amazing. The final assault on the old mission is one of the best battle scenes ever made. The original, un-cut VHS version is much better than the DVD since it adds almost 30 minutes to the movie that are missing elsewhere. There are several scenes that are very interesting that I don't think should have been cut. However, the DVD does have an interesting documentary about the making of The Alamo. Excellent score by Dmitri Tiomkin, excellent performances, great battle scenes. Do not miss this movie!

one of the best movies ever made on the Alamo
as far as historical reference, it's not a documentary, but this movie is awsome. i've been watching The Alamo since i was a little kid. i pratically have the entire movie memorized in my head. the music is great in film, the guitars and mexican sounding music is relaxing. my favorite part as music goes is when the Mexicans are surrounding the Alamo and all you hear is the drums for like 5 minutes. Sounds awsome.

as far as the movie goes, this was a huge production and the Alamo still stands today! The real Alamo of course is in San Antonio, but the Alamo for this movie stands in Bracketville, TX, where other movies have been made. John Wayne stars, produces, and directs this one of a kind film. truly a great film by a great man.

of course, in every Wayne movie, there is always a love story of some sort, and the Alamo has a short love story. The Alamo centers around 185 Texans and fellow men fighting for their independence from Mexico and General Santa Anna, ruler of Mexico. the movie stars Richard Widmark (Jim Bowie) and Laurence Harvey from The Manchurian Candidate as Colonel William Barrett Travis. great movie and great cast. the actual battle scene rocks. tons of explosions and action.

there are 2 sad parts in the movie.
the first sad part is the day before the battle. all the men are together talking about life, because they know tommrrow they are going to die. the background music sets the right tone and i like Davy Crocket's quote during this scene. one of the guys asks him "What ya thinkin Davy?" and John Wayne (Davy Crockett) replies, "Not thinking, just remembering."

the second sad part is after the battle is over, and Lady Dickinson is leaving with her child and the boy. all the Mexican Soliders are standing around, there are some bodies of the men on the ground, and then Santa Anna makes his soliders stand when she's leaving. he also takes off his hat as a sign of respect.

what i liked about this movie is that John Wayne makes both sides look galiant and brave. the men of the Alamo know they are going to die, but they still stay to fight for what they believe in. then he makes the Mexican soilders look honorable twice. the first time, Santa Anna asks that all women and children be evacutated before he attacks, and this takes place.
the second instance is right after the first attack, which happens right after the women and children are released. the Tennessian boys are standing around and one of them says "even though i was killing them, i was proud of them. men dying for what they believe in."

the DVD features include about a 40 mintue feature on the making of the Alamo. this is where you really get to see how much The Alamo ment to John Wayne and just how loyal of a man he really was.

The Alamo is a classic that everybody should watch at least one time in their life. great film that to me, will always be remembered as John Wayne's greatest work.

Still Waiting For the 2-Disc Special Edition
One could easily say that seeing this film for the first time was a turning point in my life (it probably had a great impact on a lot of other 6-year old boys, too). To this day, John Wayne's "The Alamo" still has a firm grip on me emotionally.

True, the film is not accurate to history, but I dare anyone to name a movie that is! As I stated in my review of "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc", Hollywood makes "movies", not documentaries (and most documentaries don't agree on the details of the Alamo, anyway). Movie producers, like John Wayne, try to make an "entertainment", to sell tickets and make money. Anyone who thinks film makers are honor-bound to tell the truth on the screen is kidding him or herself.

So the question is: Does this movie entertain? Speaking subjectively, I say a resounding "Yes!". I guess there's still a lot of 6-year old in me.

One suggestion I have for Ted Turner (or whoever makes the DVD decisions over at MGM) is to release the roadshow Director's Cut version on a 2-Disc Special Edition. Include the 40-minute documentary found on the current disc, and any other archival footage pertaining to the film (Oscars, premiere, interviews). I would also like to see the television special, "Spirit of the Alamo", that John Wayne hosted in 1960. A part of it was used in the aforementioned documentary, but it would be nice to see the program complete for a change. Perhaps the discs could also include a printed history of the Alamo and other events during the Texas Revolution, so viewers won't come away from the film thinking they just witnessed the truth.

A few good scenes, mostly nonsense
The script of this movie is awful. There are so many historical inaccuracies. There's also a lot of schlock in the movie.

Frankie Avalon didn't disgrace himself, but why was he in the movie, anyway? Smells like pandering to the younger generation!

