The Searchers

"That'll be the day"..

It was the quote that John Wayne made famous on the classic film "The Searchers", probably one of the best if not the greatest film ever made about the American Old West that was directed by one of the great masters John Ford.

I personally did not like the film the first time probably because of it's age and because of it's main star John Wayne. I also did not like the old fashioned conservative values it represented particularly the overt racism it showed. But

I have watched it countless times since  and have grown to love the film and also the Western genre that I always thought was always too outdated. Just watching Ford's keen eye in shooting beautiful landscapes were already awesome, even the iconic ending where wee see Ethan walking away as we see him from the inside of the door always amazes me. I also understood years later that Ford did not personally mean to demonize the native Indian Americans as shown in this film, I think this was one of the films that Ford used to show the unfair treatment that the Indians have received in their history and culture.  

The film's story starts simple, the confederate soldier Ethan Edwards (Wayne) returns from the war after years of fighting to settle down with his brother's family in a remote wilderness in Northern Texas. His brother's family welcomes him with open arms, he seemed more in charge of the family than his brother who seems more civilized than him.

It was obvious though not implied that Ethan loved his brother's wife Martha (Dorothy Jordan), the way they looked at each other you would think that they were former lovers (maybe they really were).The story then turns when the Comanche Indians as a diversion steals their neighbor's cattle and instead attacks the Edwards ranch. They arrive to find the Edwards family murdered and his 2 nieces abducted, Ethan's  5 year quest to find his niece Debbie (played by played by Pippa Scott and Natalie Wood) and to avenge his brother and his family is one of the most beautiful struggles you will ever see on film.

The character of Ethan Edwards is one of the most complex characters I have seen on film, he doesn't act like the typical Ford hero. He's racist and fierce often doing things his way rather than follow orders, but it was his persistent and obsessive nature that what made the story interesting. His piercing gaze of Martha showed longing without the use of words, his cruelty is often unsettling even showing no compassion at times even to his adopted nephew Martin Pawley (Jeffrey Hunter) who is 1/8 Cherokee himself.

I think Ford's use of the romantic subplot between Martin and Laurie Jorgensen (Vera Miles) and the other funny characters like Lars Jorgensen (John Qualen) Mose Harper (Hank Worden), and the "Gee Whiz" attitude of the characters (which was obviously the attitude in the 50's) helped in softening the films racist attitude and Ethan's sometimes despicable nature.
The film culminates with the raid of the Comanche's, Ethan even with his threat of killing Debbie if she ever changed because of years of captivity  did not happen. Instead he takes her home and reunites her with  family in one of the most iconic endings ever made on a western.

The film was shot in Monument Valley, Ford's favorite location which he often used in his westerns.  The shots of landscapes were beautifully done, the shot where Ethan appears on the horizon in the beginning has been copied on other films more notable are David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" and "A Fistful of Dollars" directed by Sergio Leone who would redefine the Western genre years later.
The legacy of the movie still stands today and is considered the best in it's genre,  I watch it every now and then just to admire Ford's shots of beautiful landscapes that I think is still unequaled today. I would strongly recommend "The Searchers" to any Cinephile who would like to learn more about classic film.


Grade: A+