In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Passable Western inspired by historical events about Sam Houston and his fight for Texas independence . Historic events and great action as well as an acceptable cast . Sam (Sam Elliott) left his mark across the West's thousand toughest miles to escape a scandal back east . From the Red River to the Rio Grande he was hunted and feared ; a restless giant in a violent land . Tall in the saddle, restless of heart , he ranged across a violent land , forging an era with cold steel . President Jackson (G.D. Spradlin) personally orders him to lead the battle for Texan independence, he overcomes his reluctance to become involved and leads his partners to a string of victories over the Mexican army . Advocate at law Sam Houston gets together with notorious Texan leaders , his compatriots as Jim Bowie (Michael Beck) , Davy Crockett , William Barrett Travis (William Russ) and Stephen Austin (James Stephens) . When the Texans revolted against Mexico rule in 1835 , Sam was made commander-in-chief of the rebel army . After the fall of the Alamo on 6 March 1836 to the Mexican army and the subsequent retreat of the Texan forces , Sam managed to keep together a small force of less than 800 men and on 21 April 1836 launched a furious surprise attack . At the end takes place the famous battle of San Jacinto , in which was imprisoned General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana (Richard Yniguez) . It's until the spectacular crushing spotlight of total defeat with Sam Houston as commander-in-chief when the movie comes alive at all . This exciting picture about Texas fights for independence contains action Western , drama , historical happenings and is quite entertaining . Interesting writing based on a story and screenplay by Frank Q. Dobbs , a Western expert and also producer . Good main cast in which Sam Elliott stands out , he gives a good acting as impulsive as well as two-fisted leader . Ample support cast formed by notorious secondaries playing brief roles , many of them performing historical characters , such as John P. Ryan as David Burnett , James Stephens as Stephen Austin , Richard Yniguez as Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna , Michael Beck as Jim Bowie ,John de Lancie as Van Fossen , Bo Hopkins as Col. Sidney Sherman , Ned Romero as Indian chief , G.D. Spradlin as President Andrew Jackson and uncredited , Katharine Ross , Sam Elliott's wife . Atmospheric as well as thrilling musical score by Dennis McCarthy . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Frank Watts , though in television style and being necessary a right remastering . Medium budget TV film , being professionally directed by Peter Levin , though with no originality . Levin is a good craftsman who has worked in Television for decades directing a lot of films , series and episodes . The picture is based on historical deeds about Texas independence, these are the followings : With Mexican permission Stephen Austin (James Stephens) brought the first Anglo-American colonists to Texas, the first of many, their numbers grew and they wanted self-government and this desire led to the revolt of 1835, the Texas war for Independence . General Santa Anna (Richard Yniguez) , stormed the Alamo , being defended by Jim Bowie (Michael Beck) , Davy Crockett and William Travis (William Russ) , and wiped out the garrison on 6 March 1836 . The legendary defense served as a rallying point for the beleaguered Texas . Although Santa Anna , who lost at least 600 of some 3000 troops against a force of less than 200 , referred as a small affair , the valor of the defenders gave the surviving Texan troops something to remember . But on 21 April 1836 General Santa Anna suffered a crushing defeat by Sam Houston (Sam Elliott) and was taken prisoner . Texas was declared a Republic in October 1836 and Houston became its first president. In 1845 Texas joined the US, this lead to war with Mexico and disastrous results for that country. Samuel Houston (1793-1863) well performed by Sam Elliott , was a frontiersman and politician , he went to live with the Cherokees and took a Cherokee wife . After the fall of the Alamo , he managed to keep together a small force and launched a furious surprise attack on the Mexican army of 1300 camped on the western bank of the San Jacinto River . With Texas free and independent republic , Houston was elected the first president . When Texas was admitted to the United States in 1845, Houston was a senator to Washington . Later , when civil war threatened , he was opposed to secession from the Union and refused to take oath of allegiance to the Confederate government . He relinquished his office and retired from public life .

Sam Houston will always be remembered as the man who annexed the US to Texas and changed everything. Told with respect for the Mexican view, Gone to Texas does more than hint President Jackson's resolve to get Texas one way or another and his tasking of Sam Houston to the project to relieve both whites and Indians in the American East of coping with Sam. The legend of San Jacinto is told in the traditional fashion , but there's more than a hint that Houston had General Gaines' US troops for the task. But it's still a pleasure to revisit young America bursting with enthusiasm albeit at Mexico's expense. G.D. Spradlin played President Andrew Jackson as he is remembered the last of the demi-Gods. I think even the Raven would have liked Sam Elliott in his part. Bo Hopkins was an excellent choice for Colonel Sidney Sherman, cool arrogant and deadly. COMPARABLE FILMS: ONE MAN's HERO, The Alamo

Cheesy, badly done TV movie shot on the cheap about Sam Houston. Listlessly acted--except by Sam Elliott in the title role, whose performance consists mostly of shouting at the top of his lungs--sloppily written, wretchedly directed, cheap-looking junk has no atmosphere, no sense of history, no suspense, no drama, no nothing. The action scenes, especially the battle of San Jacinto, are clumsily set up and badly shot. The supporting cast has a few well known character actors, such as Bo Hopkins and Ned Romero, but consists mostly of unknowns, and judging by their performances here, they should stay unknowns. The 1939 Richard Dix film "Man of Conquest," also about Houston and the battle of San Jacinto, is vastly more entertaining and professionally done. If you want to watch a film about Sam Houston, check out that one and leave this one to gather dust on the shelf, where it belongs.

The American West has produced more than its share of legends, but none greater than the true-life story of Sam Houston. Sam Elliott is the frontier hero and statesman whose bravery and vision led to the creation of Texas! 1829-Sam Houston's career as the popular governor of Tennessee ends in disgrace and heartbreak. He treks back to the happy place of his boyhood among the Cherokee Indians.Houston finds love with a part-Cherokee and honor as he negotiates peace among warring tribes. Yet the U.S. Government destroys his triumph by coldly seizing the Cherokee land.In despair, he heads to the Mexican territory of Texas to join his old friend Jim Bowie in an epic fight for the liberation of what will one day be the state of Texas.