I couldn't believe The Duke as Davy Crockett. I always thought of him as Duke, rather than Crockett. You can't superimpose one big legend on top of another.

Richards Widmark and Boone were good in their performances.

Laurence Harvey as Travis was terrible! That accent was all over the place. Finally, in his last big speech he abandoned it altogether, sounding more like Laurence Olivier.

This movie was long and bloated. I kept checking my watch. I'm thankful that I don't have to sit through the director's cut!

Skip the first two-thirds of the movie and check out the last third, and you'll be just as well off!

Frankie Avalon in one of his 1st movie roles
The movie is good and with Frankie Avalon in one of his 1st movie roles. ... Read more

Reviews (90)

A Duke Classic
The Alamo is a true western/historical classic that John Wayne wanted to make for years before the actual release. The movie tells the story of the days leading up to and during the famous siege of the Alamo. Many people say it isn't accurate or its boring, but it is really anything but. The movie is full of patriotic speeches that at times slow it down, but they are still very enjoyable. As for historical accuracy, The Alamo goes on its own way. Many things seen in the movie never actually happened, but it contributes to the overall feeling of the picture.

All the performances are truly great. John Wayne portrays Davy Crockett with Richard Widmark as James Bowie and Laurence Harvey as William Travis. The cast is full of Wayne regulars who also give great performances; Chill Wills, Patrick Wayne, Ken Curtis, Denver Pyle, Hank Worden, Chuck Robertson and many others. Other good parts include Joan O'Brien as Susannah Dickinson and Linda Cristal as Flaca, the woman who captures Crockett's heart. The only out of place actor is Frankie Avalon as Smitty, the youngest of the defenders of the Alamo.

Overall, The Alamo is one of my all-time favorite movies. The set built in Bracketville is truly amazing. The final assault on the old mission is one of the best battle scenes ever made. The original, un-cut VHS version is much better than the DVD since it adds almost 30 minutes to the movie that are missing elsewhere. There are several scenes that are very interesting that I don't think should have been cut. However, the DVD does have an interesting documentary about the making of The Alamo. Excellent score by Dmitri Tiomkin, excellent performances, great battle scenes. Do not miss this movie!

one of the best movies ever made on the Alamo
as far as historical reference, it's not a documentary, but this movie is awsome. i've been watching The Alamo since i was a little kid. i pratically have the entire movie memorized in my head. the music is great in film, the guitars and mexican sounding music is relaxing. my favorite part as music goes is when the Mexicans are surrounding the Alamo and all you hear is the drums for like 5 minutes. Sounds awsome.

as far as the movie goes, this was a huge production and the Alamo still stands today! The real Alamo of course is in San Antonio, but the Alamo for this movie stands in Bracketville, TX, where other movies have been made. John Wayne stars, produces, and directs this one of a kind film. truly a great film by a great man.

of course, in every Wayne movie, there is always a love story of some sort, and the Alamo has a short love story. The Alamo centers around 185 Texans and fellow men fighting for their independence from Mexico and General Santa Anna, ruler of Mexico. the movie stars Richard Widmark (Jim Bowie) and Laurence Harvey from The Manchurian Candidate as Colonel William Barrett Travis. great movie and great cast. the actual battle scene rocks. tons of explosions and action.

there are 2 sad parts in the movie.
the first sad part is the day before the battle. all the men are together talking about life, because they know tommrrow they are going to die. the background music sets the right tone and i like Davy Crocket's quote during this scene. one of the guys asks him "What ya thinkin Davy?" and John Wayne (Davy Crockett) replies, "Not thinking, just remembering."

the second sad part is after the battle is over, and Lady Dickinson is leaving with her child and the boy. all the Mexican Soliders are standing around, there are some bodies of the men on the ground, and then Santa Anna makes his soliders stand when she's leaving. he also takes off his hat as a sign of respect.

what i liked about this movie is that John Wayne makes both sides look galiant and brave. the men of the Alamo know they are going to die, but they still stay to fight for what they believe in. then he makes the Mexican soilders look honorable twice. the first time, Santa Anna asks that all women and children be evacutated before he attacks, and this takes place.
the second instance is right after the first attack, which happens right after the women and children are released. the Tennessian boys are standing around and one of them says "even though i was killing them, i was proud of them. men dying for what they believe in."

the DVD features include about a 40 mintue feature on the making of the Alamo. this is where you really get to see how much The Alamo ment to John Wayne and just how loyal of a man he really was.

