James Michener's TEXAS (1994)

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James Michener's TEXAS (1994)Writing credits (WGA)
James Michener (novel) (as James A. Michener)
Sean Meredith (teleplay)


Cast: (in credits order)
Maria Conchita Alonso .... Lucia
Benjamin Bratt .... Benito Garza
Frederick Coffin .... Zave (as Fred Coffin)
Patrick Duffy .... Stephen Austin
Chelsea Field .... Mattie
Anthony Michael Hall .... Yancey Quimper
Stacy Keach .... Sam Houston
David Keith .... Jim Bowie
John Schneider .... Davy Crockett
Grant Show .... Travis
Randy Travis .... Capt. Sam Garner
Rick Schroder .... Otto MacNab
Charlton Heston .... Narrator
Daragh O'Malley .... MacNab
Miguel Sandoval .... Gen. Cos
Lloyd Battista .... Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
Lonnie Schuyler .... James Bonham
Joe Torrenueva .... Lopez
Esteban Powell .... Young Yancy
Sully Ross .... Young Otto
Russ McCubbin .... Panther Lomax
Nik Hagler .... First congressman
Jerry Cotton .... Banker
Van B. Poole .... Man
Roland Rodriguez .... Juan Seguin
Rodger Boyce .... Horace Skinner
Rutherford Cravens .... Delegate #1
Steven Chester Prince .... Shaggy Man
Woody Watson .... B.J. Poteet
Deborah Nunez .... Josephine Garza
Lanell Pena .... Maria Trinidad Garza
Darryl Cox .... First colonist
Morgan Redmond .... Father Clooney
Robert Gerard .... Mexican sentry
Jonathan Joss .... Comanche
Bill Moody .... Delegate #2
John Davies .... Second colonist
Kevin R. Young .... Sentry
Gary Carter .... Stable hand
Craig Erickson .... Man
Kathryn Esquivel .... Woman
Paul Wright .... Settler

Produced by
Cheryl R. Stein .... associate producer

Original Music by
Lee Holdridge

Cinematography by
Neil Roach

Film Editing by
John A. Martinelli

Production Design by
John Frick

Art Direction by
Adele Plauche

Set Decoration by
Carla Curry

Sound Department:
Bob Costanza .... sound effects editor
Eddie Sykes .... sound assistant

Special Effects by
Bob Shelley .... special effects

Stunts:
David Alvarado .... stunt rider
Austin Anderson .... stunt double
Austin Anderson .... stunts
Richard Bucher .... stunts
Carl Milinac .... stunts
Matthew Taylor .... stunt double: Rick Schroder

Other crew:
Javier Arrieta .... costumer
Justin Garrick Bell .... assistant location manager
Kelly Frazier .... extras casting
Marvin Schroeder .... assistant re-enactor coordinator
W. Scott Swenson .... re-enactment coordinator
Kevin R. Young .... historical and technical advisor

James' Michenere's TEXAS tells the story of Texas families, the McNabs, the Quimpers and the Garzas. Joined together by family ties and love of the land, the families are torn by emotions and loyalties, as each much decide which side they stand on in the brewing conflict in 1836 Texas.

If there's got to be a main character, I guess that it's Rick Schroeder, as Otto McNab, a teenage kid whose father takes him to Texas after his mother dies. He befriends Benito Garza, ( Benjamin Bratt) a young Mexican rancher who takes him under his wing and almost becomes like a big brother. Benito's sisters meanwhile, marry two Irish immigrant settlers who also become part of the growing ranch family. All seems right with the world.

Mattie Quimper (Chelsea Field), is a young widow with a son named Yancy (Anthony Michael Hall) who, unlike Otto McNab, hates everything there is about Texas and just wants to go home to the U.S.. A love triangle develops between Mattie, Benito Garza and Steven Austin (Patrick Duffy) that ultimately leads to tragedy all around.

Patrick Duffy, as Empressario Steven Austin, the "Father of Texas", is one of the shining lights in the film. Duffy plays Austin well, as a man who truly wants to make the dream of Texas as a state in the Mexican Federation, but sees the dream crumble, crash and burn, as hostilities between the Texian coloniists and the Mexican authorities escalate.

TEXAS shows, better than perhaps any other film, the idea tha the Texas revolution was more of a civil war, than anything, as familes, friends and homes are torn apart by mixed loyalties.

The Texas revolution itself is handled with less aplomb. The only pre-Alamo battle scene, lifted from the 1987 Sam Elliott movie, GONE TO TEXAS, shows a few seconds of the battle of Gonzales. Jim Bowie (David Keith) tells Steven Austin that if that's all the Mexican have to show, then they'll have little trouble whipping them in future battles.

As Bowie, David Keith plays a hard-drinking, knife-fighting no nonsense kind of guy. There's a very brutal knife-fighting scene early on and yet another, as Bowie backs up Benito Garza in an argument with some bullies. At least here, in TEXAS, we get a glimpse of a Jim Bowie who is not merely portrayed as a sick man in bed.

