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Post by garyzaboly on Aug 22, 2010 12:55:40 GMT -5
"It was a title old General Flatford gave me in the Choctaw Indian War."
Wayne to Harvey
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Post by garyzaboly on Aug 22, 2010 13:42:50 GMT -5
Even when I was 10, this line just didn't cut the mustard for me:
"Colonel Travis, I'm an old man...but you're wrong!!!"
Hairston to Harvey.
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Post by Rich Curilla on Aug 22, 2010 15:43:37 GMT -5
On the other hand, I remember people reacting negatively to Linda Cristal's line delivery in front of the Cantina when she says, "Bitterly, of course." I always thought it was the appropriate answer for Crockett's assumption. Never did understand what people had trouble with.
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Post by Rich Curilla on Aug 22, 2010 15:47:40 GMT -5
Aren't we gonna defeat our own thesis if we find *every* line in the movie to be the dumbest? ;D
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Post by martyb on Aug 22, 2010 20:35:55 GMT -5
Unfortunately, most 'hollywood' lines are dumb. Historical moves that use actual quotes as much as possible fare better.
There is one Alamo Hollywood line that I thought best caught the man, the time, and the place and has always been a favorite of mine. It was the first time I saw Hunnicut's Davy saying farewell to Hayden's Bowie in the Last Command. "They'll eat snakes afore they git in here Jim."
I felt chill bumps on my arm then and always stop and watch that scene. What a great use of that line would have been if Billy Bob had used it in the 2004 move after giving Bowie his pistols.
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Post by Rich Curilla on Aug 22, 2010 22:20:08 GMT -5
Flaca to Emil Sand, The Alamo (1960): "Tu éres el más digno descendiente de la liga de puercos" Translation: "You are the most worthy descendant of the league of pigs." ;D Yessss. She DOES say this. I just looked at the scene again. Sorry to mislead. I guess I had never been able to decipher it as I did the others, since it is in the distance when Wayne is still half way down the porch. Cool. Thanks trk.
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Post by ajdrake4 on Aug 26, 2010 15:09:34 GMT -5
The line that always makes me cringe now is Harvey explaining the tactical situation to Wayne in the Alamo (1960.) He says that Houston is behind the Sabine organizing the army. As a kid, I didn't realize what that meant, but now, every time I hear that, I wonder why Houston is organizing the Army of Texas in Louisiana.
I also kind of dislike Wayne's Republic speech in the movie. I understand the sentiment, but it always came off as too preachy for me.
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Post by Kevin Young on Aug 26, 2010 16:45:49 GMT -5
The line that always makes me cringe now is Harvey explaining the tactical situation to Wayne in the Alamo (1960.) He says that Houston is behind the Sabine organizing the army. As a kid, I didn't realize what that meant, but now, every time I hear that, I wonder why Houston is organizing the Army of Texas in Louisiana. I also kind of dislike Wayne's Republic speech in the movie. I understand the sentiment, but it always came off as to preachy for me. The sword also ends up on the wrong side of the Sabine. Perhaps someone confused the Alamo Courts Motel in Shreveport with the Alamo in San Antonio.
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Post by ajdrake4 on Aug 26, 2010 21:01:46 GMT -5
The line that always makes me cringe now is Harvey explaining the tactical situation to Wayne in the Alamo (1960.) He says that Houston is behind the Sabine organizing the army. As a kid, I didn't realize what that meant, but now, every time I hear that, I wonder why Houston is organizing the Army of Texas in Louisiana. I also kind of dislike Wayne's Republic speech in the movie. I understand the sentiment, but it always came off as to preachy for me. The sword also ends up on the wrong side of the Sabine. Perhaps someone confused the Alamo Courts Motel in Shreveport with the Alamo in San Antonio. I hadn't noticed the sword, that's probably going to annoy me now too.
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Post by Kevin Young on Aug 26, 2010 21:11:33 GMT -5
The sword also ends up on the wrong side of the Sabine. Perhaps someone confused the Alamo Courts Motel in Shreveport with the Alamo in San Antonio. I hadn't noticed the sword, that's probably going to annoy me now too. Don't feel bad--I had a big old map of the Texas Revolution over my desk at work and my Alamo buddies snuck in a put posted notes "Here's Santa Anna..." with all the quotes, and on the right/wrong spots.
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Post by Allen Wiener on Aug 26, 2010 21:29:12 GMT -5
I always thought that Harvey was aiming for that line that represented the river, but missed, and no one caught it. But, yes, every single time it really bothers me.
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Post by alanhufffines on Aug 27, 2010 18:44:41 GMT -5
The line that always makes me cringe now is Harvey explaining the tactical situation to Wayne in the Alamo (1960.) He says that Houston is behind the Sabine organizing the army. As a kid, I didn't realize what that meant, but now, every time I hear that, I wonder why Houston is organizing the Army of Texas in Louisiana. I also kind of dislike Wayne's Republic speech in the movie. I understand the sentiment, but it always came off as to preachy for me. The sword also ends up on the wrong side of the Sabine. Perhaps someone confused the Alamo Courts Motel in Shreveport with the Alamo in San Antonio.[/quote
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Post by Wade Dillon on Sept 7, 2010 1:11:09 GMT -5
As much as I love the 2004 Alamo film, and you all know I do, my biggest problem is the dialogue between Travis and Bowie after Travis's big speech.
William Travis: I don't drink, Jim, you know that. I gamble, go to whores, run off on wives... but drinking, I draw the line. James Bowie: You know, if you live five more years, you might just be a great man. William Travis: I think I will probably have to settle for what I am now.
For those unfamiliar with the history, this is an akwardly blunt statement from Travis and Bowie's response to that was most likely taken as odd. What's great about a man who runs out on wives and goes to...well, you get it. If these lines were written more discretely, that scene would've struck home. The scenes and deleted scenes showing Travis's character is all you needed to display instead of him saying it as if the audience never caught on.
For example, Travis is riding a horse and then turns to the screen and says, "Hey guys, I'm riding a horse."
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Post by Rich Curilla on Sept 7, 2010 11:24:13 GMT -5
Wade, I think you miss the point of the scene. Travis is joking with Bowie. That's why he's stating the obvious. Bowie is responding to Travis' obvious sarcastic self-criticism by complimenting him -- in a backhanded way. Then Travis speaks truth by saying he will have to settle for what he is. Watch the scene again and see if I'm not right.
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Post by Rich Curilla on Sept 7, 2010 11:27:00 GMT -5
You are right in theory though. Never "say" it when you have "shown" it. This is why James Edward Grant's sit-down monologues in The Alamo are a glaring contrast to his other fine succinctness in dialogue writing. Embarrassing, actually.
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