The Alamo is a classic that everybody should watch at least one time in their life. great film that to me, will always be remembered as John Wayne's greatest work.

Still Waiting For the 2-Disc Special Edition
One could easily say that seeing this film for the first time was a turning point in my life (it probably had a great impact on a lot of other 6-year old boys, too). To this day, John Wayne's "The Alamo" still has a firm grip on me emotionally.

True, the film is not accurate to history, but I dare anyone to name a movie that is! As I stated in my review of "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc", Hollywood makes "movies", not documentaries (and most documentaries don't agree on the details of the Alamo, anyway). Movie producers, like John Wayne, try to make an "entertainment", to sell tickets and make money. Anyone who thinks film makers are honor-bound to tell the truth on the screen is kidding him or herself.

So the question is: Does this movie entertain? Speaking subjectively, I say a resounding "Yes!". I guess there's still a lot of 6-year old in me.

One suggestion I have for Ted Turner (or whoever makes the DVD decisions over at MGM) is to release the roadshow Director's Cut version on a 2-Disc Special Edition. Include the 40-minute documentary found on the current disc, and any other archival footage pertaining to the film (Oscars, premiere, interviews). I would also like to see the television special, "Spirit of the Alamo", that John Wayne hosted in 1960. A part of it was used in the aforementioned documentary, but it would be nice to see the program complete for a change. Perhaps the discs could also include a printed history of the Alamo and other events during the Texas Revolution, so viewers won't come away from the film thinking they just witnessed the truth.

A few good scenes, mostly nonsense
The script of this movie is awful. There are so many historical inaccuracies. There's also a lot of schlock in the movie.

Frankie Avalon didn't disgrace himself, but why was he in the movie, anyway? Smells like pandering to the younger generation!

I couldn't believe The Duke as Davy Crockett. I always thought of him as Duke, rather than Crockett. You can't superimpose one big legend on top of another.

Richards Widmark and Boone were good in their performances.

Laurence Harvey as Travis was terrible! That accent was all over the place. Finally, in his last big speech he abandoned it altogether, sounding more like Laurence Olivier.

This movie was long and bloated. I kept checking my watch. I'm thankful that I don't have to sit through the director's cut!

Skip the first two-thirds of the movie and check out the last third, and you'll be just as well off!

Frankie Avalon in one of his 1st movie roles
The movie is good and with Frankie Avalon in one of his 1st movie roles. ... Read more

Description

An American merchant marine captain ferries a group of Chinese refugess down the Yangtze River to escape the Communists. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Great John Wayne Flick
I saw this a couple of times on TV. It's a fine action movie.
One review here suggests to get it on DVD-wisescreen, but I can't find where any such version was made. VHS is the only choice.

also WAKE OF THE RED WITCH
Last saw Blood Alley on tv long, long, ago. I didn't even know it was available on video, but I will pick this up soon to add to my library. A good action movie.
I THINK John Wayne also died in Wake of the Red Witch. Can we say that he 'died' in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance"?
3/10/2004 JULY 2003? time sure flies. Just got the VHS (was looking for DVD, can't find). Great, better than I remember from tv. Not just action, there's commentary, and some of the Chinese characters are sooo stereo typed. Note the Chief Engineer is Nisei (2nd gen Japanese American, see GO FOR BROKE i think).

He has died in 4
John Wayne also died in the Fighting Seabies

Update
A viewer from Indiana: John Wayne has died in three movies: 1) The Cowboys, 2) The Alamo, and 3) The Shootist. Have not seen the movie but have just purchased it.

Good Adventure Movie with Wayne and Bacall from Wild Bill
This is one movie I can watch over and over again. When the boat steams up and starts rolling down the river it's non-stop adventure. Nothing, I mean nothing is going to stop John Wayne from delivering the people of a Chinese village to freedom from the grips of the Communists. Director William (Wild Bill) Wellman once again delivers. Don't forget William Wellman because he was one of our best directors. I think it's time that he gets some recognition for his great body of work. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

