this make for television version of the legendary stand against hopeless odds be more objective and more realistic than early filmed version of the event and though the one movie make after this go perhaps too far in humanize the figure of sam houston and bowie and travis and crockett . the focus here be on jim bowie and play with sharp and cynical detachment by james arness who be apparently still alive at age 85. then 65 and he make a comeback to act after year away from the screen to do this part . puerto rican bear raul julia humanize gen. santa ana a no one since j. carol naish back in 54 have do . however and the mexican dictator be portray a a lecherous and vainglorious popinjay gaudier uniform have never be see before or since . he receive excellent advice from the european officer he have hire but and convince of his own infallibility and he do not heed it . alec baldwin be the one actor whose age be appropriate to the character he play represent col. william travis . his portrayal be earnest . he be almost in awe of the old men who share command with him . the one jarring note be brian keith a crockett . in a coonskin cap and carry ol betsy and he stumble about a if he have wander in from another movie . with no conviction in the portrayal and the character be reduce to a few stage convention . the script reveal some historical fact overlook or suppress in early film version . we learn that jim bowie be and in the person of santa ana and fight his own brother in law . the mexican soldier perform poorly in part because they be arm with rifle leave over from the napoleonic war a generation earlier . santa ana like a bargain . bowie wryly explain . the whole project of defend the former spanish mission a a fort be militarily ill advise a fact explore in great depth in the 2004 film the alamo .