The Searchers (John Ford, 1956): USA
Reviewed by Collier Grimm. Viewed on DVD.
Any movie fan in search of a fantastic Western look no further than, The Searchers, a masterpiece in all that is cowboy. The film is lead by classic Western star, John Wayne, who gives one of his most interesting performances ever. Wayne plays Ethan, a hero who falls short of typical Hollywood conventions. Ethan is tormented within, and strives throughout the film for self-identity, and happiness. Generally the hero in a Western is strong, proud, and self-assured. The character of Ethan is a far cry from this stereotype, and Wayne’s portrayal of this lost man is phenomenal.
John Ford strove to changed conventions of the Western during the 1950’s. The United States was in the middle of The Cold War, and the Red-Scare was running rampant throughout Hollywood. United States citizens were paranoid of “the other”, also known as communist, and Hollywood films reflected this state of fear. The man with the biggest gun was the winner, and the Western genre was a perfect outlet to exemplify this ideal. However Ford’s utilization of an anti-hero revealed the underlying feelings of many people of the time period. Disillusionment from World War 2 had set in, and American’s were unsure of personal identity and their place in society.
The film chronicles the search for a missing child named Debbie, played by Natalie Wood, who was captured by Indians during a raid. Ethan and his counterpart Martin, played by Jeffrey Hunter, experience several epic gun fights during their quest for Debbie. Years go by during their search, and Ethan’s character constantly comes into question. He is a strong racist, and when it is discovered that Debbie has basically become an Indian, Ethan is torn by the idea that she is now “Comanche”.
The scenery in, The Searchers, is exquisite. Ford leaves the camera static on shots of the great outdoors filmed in Widescreen and Technicolor. The actors are insignificant in comparison to the power of mother-nature, and this theme is visible throughout the film. The film is best remembered through a classic shot of Wayne, framed in a doorway, torn between the two worlds he constantly travels between.
John Ford is one of the best authors of The Western. Ford’s film, The Searchers, is a unique representation of the sentiments of the 1950s and his personal struggle to change the conventions of The Western genre. Wayne epitomizes the lone-cowboy, and will remain a classic fixture of the Western. Wayne will never be forgotten. Or as his character Ethan would say, “That’ll be the day”.
DVD extras: Commentary by filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich, Introduction by Wayne’s son Patrick Wayne, two short documentaries, and vintage film clips.
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