Films made in San Antonio that we can (or should) proudly claim
According to the Internet Movie Database, there are nearly 1,000 films and TV shows shot at least partly in San Antonio over the last 119 years. From a big-picture perspective, that’s a tiny drop in the bucket. That doesn’t mean, however, that the Alamo City doesn’t celebrate the projects it’s had the opportunity to host — from beloved biopics like Selena to lesser-known classics from the first half of the 20th century. Here is a look at 23 of San Antonio’s greatest cinematic hits as well as others we’re happy to introduce you to if you haven’t seen them yet.
Scroll down to view images
The Warrens of Virginia
Legendary filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille (The Greatest Show on Earth) directed this silent Civil War drama starring British actor House Peters as Ned Burton, a soldier who leaves his wife Agatha (Blanche Sweet) to join the Union Army. Prints of the silent film are held at the George Eastman Museum Motion Picture Collection in Rochester, New York.
Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
I Wanted Wings
Not to be confused with the Academy Award-winning 1927 film Wings, which was also shot in San Antonio, this war drama starring Ray Milland, William Holden and Veronica Lake also won an Oscar for Best Special Effects for the aerial scenes shot at Randolph Field. The film tells the story of three recruits in the Army Air Corps — the son of a wealthy businessman, a college football player and an auto mechanic.
Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
West Point of the Air
This war drama stars Oscar-winning actor Wallace Beery (The Champ) as Master Sergeant “Big Mike” Stone, who hopes his son “Little Mike” (Robert Young) will follow his footsteps and become an aviator. Despite graduating from West Point and going to pilot training at Randolph Field in Texas, things don’t go as planned when Little Mike blames himself for an accident that causes his friend to lose a leg. The film’s aerial shots were a combination of live action and airplane models.
Photo courtesy of MGM