Grant Show's Travis is a hard-nosed rabble-rouser who does not hide his feelings about his desire to break away from Mexico. In a scene inside the Alamo (the Waynamo set, in Brackettville) Travis tells Bowie, and Crockett (John Schneider) that they will all be furthering their careers, should they succeed against Santa Anna. (Seems that the desire for freedom and justice takes backseat, here.)

John Schneider is too young and blond to be taken seriously as Davy Crockett. Thankfully, he does not get much screen time, or lines. His Alamo 'yarn', told to some men in the hospital, is how he killed two bears with one bullet. "How is that possible," one of the patients asks. "Well, Crockett returns, "Them bears was misbehavin'."


Grant Show, John Schneider and David Keith portray Travis, Crockett
and Bowie, in James Michener's TEXAS.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

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James Michener's TEXAS
(CONTINUED)

As to original Alamo battle scenes, they are almost nonexistant in TEXAS. When the Gonzales men enter the Alamo at night, there is a fine shot of defenders on the south wall giving them cover fire, reminiscent of some night scenes in the WAYNAMO. (However, the set dressers did absolutely nothing to conceal the ghastly PINK HUMP, over on the Long Barrack.)

In the 'Travis draws the line' scene, David Keith, as Bowie, has a pretty good line. "Hell I'm already dying, I might as well go cuttin'!"

As TEXAS is a Republic Studios production, the Alamo battle scene consists entirely of LAST COMMAND footage, minus the closeup scenes of that picture's principal players. Lee Holdridge adds new soundtrack music during the battle and there are new sound effects, as well.

After the battle, Benito Garza (Benjamin Bratt) as a Mexican officer, is disheartened to see his in-laws bodies and asks that he be allowed to bury them. A very haughty General Cos, (Miguel Sandoval) refuses him.

Much like the later film TWO FOR TEXAS, it doesn't seem to be a problem for Texians to enter the Alamo after the battle , as Otto (Rick Schroeder) arrives just in time to witness his father and in-laws burning on the funeral pyre.


Stacy Keach, as Sam Houston, in TEXAS.

Another fine portrayal in TEXAS is Stacy Keach's Sam Houston. From Cherokee ambassador to the U.S. (fine costuming here), to big drunk commander of the Texian army, Keach gives Houston a certain presence that sets him as a man apart.

During the 'Runaway Scrape', Benito Garza warns General Cos that the Texians will fight. "Sure, they will fight," Cos replies smugly, "they fought at the Alamo--- for one hour!"

Mattie Quimper, meanwhile has a ferry near San Jacinto that could offer the Mexicans assistance in crossing over. So Steven Austin go to her to convince her to burn it. Mind you, she is already on the Texian side of the river, but, for some inexplicable reason, she decides to move the ferry over to the Mexican side of the river before burning it! Benito Garza arrives and well, you'll just have to see the film to find out what happens next.

The battle of San Jacinto lifts much of its footage from GONE TO TEXAS. There is so little original footage in fact, that, what there is of it is run in exasperrating slow-motion. As can be expected, Otto runs into Benito Garza at San Jacinto and saves his life.

After the war, Steven Austin's sad demise is shown and it is heart-wrenching. The Father of Texas dies all alone in a shack, forgotten by his fellow Texians and the world.

The rest of the film is pretty much of Otto, as a Texas Ranger, going in pursuit of Benito, who has tuned border bandit after the war. Singer Randy Travis puts in a good portrayal as Ranger captain, Sam Garner.


Rick Schroeder and Randy Travis, in TEXAS.

The best advice one can give regarding Michener's TEXAS is, don't go expecting to learn any history here. While there are some fine performances and gratuitous nude scenes intersprinkled into the overlong movie, it is, in fact, just a movie.

For a better TV movie involving the Alamo, try 13 DAYS TO GLORY. That much maligned film looks like a masterpiece, in comparison to this one.

[Greg C.]

i think stacy keach played a great houston but i was disapointed in the alamo scnes. they could have done a way better job and they could have cut down on the benito garza outlaw scenes. over all: ***

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Benjamin Bratt (Benito), Chelsea Field (Mattie) and
Patrick Duffy (Austin)


Rick Schroeder and Benjamin Bratt


Soldado Benito Garza


Prisoner Benito Garza


Rick Schroeder and Benjamin Bratt. Mexican prisoners at San Jacinto.

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Soldados, marching into San Antonio, from ALAMO THE PRICE OF FREEDOM. (This is right after they've run in through the gate.)

I just popped Michener's TEXAS into the old VCR to sort of refresh my memory. And, you know what? I'm actually in that film! Kevin Young, who was the historical advisor for ALAMO: THE PRICE OF FREEDOM has a small part in TEXAS as an sentry and it may be due to his influence that a couple of scenes from PRICE OF FREEDOM are actually used in TEXAS. The first scene is of the Mexican cavalry riding through the gate into San Antonio. The second scene is of the infantry running through the gate. I was one of those running soldados.