excellent battle scenes.......wrong story & details
Although I've seen The Alamo many times and love it as a true war classic, it tells a fictional account of the battle. For instance, Col.Travis, played by Lawrnce Harvey, is too flamebryot in his character....The real Col.Travis wasn't like that. Second, the palisade wall between the Alamo church and the Lower Barracks is only built about 4 to 5 ft. high....the real palisade wall was about 10 to 12 ft. Third, when Bonham returns to the Alamo, he brings news that Fannin isn't coming because he was ambushed by part of Santa Anna's army....in the real story, Fannin is in Goliad and he said he couldn't come relive the Alamo because his wagons and other equipment broke down and he couldn't move, so he goes back to Goliad and decides to hold up there as long as he could. Fourth, when Travis tells the men that no help is coming, he simply tells them if they want to go out and maybe join up with Houston's small army, they can....in the real thing, he tells them what's really happening and he takes his sword and draws a line in the dirt and asks whoever wants to join him in the fight for freedom, come over to him. Fifth, in the real story, there was a big cannon known as the 18 pounder that was put at the south-west corner of the fort and it was the cannon that fired the thunderous 'No' at Santa Ann's request for surrender....in the movie, the 18 pounder wasn't seen at all. And finally, Jim Bowie's character, played by Richard Widemark, is okay, but in the real thing, Bowie was 6.ft 6.in tall and in the movie, Bowie looks like he's 6ft. 2in tall...........Despite these inaccuracies, this movie is great because of it's large battles scenes, which were really good. I loved the part where James Bowie fights to the end and takes a bunch of Mexicans with him, and I realy liked that 7-barreled shotgun that Bowie used in the end. All-in-all, this movie is a good one if you like a good western. I recemend it.

This is the One to Get!
THE ALAMO is one of my top 10 favorite movies of all time. THE ALAMO is one of our nation's greatest cinematic icons of "Film Americana" ever made. Through word, song and picture the legend of the Alamo was handed down and stills lives today. Men and women of different religious, ethnic and social backgrounds came together and died or lost loved ones at the Alamo in a noble effort to overcome tyranny and preserve basic human freedoms. John Wayne preserved that legend on film. John Wayne produced, directed and starred in this epic mixing nobility with bawdiness resulting in a reverence for the ideals of the defenders seen through their personal lives and conduct. The cast, script, production design and score added to the richly textured look and feel to the film. John Wayne is effective in his portrayal of Col. David Crockett. However, John Wayne takes a back seat to the brilliant performances of Laurence Harvey as Col. William Travis and Richard Widmark as Col. James Bowie as they feud and bicker over the virtues of military protocol vs. and expedience. Wayne in turn approaches the role of Crockett as the levelheaded onlooker who interjects this legend with passages of homespun witticism to keep the defenders from losing focus of their reason for being there. The entire cast is very good. You get the feeling that the actors gave a little more of themselves to deliver this story. Ken Curtis as Capt. Dickinson, Chill Wills as Beekeeper, Richard Boone as General Sam Houston, Joan O'Brien as Mrs. Dickinson, Patrick Wayne as Capt. James Butler Bonham, Hank Worden as Parson, Denver Pyle as Gambler, Linda Cristal as Flaca, Ruben Padilla as General Santa Anna and Frankie Avalon as Smitty all deliver staunch or heartfelt performances. Cinematographer William Clothier's images are proud and majestic depicting the honor of the defenders. James Edward Grant's script is intelligent, energetic and moving. Equally energetic and moving is the eloquent and multi-textured score by Dimitri Tiomkin. Tiomkin's scoring of the final battle scene is brilliant and highly overlooked. Tiomkin integrates the nobility of the combatants with the fervor of the conflict and with simple queues he emotionally captures the falling of each defender in a brief moment of reflection as the battle rages on. His song "The Green Leaves of Summer" is beautiful, reflective and haunting and is effectively integrated into the context of why the defenders gave their lives. This director's cut version is incredible as it gives us further insight into the motivations of the defenders. This uncut version vastly explores many of the characters and their interwoven relationships especially between Laurence Harvey's Colonel William Travis and Ken Curtis' Captain Dickinson. This uncut version demonstrates definitively that THE ALAMO is one of America's greatest films and a vision come true thanks to John Wayne's determination and insight to what drives the American spirit.

pure enjoyment.
I only recently saw the full version of the Alamo.I must say it was excellent.Great stuff.As a non American I am jealous of your heroes.Only flaw was the historical in accuracies.Why not tell it as it happened?Other than that,Mr.Wayne did a superb job.

Boring story - rousing finale!
Final battle-scenes are second to none, but somebody should have wrote a storyline for Wayne to direct for the first two hours. With potential and fine production values, this movie could and should have been much better. Three stars are for final battle-scenes and a few good scenes in between. Wayne and Widmark are OK and so is Laurence Harvey -but why on earth did they have real "brit" playing col. William Travis?

