The
following scene is from the first draft of the 2004 film The Alamo. The
writer, Les Bohem, wrote a very revisionist screenplay, with a Crockett much less
sure of himself than the character in the final film. Bohem's work on the script
was followed by that of writers John Sayles, Stephan Gaghan and John Lee Hancock
(who also directed). And the character of Crockett changed with each writer's
take on the story, in service to whatever themes that particular scribe was trying
to convey. Bohem's scene, below, takes place after Crockett and friends have set
fire to some jacales that the Mexican army were using for cover outside of the
mission. While near the jacales, Crockett ran across a fly-covered, lifeless Mexican
soldier, and froze in horror until Travis snapped him back into reality with a
few words. (In real life, Crockett described even worse sights during the Creek
Indian war, so it's doubtful the historical Crockett would've been so shocked
by this. But what the hey, it's a screenplay, and somebody's got to scream when
the dead body pops out.) Still, the scene that follows is probably an extremely
accurate representation of how Crockett felt so "hemmed in" at the Alamo.
THEALAMO
by
Les Bohem
First
Draft
DOWN
BELOW
Crockett
sits lost in his thoughts. Now he hears something. A child's WHIMPERING, coming
from the chapel. He gets up. The bombardment starts again and he has to run for
the chapel.
IN
THE CHAPEL
He
finds Enrique Esparza, huddled, frightened, under the statue of St. Francis. Crockett
walks over and sits down next to him. Doesn't say a thing. The bombardment intensifies
around them. Finally, the boy looks up.
CROCKETT
Noisy,
ain't it?
He
smiles to Enrique. Poor little kid is so scared it breaks your heart.
CROCKETT
(cont'd)
How
old are you?
Enrique
holds up eight fingers. Crockett nods.
CROCKETT
(cont'd)
My
oldest boy, John Wesley, I first took him hunting for bear when he was eight.
East Tennessee, the bear were good then. You don't know what I'm talking about,
do you?
Enrique
shakes his head. "No." Crockett takes a beat. Something shifts in his
eyes. We catch a rare glimpse deeper inside.
CROCKETT
(cont'd)
Then
I guess if I was to tell you I felt more like the bear right now than the hunter,
it wouldn't make you any more scared than you already are.
He
keeps the smile on when he says this and Enrique smiles back. Crockett settles
against the wall and crosses his arms around his kness. Enrique watches him for
a moment, then folds his arms in the exact same manner. The man and the boy sit
back to wait out the night.
REVISING REVISIONISM