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Benjamin Bratt also has the distinction of apperaring in two Alamo related films. Aside from TEXAS, he also appears in the Sandra Bullock film MISS CONGENIALITY, as a fellow detective and Ms. Bullock's love interest. As anyone knows who has seen the film, Sandra Bullock, as an undercover agent, appears in a beauty pageant that is held on Alamo Plaza. Many other San Antonio sights are also featured as backdrop in this above average action comedy.


Alamo Plaza beauty contest.



Michael Caine, Sandra Bullock and Benjamin Bratt, in MISS CONGENIALITY.

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One scene in TEXAS that still perplexes me is when (love interest) Mattie Quimper decides to burn her ferry raft so that the Mexicans cannot use it to pursue Sam Houston's army. Now, both she and the ferry are on the Texian = safe side of the river. If she burns it here, that's the end of the story. A-dios ferry. But no, Mattie decides to pull the ferry on over to the Mexican = dangerous side of the river and then burn it there. Well, we know what happens. Benito's uncontrollable soldados shoot Mattie dead, just as she is putting the ferry to the torch. Seems that she must've had a death wish or something. There is no other logical explanation.

[seguin]

I would like to watch that movie in spite of the errors. It must have been cheap to make since they lifted the battle scenes from other movies. The only thing by Michener I´ve seen is a tv series about Colorado where you follow some families through generations, from fur trappers to cowboys. A kind of Colorado Saga. It´s from the eighties. Maybe some of you remember it?

[Greg C.]

Just like THIRTEEN DAYS TO GLORY, this movie lifts the battle scenes from the LAST COMMAND which is really quite stupid because the rock face of the Wayneamo walls and LAST COMMAND set walls are totally different and can be easily noticed. The same thing happened with TDTG and we know what a bomb that movie was...

[Rick]

seguin said:

I would like to watch that movie in spite of the errors. It must have been cheap to make since they lifted the battle scenes from other movies. The only thing by Michener I´ve seen is a tv series about Colorado where you follow some families through generations, from fur trappers to cowboys. A kind of Colorado Saga. It´s from the eighties. Maybe some of you remember it?

Centennial -- the longest miniseries I've ever seen.

[seguin]

rick said:

seguin said:

I would like to watch that movie in spite of the errors. It must have been cheap to make since they lifted the battle scenes from other movies. The only thing by Michener I´ve seen is a tv series about Colorado where you follow some families through generations, from fur trappers to cowboys. A kind of Colorado Saga. It´s from the eighties. Maybe some of you remember it?

Centennial -- the longest miniseries I've ever seen.

Centennial - That´s right! A great miniseries! I watched every episode. Over here it was called The Colorado Saga. I forget the number of episodes, but at least thirteen...

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Parts of CENTENNIAL were filmed in ALAMO VILLAGE.

[Rick]

neferetus said:

Parts of CENTENNIAL were filmed in ALAMO VILLAGE.

Which parts, I wonder? I watched the whole thing and can't recall off the top of my head which era had AV scenes. Maybe the R.J Poteet cattle drive stuff?

I need to watch the whole thing again sometime, though I have no interest in owning it. Always thought two of the best things about it were the performances of Dennis Weaver (Poteet) and Stephen McHattie (Jake Pasquinel), and that two of the worst things about it were Robert Conrad's false beard and his atrocious French accent.

And I remember how lonnnggggg the miniseries was -- over 20 hours.

[Greg C.]

I have never seen or heard of CENTENNIAL. It seems pretty interesting, a netflix add-on perhaps?

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John Farkis will have photos and info on CENTENNIAL in his upcoming book on the history of Alamo Village. Watch for it.

[Greg C.]

How many books does John Farkis have out?

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admin said:

How many books does John Farkis have out?

I don't know, offhand. I'll have to ask him that.

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One scene that always gauls me in James Michener's TEXAS is the one where Benito Garza, now a Mexican officer, is speaking with General Cos about the campaign against Sam Houston's army. When General Cos expresses his disdain for the Texians, Benito warns him that he has lived among these people and that they will fight. Cos rather haughtily responds to Benito's warning, "They fought at the Alamo---for one hour!"

Remember that this was the general who, when his men had fallen back into the Alamo after having been driven from San Antonio, surrendered the place up without firing a shot. The very same general who was given a very generous and honorable parole back to Mexico, the only stipulation being that he never again raise arms against Texas.

In my opinion, Cos should've been executed as a war-crimminal at San Jacinto.

[Greg C.]

neferetus said:

In my opinion, Cos should've been executed as a war-crimminal at San Jacinto.

You know, I've never thought about that before. Everyone wanted Santa Anna dead that they forgot about Cos who simply just slipped away through time...

[Alamo Al]

There is one scene in Texas which I find suspicious, where Benito goes to fire his 'pistola' holding it sideways like the movie gangs do today. If he did that w/a flintlock wouldn't the powder fall out of the pan? When I saw that, I got the idea of the level of sophistication of this movie.