Review of The Searchers (1956) by Cael M — 12 Jul 2013

The Searchers is one of the greatest American westerns, if not, one of the greatest westerns I've seen, and it really fell nowhere short of my expectations. It's not my favorite western, nor is this my idea of the "definitive western", as that would go to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, which is also my favorite movie, but even then, this is such an impressive milestone in cinema that it's very hard not to praise. There was a lot of hype surrounding this movie, including being AFI's #1 western and #12th best movie of all time, as well as influencing some of the best directors of all time. It has been mentioned non-stop by directors who were influenced by it everywhere since 1956, and it would take quite a while to even begin as to how iconic and influential this film is, even if you don't quite notice it in future movies. Prior to watching this movie, I expected an overrated, underwhelming western, but my eyes were glued from the very beginning all the way to the last shot. Although not being an action-packed, fast-paced western, The Searchers manages to never be dull, and it's a very exciting western. It's a complex, symbolically significant movie, yet it still finds tons of room for enjoyment. It may not appeal to modern audiences as much, although don't let this put you off, because even if it is slower than most movies today, you should still give it a try then assess it just because of the scope and epicness of this movie, and you may find room for enjoyment here.

The Searchers is about an ex-Confederate soldier named Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) who returns to his brother's cabin in the west three years after the end of the war. Shortly after his arrival, his neighbor's cattle are stolen, and Ethan as well as a group of rangers follows the trail only to learn that the Comanche tribe of Indians only lead them along the trail so they could destroy his family. Most of the family is dead, although his niece Debbie and her older sister Lucy are abducted, and Ethan and his group of rangers must locate the Comanches who captured them. It's mostly a hunting story as they try and find this tribe, and it isn't a thrill-ride or anything, but it's a very compelling and interesting story, as well as being a story that benefits from lots of deep ideas. In a majority of westerns, the main lead is a usually tough, albeit likable and cool gunslinger, yet here, Ethan played by John Wayne is a sort of anti-hero. You still want him to succeed in his hunt, yet his actions and attitudes toward the situation are dark and strong. He obviously has a lot of prejudice towards morality, as well as Indians. Ethan has hatred towards the Indians, despite knowing their lore and language well. He's a bitter character, but he's not a complete monster.

It's hard to go in depth into his character without spoiling the movie, and that's something I definitely don't want to do, considering this is a movie to be experienced fully. John Wayne plays him powerfully and greatly, and it's not hard to understand as to why he's one of the biggest faces of the western genre. The rest of the cast is very good as well, with Jeffrey Hunter being the second most recognizable of the movie. He seems to have been dismissed by many as an annoying character, but I thought he fit the role as Martin, who is a young man that eventually gains a stronger relationship with Ethan as the hunt goes on, very well. It was interesting to see his character transform from a whiny young man to a grown man, and he's sort of like a "sidekick" to Ethan. The rest of the cast is great, and there's definitely a lot of unexpected humor through some of the characters that I ended up laughing quite a bit at. There are plenty of themes, including family and community, through these characters, and it adds up to lots of unexpected lighthearted and charming moments, as well.

The Searchers is also, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen. John Ford clearly knows how to make use of gorgeous cinematography to enhance the quality of his film, and even if it's mostly just a desert, it's filmed in such a unique and aesthetically pleasing style that it's hard to take your eyes off of it. John Ford used the Mountain Valley desert in Utah for the scenery in this movie, and it became such an iconic landscape thanks to his movies that the valley is now considered one of the definitive visions of the west. This must've been his favorite location, considering many of his westerns take place in this setting, and the environment depicts humanity at both psychological levels of our nature and physical levels. At a few rare times in the movie, The Searchers switches to a temporary snowbound setting, and I really wished they included more of that setting. I unfortunately haven't come across all too many snow westerns yet, and Sergio Corbucci's The Great Silence proved that snow westerns really are the best kind of westerns. I've yet to see Robert Redford's Jeremiah Johnson, but I'm excited to see that movie purely for the reason that it's a snow western.

Expect lots of widescreen, panoramic shots of these beautiful landscapes, as opposed to a director such as Sergio Leone, who's style consists of having both close-ups and widescreen shots. There aren't many close-up shots in this movie, but they come along every often when necessary. Towards the ending of the film when the finale happens, some of the shots are mind-blowing. I'm not exactly sure as to how they approached them, and they were very impressive. Most of the shots have great significance to both the narrative and the look of the movie, and not a single shot is wasted. The opening and closing shots are some of the most iconic western shots I've seen, and I've seen and heard about them multiple times prior to watching this movie. If a movie can succeed in using cinematography to express emotion and symbolism, it's clear that the movie is a well-made, thoughtful one. The scenery of a western is a very important aspect, and here, it's no doubt that John Ford succeeded in this aspect far above average. Even if you don't like this movie, it really is hard to deny the beauty that comes along with it.

A very important aspect that has been brought up many times regarding this movie and has led to some controversy is the theme of racial prejudice. The Indians here are depicted as cold-blooded savages who have no heart, and the depiction seems to reinforce the idea of offensive racist stereotypes, especially in the frontier. However, it's important to remember that this film is not a racist one, and that it's the characters that are racist. If anything, this is almost an anti-racist film. In 1956, it was probably common for viewers of this movie to actually accept the harsh view of the Indians depicted here, as opposed to today where we're exposed to the idea of racism and a majority of us know the devastating and consequential effects of it. This movie actually highlights those effects, and Ford actually knew that Ethan's morals regarding the Indians were wrong. He even included one shot near the end that completely reverses the idea of racial prejudice here, and it's crazy to think that a single shot could reverse such a controversial issue about the film, but it truly does. In a way, one of the main conflicts here is about Ethan trying to overcome his hatred towards the Indians. I really don't think that the Indians' society was portrayed any more cruel or bloodthirsty than the whites here, and it's a very thoughtful approach about its characters' racist remarks. Basically, on the outside, it appears as a racist film, but really, if you look a little deeper into the film, it's actually the complete opposite. It really was a bold move for Ford to cast John Wayne as such a complex, somewhat controversial character, but it really does pay off.

The Searchers was a lot rougher and grittier than most westerns of its time, and although it often has lighthearted themes and even some funny, unexpected humor, it was a bold western of its time. It's actually a complex one, though even with all these in-depth ideas regarding the purpose John Ford had in mind with this film, it's also definitely one of the most exciting westerns I've seen. It truly is a landmark of a film, and I think it perfectly meets the very high expectations that I had, as well as the huge reputation it has gained since 1956. It's really no wonder why it's such a famous and influential film, and it truly is an enjoyable film from start to finish. You also can't leave out that it's a beauty to look at, and is definitely one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen. The more and more I talk about this movie, the more I appreciate it as art, and that's really the biggest achievement a film can gain. Although still not my favorite western as I previously mentioned, the fact that I'm talking about this movie just shows what kind of film it is, and it surely is probably the best American western I've come across so far. This is no film to dismiss as another mindless one, and John Ford, whatever his true purpose was, more than likely reached it and went far beyond it, as well. The Searchers is definitely a landmark in cinema, and I won't be forgetting the experience I had with this one for quite a while. The Searchers is definitely a must-see by all means, and it's more than likely that you won't regret it.