MOVIES - March 8, 1988

Sunday’s debut in San Antonio, Tex., of a controversial movie about the fall of the Alamo drew about 60 sign-carrying protesters who booed its producer-director. Latino leaders say the film, “Alamo--The Price of Freedom,” minimizes the role that Mexican settlers, or Tejanos, played in defending the former Roman Catholic mission against the Mexican army. A private gala premiere on Saturday night raised $25,000 for the Daughters of the Republic of Texas’ library, which is located at the fort. Protesters Sunday booed the arrival of Kieth Merrill, the film’s director and producer. “We certainly are not ignorant about history,” said Merrill, responding to critics’ claims.