The Searchers
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Movie Reviews of The Searchers
Movie Review: Similarities to Captain Ahab and his pursuit of Moby Dick
Summary: 5 Stars
John Wayne plays the anti-hero Ethan Edwards who returns undefeated and unrepentant three years after the defeat of the Confederacy to the family ranch in Texas. Soon after his arrival the ranch is raided by Commanches, the family murdered and Ethans young niece is kidnapped. The rest of the movie portrays Ethans five-year quest for his niece. In a real sense, Ethans search for his niece is reminisence of Melvilles Moby Dick. The relentless pursuit of the white whale represents not only Ahabs vengeance against the animal for taking his leg, but also an attempt to pursue and defeat the God who allowed this misfortune to happen. Thus, Ahab abandons all reason in his monomaniacal thirst for revenge. The chase becomes more than a whaling story for in killing Moby Dick Ahab is avenging himself against God; but in the end Ahab and his crew perishes before the White God. Compare this to Ethans monomaniacal pursuit to kill Scarface, the chief who lead the raiding party that killed Ethans family and to rescue his niece. Ethan abandons reason and gives into blind hatred- shooting the eyes out of a dead Indian, taking parting shots at retreating Indians when everyone else has stopped firing, killing the buffalo so Indian families will starve and threatening to kill his own niece who has been defiled by the Indians. This is more than a search and rescue mission- it is Ethans attempt to come to grips with the defeat of the Confederacy, to gain victory where he has only known defeat. It is more than a story of vengeance. It is a story of a man facing his prejudice and blind hatred of the Indians. Ethan does not directly battle God, but he battles the inner demons that plague him. In the end, unlike Ahab, he finds redemption. He rescues his niece and as the family enters the home to celebrate the reunion, Ethan turns and leaves. He is alone, but he is at peace with himself.
Movie Review: Oedipus, Lear, and more.
Summary: 5 Stars
Ethan Edwards is one of the screen's most memorable and complex characterizations. His racism, impassioned rage, cold brutality, rugged individualism, and indestructible tenacity coexist with qualities of tenderness and affection, penetrating insight and principled high-mindedness. Yet much of him remains inscrutable, testimony to the mysteries of human identity itself. In many respects, Marty (Jeff Hunter) is the nominal "hero," someone who strikes a balance between the individual and social world, frontier and domestic realm, and who sees beyond skin color and blood to the spiritual bond that unites all human beings. But there's no way John Wayne's tortured character--driven by lost opportunities in the past and vengeful priorities in the present--can be challenged. He shoots out the eyes of dead Indians to insure their spirits will never be admitted to the happy hunting grounds, but like Oedipus and Lear it is his own blindness that denies him peace. His epiphany is all the more powerful due to its unexpectedness.Even were the rest of the film prosaic, "The Searchers" would rank among the best of American cinema. But John Ford's storytelling magic is also on display at its best, creating an epic narrative that conveys the magnitude of space and the passing of time with equal verisimilitude. Curiously, "Shane" commands a considerably higher price than "The Searchers." I'd argue that "Shane," a much heralded film at the time of its release, has lost stature and cinematic interest, whereas exactly the opposite is true of "The Searchers." As for print quality, the restored DVD version is far from perfect but at least 50% better than earlier VHS editions. That's good enough in the case of this masterpiece.
Movie Review: Unquestionably John Wayne's Best Film
Summary: 5 Stars
On this site there are over 100 fan-reviews of this movie, and many tell the plot in great detail, therefore, my reivew will be short and sweet. With the great John Ford directing, John Wayne starring, and a superb story line - all this adds up to a 5-star movie if there ever was one! You cannot go wrong buying this DVD - it delivers!
Now considered possibly the greatest weatern movie of all-time, "The Searchers" was panned by the critics of its day for being just another "ho-hum" John Wayne western. It took years, but modern critics and viewers now recognize it as an epic of western filmmaking that perhaps will never be topped. If I had to choose one movie that represented the best of the west, it is undoubtedly "The Searchers".
John Wayne gives his most intense acting performance as the dark and vengeful Ethan Edwards, who vows to kill the Commanche raiders that murdered his beloved sister-in-law, brother, and took captive two of their daughters. Wayne easily carries the film on his broad brooding shoulders, pursuing the Indians for over 5 years through summer and winter, ever relentless to see their chief, "Scar", dead, and his captive nieces rescued.
Director John Ford is at the height of his creative powers in directing this western masterpiece. He weaves so many different themes and levels of interpretation into the film, that one discovers something new with each viewing. It would take a small treatise to bring out all the subtle details.
Succinctly and to the point, "The Searchers" is a film that you will watch again and again, and love it each time a bit more. It is that absolute best in western filmmaking!
Jim Konedog Koenig
Movie Review: A Western for Everyone
Summary: 5 Stars
Let me be the first to say that I am by no means a fan of the western. I find them to be generally cliched and conventional, and rarely original. However, The Searchers is one of the greatest movies of all time and it avoids all the western cliches, telling an emotionally resonant story amid the backdrop of the uncivilized west without a single duel on an abandoned road. As a result, it has been proclaimed the King of the Westerns for years, a judgment with which I must agree.The plot is legendary. John Wayne gives a great performance as Ethan Edwards, ex-Johnnie Reb and newly returned to live quietly with his brother's family when Commanche warriors kill them all and take off his niece to be raised among them. Edwards then begins his obsessive search along with sidekick Martin (Jeffrey Hunter) to kill his niece, figuring her to be better off. The frank examination of racism in this film was unusual for the genre and time period, and the depth of the characters and their respective arcs make this film one of the greatest ever made.
Unfortunately, the film is flawed. When watching it it is impossible to forget that this is a fifties-era western because of the presence of cowboy music and the cartoon-like introduction. Not that I favor changing it, but it sort of takes one out of the movie. I guess my beef is that it is a film of its times, rather than transcending it completely. Aside from this there is very little wrong with the film and it has aged well.
In short, this is a movie that belongs in the collection of anyone who loves a great film, even if you, like me, don't like the western in general. Its complexity and excitement make it still interesting and exhilarating today.
Movie Review: Ford, Wayne, and Monument Valley Epic...
Summary: 5 Stars
John Ford seemed to be able to get the most out of John Wayne and this film really shows just how good an actor Wayne could be. This is the epic western tale of survival in a hostile land. John Wayne plays Ethan Edwards, an outsider, who comes back to his brother's ranch several years after the Civil War. Ethan was on the 'lost cause' side of the conflict. As a Confederate war veteran, he tries to find his place once again in this reconstruction phase of his life...he has been lost and wandering for several years. Once back home with his brother, he starts to slowly unwind. This conflicted character soon find himself with Marty (Jeff Hunter), and the Texas Rangers..lead by Ward Bond..chasing stolen cattle only to find themselves fooled by the Commache..(who are on a raiding party). Upon returning to the ranch, Commaches have massacred the brother, wife and stolen Lucy and Debbie..the two daughters. This leads to the downs and ups of them searching all over the territory for the stolen daughters.
Watch this film for the cinematography as well as the fine acting by John Wayne. As the movie opens the film starts inside the cabin home and as the door opens we are sweeped into the Monument Valley vistas. All throughout the film, Ford used the landscape as another actor. When the movie closes, the camera pulls back into the same cabin view, just in reverse. With everyone going back to loved ones, the door closes leaving Ethan..much as he started...outside the door and homeless...clutching just himself.
This is a great movie especially for those who want to learn more about the art and technique of movie making. Well worth adding to any collection.