Old time director and Hollywood pioneer Frank Lloyd made his final picture ("The Last Command") for Republic Pictures and he didn't have much of a budget to work with. Luckily, Lloyd knew his craft well and got the maximum effects he could despite the monetary restrictions. "The Last Command" is about the fall of the Alamo in 1836 and the main character is Jim Bowie (Sterling Hayden). Hayden supposedly hated this movie and his role in it, but then, Hayden hated nearly all his movies and all his roles, so it's all irrelevant. In fact, he does a fine job as Bowie and carries the film with his riveting performance. Also on hand are Arthur Hunnicut as a very backwoods-type Davy Crockett and Richard Carlson in the thankless role of the stuff-shirted Colonel William Travis. A young and attractive Anna Marie Alberghetti provides the love interest for Hayden and Ernest Borgnine also stars as one of the Alamo's more ferocious defenders. Rounding out the cast is J. Carrol Naish as a somewhat sympathetic General Santa Anna. The real Generalissimo was a ruthless scoundrel who was noted for executing defenseless prisoners; why he's portrayed here as a congenial fellow is beyond the limits of any historical truth. Also stretching reality is the film's depiction of Bowie and Santa Anna as long lost buddies. Despite these obvious plot line gaffes, the action sequences are brilliantly staged by director Lloyd and will satisfy most fans of the genre.
Hayden went on to more complicated roles in his career, but according to his biographers, he mostly preferred sailing on his yacht with a well-stocked liquor cabinet. He never cared about his status in Hollywood and consequently his career never attained the heights that many had predicted for him. It's too bad he didn't get the chance to play the real Jim Bowie. That fellow was a slave-trading knife-wielding reckless adventurer who specialized in duels, Indian fighting and deadly barroom brawls. A nice guy he wasn't. As for the rest of the participants of this film, Anna Maria Alberghetti never became a huge star either, but she's still active in the business. Arthur Hunnicut enjoyed a long and successful career in both films and television. Of course, Ernest Borgnine's career has been near-legendary and he remains one of Hollywood's most formidable stars to this day.
Hayden went on to more complicated roles in his career, but according to his biographers, he mostly preferred sailing on his yacht with a well-stocked liquor cabinet. He never cared about his status in Hollywood and consequently his career never attained the heights that many had predicted for him. It's too bad he didn't get the chance to play the real Jim Bowie. That fellow was a slave-trading knife-wielding reckless adventurer who specialized in duels, Indian fighting and deadly barroom brawls. A nice guy he wasn't. As for the rest of the participants of this film, Anna Maria Alberghetti never became a huge star either, but she's still active in the business. Arthur Hunnicut enjoyed a long and successful career in both films and television. Of course, Ernest Borgnine's career has been near-legendary and he remains one of Hollywood's most formidable stars to this day.