Viva Max!

Viva Max! is a 1969 American comedy film directed by Jerry Paris, based on the 1967 novel 'The Big Bus' by Joseph Heller, though the movie script adapted the characters and concept heavily. The movie stars Peter Ustinov, John Amos, and Steve Allen in key roles. The story centers around the eccentric and flamboyant General Maximillian 'Max' Rojas, played by Peter Ustinov, who is a Mexican general with an inflated sense of self-importance. Max is determined to prove his greatness to his unimpressed girlfriend, Madame O'Malley, played by Carol Burnett. He believes the key to winning Madame O'Malley's heart lies in recapturing the Alamo, a seemingly impossible task, and thus setting himself up as a heroic figure. Max selects a motley crew of men to accompany him on this audacious endeavor. There's Corporal T.J. Jarvis, a young and eager American from California, played by Jonathan Winters; the tough-as-nails Sergeant Quirt, a black man with a penchant for violence, played by John Amos; and the old military man, Sergeant Mookie, a grizzled veteran with a penchant for telling outlandish stories, played by Eric Braeden. Together, they infiltrate American territory, using a dilapidated 18-ton Sherman tank, which they dub 'Viva Max.' As they make their way to the Alamo, they encounter an array of obstacles, including a group of bumbling American soldiers, played by comedic actors like Bob Crane and Robert Weske. Max and his men soon realize that their mission is far from straightforward. They face numerous challenges, from navigating treacherous terrain and outlandish situations to fighting a series of comedic battles with the American military. The absurdity of the situation and the ridiculous antics of Max and his crew begin to take their toll on the characters, making it increasingly difficult for anyone to distinguish reality from the fantasy World Max and his crew are creating. Despite facing numerous setbacks, Max remains undeterred, convinced that his scheme will bring him ultimate victory, specifically the heart of his beloved Madame O'Malley. However, as they draw closer to the Alamo, Max and his men discover that the actual Alamo is a rather different proposition than they had anticipated. In the climax of the film, Max and his men launch a series of increasingly inept attacks on the American forces. However, with Max's grandiosity and a lack of common sense combined with the chaos of war, Max ends up accidentally liberating the Alamo instead of recapturing it. The result of this fiasco is not the expected grand victory for Max but chaos, destruction, and utter failure on his part. In the end, Viva Max! becomes a farcical, slapstick comedy, more about the outlandish escapades of General Max and his crew than the historical significance of the Alamo or the battle at hand.