"The Alamo" with John Wayne, Richard Widmark, Richard Boone
Despite What the normal critics said about the film being below standard and losing money, it did not lose money in the average since. It far out- did Wayne's later performance in "True Grit" and should've won an oscar for both Wayne AND Widmark. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

What???
You have got to be kiding me? Only 2 reviews for this wonderful movie? John Wayne kicks it in this movie set during the Texas War for Independence. The action is wonderful(though there is a famous Hollywood bluder during one the battle sceans.) The acting for the most part is also outstand

Overall-An all around good movie.

One of the Best Films ever produced
John Wayne's THE ALAMO is one of my top 10 favorite movies of all time. THE ALAMO is one of our nation's greatest icons of film Americana. Through word, song and picture the legend of the Alamo was handed down and stills lives today. Men and women of different religious, ethnic and social backgrounds came together and died or lost loved ones at the Alamo in a noble effort to overcome tyranny and preserve basic human freedoms. John Wayne preserved that legend on film. John Wayne produced, directed and starred in this epic mixing nobility with bawdiness resulting in a reverence for the ideals of the defenders seen through their personal lives and conduct. The cast, script, production design and score added to the richly textured look and feel to the film. John Wayne is effective in his portrayal of Col. David Crockett. However, John Wayne takes a back seat to the brilliant performances of Laurence Harvey as Col. William Travis and Richard Widmark as Col. James Bowie as they feud and bicker over the virtues of military protocol vs. and expedience. Wayne in turn approaches the role of Crockett as the levelheaded onlooker who interjects with passages of homespun witticism to keep the defenders from losing focus of their reason for being there. The entire cast is very good. You get the feeling that the actors gave a little more of themselves to deliver this story. Ken Curtis as Capt. Dickinson, Chill Wills as Beekeeper, Richard Boone as General Sam Houston, Joan O'Brien as Mrs. Dickinson, Patrick Wayne as Capt. James Butler Bonham, Hank Worden as Parson, Denver Pyle as Gambler, Linda Cristal as Flaca, Ruben Padilla as General Santa Anna and Frankie Avalon as Smitty all deliver staunch or heartfelt performances. Cinematographer William Clothier's images are proud and majestic depicting the honor of the defenders. James Edward Grant's script is intelligent, energetic and moving. Equally energetic and moving is the eloquent and multi-textured score by Dimitri Tiomkin. Tiomkin's scoring of the final battle scene is brilliant and highly overlooked. Tiomkin integrates the nobility of the combatants with the fervor of the conflict and with simple queues he emotionally captures the falling of each defender in a brief moment of reflection as the battle rages on. His song "The Green Leaves of Summer" is beautiful, reflective and haunting and is effectively integrated into the context of why the defenders gave their lives. THE ALAMO is one of America's greatest films. ... Read more

Description

" Commandos have taken part in every war in American history, fromthe Revolution to today.But it wasn't until World War II that these unconventional unitsevolved into official, structured parts of the Army.And it was left to President Kennedyto grant them their trademark berets and legitimize the ""special forces."" Narrated byStacy Keach, THE GREEN BERETS is a thrilling look at these fabled fighters.Explorewhat is known about their missions in Vietnam fighting behind enemy lines, the truestory of their extensive ""black ops"" remain top secret.Military historians reveal howWorld War II units like the Rangers and ""Merrill's Marauders"" showed the need for apermanent, specialized force trained to operate with minimal supervision.See footage ofthe Berets in training and in action, and meet with some of the men who have served withthis elite force. From Vietnam to Panama and the Gulf War, this is an up-close look atTHE GREEN BERETS." ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Good, But Flawed
Although I have seen this picture well over a dozen times and although I think it's basically a good movie, I must be objective and admit that "The Green Berets" is basically a propaganda piece that at the time of its filming was an attempt to change public sentiment about our country's involvement in Vietnam. For this reason, as well as the healing period our country went through after Vietnam, the movie seems rather archaic and naive today. Those on the far left ridicule it. Those on the far right treat it with the reverence of a Biblical tale. The truth about "The Green Berets" is that it lies somewhere between these two extremes.

The Fort Benning, Georgia filmed training sequences appear to be as real as anything I ever saw while I was in uniform. The combat sequences, however, contained a fair share of errors, most notably the well-known "sun setting in the east" flub. The acting was rather wooden, especially from Wayne as well as Jack Soo, portraying the ARVN officer, and the plot meandered from being quite good in some parts to being downright silly in others.

