Review of The Searchers (1956) by Dimitri P — 26 Jun 2012
John Ford's classic Western is bleak and shows John Wayne at his darkest. Wayne stars as Ethan Edwards, who comes back to live with his brother and his family. But when they are brutally murdered by a Comanche tribe, except for the two girls, Ethan decides to make it his personal journey to find them and bring them home.
Ethan is joined by the family's adopted son Martin Pawley, who Ethan had saved when he was only a boy. The film follows the two as they search for the Comanche tribe that did this and get their revenge.
Wayne plays the anti-hero in this film. While he is looking for his niece, he is also extremely racist and believes that living with the Comanche is just like being dead. It is weird at times to see Wayne in this role, yet at the same time he does such a great job with it.
It could be his finest acting job. While I am more a fan of the revisionist westerns that would come later starring such stars as Clint Eastwood, this, along with High Noon, are great examples of classic Hollywood Westerns.
This review of The Searchers (1956) was written by Dimitri P on 26 Jun 2012.
The Searchers has generally received very positive reviews.
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