''Martyrs of the Alamo'' (also known as ''The Birth of Texas'') is a 1915 American
historical
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
war drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
written and directed by
Christy Cabanne
William Christy Cabanne (April 16, 1888 – October 15, 1950) was an American film director, screenwriter, and silent film actor.
Biography
Born in 1888, Cabanne (pronounced CAB-a-nay) started his career on stage as an actor and director. He a ...
. The film is based on the historical novel of the same name by Theodosia Harris, and features an ensemble cast including
Sam De Grasse
Samuel Alfred De Grasse (June 12, 1875 – November 29, 1953) was a Canadian actor. He was the uncle of cinematographer Robert De Grasse.
Biography
Samuel Alfred De Grasse was born in Bathurst, New Brunswick to Lange De Grasse (1828–1891) ...
,
Douglas Fairbanks
Douglas Elton Fairbanks Sr. (born Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman; May 23, 1883 – December 12, 1939) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films including '' The Thie ...
,
Walter Long and
Alfred Paget
Alfred Paget (2 June 1879 – 8 October 1919) was an English silent film actor best known for his portrayal of Prince Belshazzar in D.W. Griffith's 1916 historical epic ''Intolerance''. He appeared in more than 230 films between 1908 and 19 ...
.
Fairbanks role was uncredited, and was his first role in film, although his first starring role, in ''
The Lamb'', was released prior to this picture. The film features the
siege of Béxar
The siege of Béxar (or Béjar) was an early campaign of the Texas Revolution in which a volunteer Texian army defeated Mexican forces at San Antonio de Béxar (now San Antonio, Texas). Texians had become disillusioned with the Mexican governme ...
, the
Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Ant ...
, and the
Battle of San Jacinto
The Battle of San Jacinto ( es, Batalla de San Jacinto), fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day La Porte and Pasadena, Texas, was the final and decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Samuel Houston, the Texan Army engaged ...
.
While making claims to historical accuracy, the film depicts the Mexican population in
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, s ...
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
Almaron Dickinson (1800 – March 6, 1836) was a Texian soldier and defender during the Battle of the Alamo, fought during the Texas Revolution. Dickinson is best known as the artillery officer of the small garrison, and the husband of one of th ...
, 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.
A copy of the film is preserved at the
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
.
Cast
*
Sam De Grasse
Samuel Alfred De Grasse (June 12, 1875 – November 29, 1953) was a Canadian actor. He was the uncle of cinematographer Robert De Grasse.
Biography
Samuel Alfred De Grasse was born in Bathurst, New Brunswick to Lange De Grasse (1828–1891) ...
as Silent Smith (
Deaf Smith
Erastus "Deaf" Smith (April 19, 1787 – November 30, 1837), who earned his nickname due to hearing loss in childhood, was an American frontiersman noted for his part in the Texas Revolution and the Army of the Republic of Texas. He fought i ...
)
*
Allan Sears
Allan Sears (March 9, 1887 – August 18, 1942) was an American film actor who played leading roles in the 1910s and 1920s before transitioning into character roles in the 1930s. He was noted for his tall stature.
Biography
Sears was born in S ...
as
David Crockett
David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier, and politician. He is often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in the U.S. House of Re ...
*
Walter Long as
Santa Anna Santa Anna may refer to:
* Santa Anna, Texas, a town in Coleman County in Central Texas, United States
* Santa Anna, Starr County, Texas
* Santa Anna Township, DeWitt County, Illinois, one of townships in DeWitt County, Illinois, United States. ...
*
Alfred Paget
Alfred Paget (2 June 1879 – 8 October 1919) was an English silent film actor best known for his portrayal of Prince Belshazzar in D.W. Griffith's 1916 historical epic ''Intolerance''. He appeared in more than 230 films between 1908 and 19 ...
as
James Bowie
James Bowie ( ) ( – March 6, 1836) was a 19th-century American pioneer, slave smuggler and trader, and soldier who played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution. He was among the Americans who died at the Battle of the Alamo. Stories of h ...
*
Fred Burns
Frederick D. Burns (born September 6, 1889, in Nevada, Missouri; died December 22, 1971, in Cincinnati, Ohio) was an important figure in Midwest amateur tennis in the early part of the 20th century.
Burns was a journalist by profession from 1911 ...
as
Almeron Dickinson
Almaron Dickinson (1800 – March 6, 1836) was a Texian soldier and defender during the Battle of the Alamo, fought during the Texas Revolution. Dickinson is best known as the artillery officer of the small garrison, and the husband of one of th ...
*
John T. Dillon as
Colonel Travis
*
Douglas Fairbanks
Douglas Elton Fairbanks Sr. (born Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman; May 23, 1883 – December 12, 1939) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films including '' The Thie ...
as Joe/Texan Soldier
*
Juanita Hansen
Juanita Hansen (born Juanita Cecilia Hanson; March 3, 1895 – September 26, 1961) was an American actress who performed in silent films. She became one of the Sennett Bathing Beauties and appeared in a variety of serials through the late 19 ...
as Old Soldier's Daughter
*
Ora Carew
Ora Carew (born Ora Whytock; April 19, 1891 – October 26, 1955), was an American silent film actress. She starred in several films between 1915 and 1925. She was known as one of the Sennett Bathing Beauties.
Early life
Ora Whytock was born i ...
as Mrs. Dickinson
*
Tom Wilson as
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played an important role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two i ...
*
Augustus Carney
Augustus Carney (1870–1920) was an American actor during the early 20th century. Born in Ireland in 1870, he got his start in vaudeville before entering the film industry. In his short seven-year career he appeared in over 130 films, mostly sho ...
as Old Soldier
References
External links
*
*
1915 films
1910s war drama films
1915 Western (genre) films
American war drama films
American black-and-white films
Films based on historical novels
Films directed by Christy Cabanne
Films set in Texas
Films set in the 1830s
American historical drama films
Texas Revolution films
Triangle Film Corporation films
1910s historical drama films
Davy Crockett
Siege films
1915 drama films
Films based on American novels
Silent American Western (genre) films
1910s American films
Silent war films
Silent American drama films
{{silent-film-stub