Classic John Wayne!

John Ford and John Wayne forged one of the greatest director-actor partnerships in cinematic history. Their collaborations are now frequently regarded as classic additions to the Western genre; from Stagecoach to The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance to over 10 other titles...memorable celluloid can always be found within. The Searchers is classic filmmaking of the highest order. It's a multi-faceted and gratifying Western, marking one of the greatest products of the Ford/Wayne partnership. The two "Johns" reinvented the genre and invented a majority of the clichés. Ford was the first director to take Westerns outside studio back-lots to film on location. As a result, Ford's Westerns are classic in every sense of the word. Atmospheric, fun, humorous and memorable - this is the kind of stuff an eager audience would lap up as kids during Saturday afternoon matinees throughout the 1950s.

Out of all the films John Wayne made throughout his career, he stated that The Searchers is his personal favourite. It isn't hard to see why. The film is mainly blessed with wonderful photography. The locations are remarkable, and cinematographer Winton C. Hoch beautifully captures said locations. The opening and closing shots are both memorable and influential. It's the cinematography that ensures the film is anything but an ordinary Western.

In The Searchers, John Wayne plays John Wayne at his very best. He's embittered Civil War veteran Ethan Edwards. He returns rather belatedly from the Civil War to the Texas farmstead of his brother Aaron (Coy) and sister-in-law Martha (Jordan) whom he secretly loves. Ethan is an openly racist man who despises the Comanches (that is, Indians). He's idolised by Aaron's children who admire his status as a war veteran. But Ethan's return coincides with a visit from the Comanche Indians. The men are drawn away when cattle are stolen, only to find the cattle brutally slaughtered. In a primal scene (famously restaged in 1977's Star Wars), Ethan returns to his brother's farmstead to find it burning. The two girls are missing, all others have been massacred. Ethan puts in motion a search for his nieces with his "nephew" Martin Pawley (Hunter) by his side. Ethan refuses to surrender to hunger, thirst, or the elements. And in his five-year search, he encounters something unanticipated: his own humanity. As the years elapse and the search intensifies, Ethan begins to question his motivations: was he going to rescue his nieces or kill them?

John Wayne will always remain the quintessential Western image. His rugged face, deep voice and infamous posture have grown iconic over the decades. Never mind that he became hopelessly type-cast...these are the sorts of roles he was born to play. It's also a given that Wayne's acting skills aren't exactly amazing. However when he's a gruff Western hero he suits the part perfectly.
Jeffrey Hunter appears alongside Wayne. His performance is filled with intensity and passion. Although he occasionally comes across as slightly annoying, his performance is quite incredible here.
Vera Miles is another worthy addition to the cast. She plays a woman with feelings for the character of Martin Pawley. Her character suffers at home for five long years waiting for an indication from Martin that he does love her and that she should wait for him.
Also joining the cast is Natalie Wood. Her career may have been short, and her role in this film is rather insignificant, but she places forth a truly memorable performance.

The Searchers is a fine example of an essential Western. It remains a fascinatingly multi-layered film filled with memorable images and beautiful cinematography. The script is also extremely good: it's witty, filled with memorable quotes and contains some wonderful scenarios. John Wayne is particularly good when he delivers quotable dialogue such as "That'll be the day!" among others. He even shoots a dead Indian. "What good did that do you?" asks a friend, to which Wayne replies with "By what you preach, none".

Everyone familiar with the fun adventurous Saturday afternoon matinees will be aware of the typical stereotype of cowboys as the goodies and Indians as the baddies. While The Searchers predominantly shows Indians in a bad light, the film is quite special for showing both sides of the story: that white men were the invaders, that the Native Americans were defending their land, and that both sides had their good and bad individuals. The movie never flinches in its display of the savagery committed by both sides. It was a novel movie idea at the time...especially when it was John Wayne playing one of the "bad" people.

Now it's time to put together a very mild list of negatives: first of all, the love story concerning Jeffrey Hunter's Martin and Vera Miles' Laurie seems unnecessary. It slows down the feverish pace and the film's tension with the sappy dialogue and the "I love you / I hate you" situations. Secondly, there are too many red herrings that extend the film to a pretty excessive length. What could have been a brisk Western is married by over-length.

For the die-hard fans of The Duke (i.e. John Wayne) The Searchers is an absolute must. For those who adore the Western genre cannot afford to miss this one. And for those who appreciate fine filmmaking in general must see this film as soon as possible. The Searchers is a great in-depth character study of a racist, bitter war veteran and his questionable agenda. Wayne may be seldom taken seriously as an actor, but despite relentless parodying he proves here (and in countless other films) that his often-ridiculed speech mannerisms and walk could generate an unforgettable performance.

All in all, The Searchers is certainly worth a watch despite a few flaws. The imagery throughout is frequently eloquent and marvellous to behold. Even if Westerns aren't normally your thing, this movie is worth a viewing. The film is a popular choice when it comes to discussions regarding the greatest cinematic Westerns. There's also the fact that this has been voted into the National Film Registry in the United States, meaning it is one of the important cultural assets in the history of American cinema.

8.0/10