Battle of the Alamo gradually became known as a battle site rather than a former mission. The Texas Legislature purchased the land and buildings in the early part of the 20th century and designated the Alamo chapel as an official Texas State Shrine. The Alamo has been the subject of numerous non-fiction works beginning in 1843. Most Americans, however, are more familiar with the myths and legends spread by many of the movie and television adaptations, including the 1950s Disney mini-series "Davy Crockett" and John Wayne's 1960 film "The Alamo". Under President Antonio López de Santa Anna, the Mexican government began to shift away
The Alamo (1960 film) a success and Wayne lost his personal investment. He sold his rights to United Artists, which had released it, and it made back its money. Critical response was mixed, from the "New York Herald Tribune"'s four-star "A magnificent job...Visually and dramatically, "The Alamo" is top-flight," to "Time" magazine's "flat as Texas." The film has a score of 50% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is thought to have been denied awards because Academy voters were alienated by an overblown publicity campaign, particularly one "Variety" ad claiming that the film's cast was praying harder for Chill Wills to win his award than