Re: As far as movies go...
I thought the Duke's version of the Alamo was fantastically more watchable than the version that came out a few years back with Billy Bob Thornton and Dennis Quaid. I actually had to shut that one off, even though it's historical accuracy was head and shoulders above Wayne's. I've read that Ron Howard had been the first choice to direct this, with Russell Crowe as Sam Houston.I remember reading one of those Hollywood rumor books somewhere that inferred that John Ford's participation in John Wayne's version was far beyond the 2nd Unit Director credit that he got. Basically Duke's direction was melting down everywhere and Ford came in and coached everyone behind the scenes so that it appeared that Wayne knew what he was doing. The list of actors who passed on the opportunity to be in the film because Wayne was directing includes Charlton Heston and Clark Gable.
P
pkjensen
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I thought the Duke's version of the Alamo was fantastically more watchable than the version that came out a few years back with Billy Bob Thornton and Dennis Quaid. I actually had to shut that one off, even though it's historical accuracy was head and shoulders above Wayne's. I've read that Ron Howard had been the first choice to direct this, with Russell Crowe as Sam Houston.I remember reading one of those Hollywood rumor books somewhere that inferred that John Ford's participation in John Wayne's version was far beyond the 2nd Unit Director credit that he got. Basically Duke's direction was melting down everywhere and Ford came in and coached everyone behind the scenes so that it appeared that Wayne knew what he was doing. The list of actors who passed on the opportunity to be in the film because Wayne was directing includes Charlton Heston and Clark Gable.
