Although not as long as films like "Gone With The Wind" or "Duel In The Sun", it still had an epic feel to it. Virginia Mayo's character was cunning in the way that Vivien Leigh's Scarlet was to that film, but not as sympathetic or likable. I like Alan Ladd as an actor, but he was no Clark Gable. All in all this is an enjoyable Technicolor feature, with the same composer of GWTW, Max Steiner as a nice bonus.

You got to like Alan Ladd first off. He gave a good show in this performance and with a good story and supporting actors, this remains premium entertainment. In addition to the Bowie legend, we are introduced to the Bowie knife. A large no-nonsense will get the job done specially made knife that in the right hands can do quite a bit of damages if you are a master of said knife. Alan Ladd is that man. In addition to a nice flowing story-line, we are introduced to many memorable scenes which make this a must see movie again and again. We get a glimpse of the way it was way back when the country was young, Way back when, there was opportunity everywhere, brave men who took risks and danger to put them in their place if they made one wrong move. Many did. The movie emphasizes a moral code in its story of which men will duel over if not honored and obeyed. It wasn't enough to win or kill but how you win and kill that mattered as a mans reputation was the most important asset he had. Banks would loan on it, people would support it and others would imitate it making a person's character very valuable. Boy has that been compromised over the ages but not wiped out. If one finds an honest man who practices righteousness, faith is restored and good will toward men takes place. If many are found keeping this, then we are either closer to paradise or we are in Christmas! Pay attention to the leading ladies vanity. She has everything yet she has nothing and we are treated to a close-up glance of vanity at work and even more, pride in large doses too. Worthy time spent on this little gem. I have seen it perhaps ten times and am watching it now. What joy. Waste no more time reading this. Go and be entertained. Highly recommend eating while watching, a decent snack and a tasty drink. Please enjoy and if you recorded this off of TCM, watch it and save it and watch again in about 3 weeks. You will thank me!

Western adventure with Jim Bowie (Alan Ladd) a man with his name on a knife and two women (Virginia Mayo , Phyllis Kirk) with a weapon all their own . This is a mini-biography of the life of Jim Bowie in which he faces off bloody duels . It starts In 1825, Jim Bowie travels to New Orleans to sell the lumber output from the sawmill he runs with his brothers . He soon meets the gorgeous as well as manipulating Judalon De Bornay (Virginia Mayo) and falls in love for her . Jim attempts to wed Jedualon , but the woman has wed playboy Phillipe (Alf Kjellin) . Jim's business interests lead to violent fights where a lot of people are killed and there takes place a struggle with local saloon owner and nasty Black Jack (Anthony Caruso) . Then , Bowie is rescued by an attractive Mexican girl (Phyllis Kirk) , the daughter of the Vice-Governor of San Antonio . Barely historical presentation about the mythic character , Jim Bowie , who invented the famed frontier knife . This colorful as well as spotty picture contains action , thrills , soap opera , knife-fights , luxurious balls and results to be entertaining ; however , being also mediocre . Slightly interesting screenplay by James R. Webb , Western usual , being based on a novel by Paul Wellman . Passable acting by the main starring Alan Ladd , and gorgeous Virginia Mayo who subsequently reprised her film role in Lux Radio Theater broadcast , a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie. Support cast is frankly well , such as Joseph Calleia as Juan Moreno , Phyllis Kirk as Ursula De Varamendi , Alf Kjellin as Phillipe De Cabanal , Douglas Dick as Narcisse de Bornay and special mention to Anthony Caruso playing as crook Black Jack . Atmospheric and thrilling musical score by the classic composer Max Steiner . Colorful as well as evocative cinematography by John F. Seitz , filmed on location in New Orleans and surrounds . The motion picture lavishly produced by Henry Blanke was regularly directed by Gordon Douglas . He was an expert on adventure genre as ¨Black arrow¨ , ¨Fortunes of Captain Blood¨ , both starred by Louis Hayward and Western , as he proved in the films starred by Clint Walker such as ¨Fort Dobbs¨, ¨Yellowstone Kelly¨ , ¨Gold of seven Saints¨ , Gregory Peck as ¨Only the valiant¨ , ¨Chuka¨ with Rod Taylor , ¨Rio Conchos¨ starred by Richard Boone , being considered his best Western , and about bandits legendary as ¨Doolins of Oklahoma¨ , ¨Great Missouri raid¨, among others .The real events about James Bowie's life are the followings : Texas hero and knife-fighter whose name was made world famous by the type of broad-bladed knife he used and is said to have originated . Born in Georgia , he made money by selling black slaves before going Texas , where he settle in San Antonio , legend tells us he searched for and found the lost Spanish silver mine in the San Saba region . In 1830, he became a Mexican citizen married the daughter of the Vice-Governor of San Antonio and became a wealthy landowner . He lost his wife and children in a cholera epidemic . When the Texans rebelled against Spanish rule he joined the rebels and was made captain , engaging in several victories over Mexicans . With the rank of colonel he held joint command of The Alamo fortress with Colonel Travis until stricken down with fever , he died fighting , from his sickbed , with the rest of the garrison while defending the Alamo against an overwhelming Mexican army . Bowie made his reputation as a formidable knife-fighter in a number of duels , but it is not clear if he or his brother , actually designed the original Bowie Knife .

Gordon Douglas was something of a poor man's Michael Curtiz at Warner Brothers inasmuch as he could turn his hand to just about any genre the studio assigned him to. In the early fifties Alan Ladd had run out of exotic locations to meet Veronica Lake and William Bendix at Paramount and although his greatest performance and greatest Paramount film by far (Shane) was already in the can though unreleased his agent wife Sue Carroll brokered a deal that took him to Warners who, being hip to his stand-out performance in Shane, laid on another 'Western' to welcome him aboard. As a biography of Jim Bowie it fits where it touches and concludes with no reference to the Alamo - probably a bit tricky as Bowie winds up the movie married to the daughter of a Mexican official. That aside it's a fine example of the genre with Ladd on top of his game albeit playing Bowie as a nice guy who can't seem to help killing people, mostly as a result of his involvement with super-bitch socialite Virginia Mayo. In terms of Ladd's overall career it ranks well inside the top half and will surely entertain nine out of ten viewers.