The most important thing to remember about this movie is that it should be taken for what it is...a good war movie. To casually dismiss it as irrelevant or hopelessly out of step with the truth simply doesn't do it justice. In similar fashion, it's rather stupid to portray it as an homage to the American way of life and characterize those who point out this picture's many flaws as "un-American", as one previous review did. This picture is best enjoyed with the viewer's bias, be it liberal or conservative, turned off.

from a patriot who was not afraid.
if John Wayne had made something like this today he would be ostracized from all of Hollywood and from about 2% of this nation. he was a man, a patriot and he wanted to show the good of our struggle. vietnam was a war that was not unlike every other war, the only difference was our citizens. the baby boomers grew up spoiled (founding fathers of the modern left). they didnt understand hard work and what a country need's to do for freedom. the left will today say freedom is a slogan, that we will always be free, they will say bush's war is for oil or some uneducated and clichéd response, but freedom is not just about a war or occupation, it's the freedom to not be afraid to get on a airplane, the freedom to not fear going into tall buildings, the freedom not to fear gathering large groups in public. and for the arab world it means to not be afraid to have your wife drive your car, or wear a dress in public, or to question a religious authority. the whole idea of vietnam was to prevent the spread of communism, it was a war that transcended vietnam itself, it was a war to measure our country and our people's resolve. vietnam taught our enemies (and todays modern terrorists) that if they can scare us, horrify us or kill enough of us that we will cower and not fight. Stalin, Khrushchev, khadafi, Usama, and hussein thought this, and we taught them all a lesson through might.

just because liberal's think war is not the answer it does not mean that our enemies do also. we are not europe, if we do not spend money on our military, flex our muscles, set deadlines and take action no one ele will. we do not have anyone to protect us like europe and the world have us. terrorist do not seek peace, they do not hate us because we are us they hate us because of hollywood, because of our freedom from starvation, our comfort in life and from our belief that we can live life any way we want without regard.

John wayne in his portrayal of vietnam was not "propaganda" it was to boost moral for the country, to support our efforts in defeating communism. i read before someone said john wayne was no patriot, what is a patriot if not to support the united states and to keep it's moral up? john wayne did that, ask any soldier from WWII to the present day. i feel bad for the liberal's they hate everyone, stand for everything while believing in nothing and really do not know anything of history or of humanity.

THE DUKE HAS THE LEFT TIED IN KNOTS
In 1969, John Wayne infuriated the Left with "The Green Berets", a film that made no apologies in its all-out support of America's effort in Vietnam. It was lambasted by critics, but in a very interesting sign, sold out at the box office. It plays today and while it is heavy-handed, there is little about it that rings untrue. The soldiers do not swear, complain or bastardize their uniforms like the actual guys did, but their patriotism and military professionalism was the real deal. The Communists they fight in the film are shifty little pissants. This does not deviate from the essential truth.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

bad propoganda but a couple of gem performances
the performances of david jansaan and jim hutton stand out in this really blatant propoganda piece.
wayne the director and producer is not someone i empathize with but i do believe wayne the actor was vastly underrated.
too many people, myslef included, often let waynes politcs get in the way of acknowledging his acting powers.
this film is that in a nutshull.
his politics are unavoidable but the scen in which he wells up, on the verge of tears, trying to tell the young boy of huttons death is powerhouse acting pure and simple.
try to appreciate it.

A solid, well-made film
John Wayne like any other American had the right to promote his opinion. Period. ...

Now, the film is as accurate as any other Vietnam film made in that last 30 years because films are created to promote an opinion. (I've known Vietnam Vets who were not dope smoking, gun-totting genocidists.)

As far as action and commitment, the Green Berets succeeds as a solid "war film." No one who cares about good film making can argue that, unless they believe in censorship. The film is panoramic and energetic in cinematic quality. The characters are strong male types (like Vets I've known.) The film chose its side and promoted it. There is one strong element that the film brings home. The US military was better at killing, and it had to be. Most US detachments were generally outnumbered, fighting an opposition armed by numerous totalitarian countries from Europe to Asia. That is a historical fact, which interestingly enough, was introduced into a film over 35 years old.

The Green Berets, again, is a solid war-film and interestingly enough, is less fancifully than Platoon. The Green Berets is worth the time to see. ... Read more