Review of The Searchers (1956) by Cong Han L — 02 Sep 2009

This is an impressive and important film, though it clearly has drawbacks. To modern audiences, the simplistic plot sometimes might seem too unsophisticated and morally disturbing. The ending might seem somewhat contradictory, especially with the build-up, the 50s score sometimes seems to cue too much, and the seemingly simplistic characters sometimes seem too staged. (i.e. it can feel a rather hammy). But all this is just my POV.

However, the film does have a lot going for it. A morally complex main character (or perhaps arguably inconsistent character), brilliantly staged tension, the theme of obsession, beautiful cinematography, witty and clever script, etc. This is surely a piece of art.

(While a lot is made of the stunning landscape shots, I feel the interior and building shots seem to be what are most amazing. The final doorway scene is definitely one of the most memorable of film scenes.).