The Man From Alamo (1953)

Not as good as Budd Boetitcher’s classic westerns with Randolph Scott. The big problem seems to be that the story seems contrived: the hero’s excuse for leaving the Alamo is not too believable, the reaction of the town’s people when they meet him seems extreme (although this could be me underestimating), the hero’s “switching of sides” to join up with the villians seems too easy - and the villians too accepting, and the final acknowledgement that the hero is actually good seems overly abrupt.

That said, the film is well shot, especially the wagon-train passing through Texas with good action sequences. Some of the day-for-night parts are unconvincing, although fairly standard for westerns of this period. Glenn Ford is good in his role as the hero and Julie Adams is decent as the placeholder girl (although she doesn’t have much to do except swoon at the hero against her better judgement). Bend of the River and The Creature From the Black Lagoon are probably better and more notable roles.

The internet suggests that there is some historically anacronistic use of revolvers, although the rifles are single-shot and probably correct.

In conclusion, largely competent, but probably fairly forgetable.

The version on Channel 5 was full frame (probably right) and looked OK, and although the colours looked cheap this was probably in the source material.