9. The Career of Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón, or Santa Anna as he is generally referred to, was the president of Mexico eleven different times and was one of the strangest political figures of the era. He gained prominence as a general in the fight for Mexican Independence from Spain and was the face of the Mexican army during the Mexican American War. A bit of an egotist, Santa Anna declared himself "Napolean of the west." There are a host of interesting facts about Santa Anna. First he lost his leg in a battle with the French and had the leg buried with full military honors. He then used a prosthetic leg that was captured by Americans and which is still in a museum in Springfield despite repeated request from the Mexican government to return it. A movie about Santa Anna would allow lots of freedom for the director to choose in regard to portray Santa Anna as a misunderstood hero, a bumbling screwup or a straight-up idiot as the movie could go in almost any direction.