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Summary: John Wayne forever
Review: Is it any wonder this is one of the best Westerns ever made? John Wayne...John Ford....Monument Valley.....Cowboys and Indians...what more do you want? Like many others I saw this movie first on the big screen sometime in the fifties in my youth. The best things that the duke stood for( Honesty, determination, Forthrightness ) I have tried to emulate in my own life. The bad things( Intolerance for other peoples ) that he did I have dismissed. He is and will always be my Hero.
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Summary: Ford and Wayne at their best
Review: John Ford steps up a gear directing the Searchers, culminating in a Western that ranks as one of the best ever. The Searchers has everything, magnificent scenery, classic action sequences and mystique....where we are left seaching ourselves in those thought provoking early scenes when we wonder at the relationship between Ethan Edwards and his sister in law Martha. John Wayne's role in the movie clearly is made for him and, he didn't let us down. The emotion he bares to us all, particularly when he rides back out of the canyon minus his coat while looking for Lucy, then later on the plains telling Brad Jorgensen the truth about his niece's fate, certainly is something we rarely see in Wayne's films. Seldom do we see also Wayne's character being less the the conquering hero. In The Searchers we see him stubbornly refusing to acknowledge anything good about an Indian, and along with his determination to destroy them with his own hands, was determined to wipe out their food supply also. My favourite scenes are the early ones, when Ethan greeets his Brother Aaron and reintroduces himself to Aaron's family. Where did he get that medal from and what did it represent, why was he so cashed up immediately after the Civil War, why was he so defensive when asked about his money and what really was the relationship between himself and Martha? Indeed Martha gave us some clues, looking at him the way she did then fussing over him. The biggest hint came when she went into the bedroom to get his coat just before Ethan left with his brother's neighbours to look for stolen cattle presumingly taken by Indians.When she fondles his coat The Captain Reverend ( Ward Bond ) was in the adjoining room drinking his coffee and looking at her...or was he...if he was , what was he thinking, did he know or suspect something about the relationship? Of course Ethan gave nothing away, and for the remainder of the Movie we are left guessing about the bond between them. Those scenes aside, The Searchers has much more going for it. Ford's penchant and skills in showing off the Monument Valley have rarely been matched by others, although we do see some sound stage shots here and there, ( a facet he sadly resorted to in later years ) but certainly not enough to detract from his performance. Suffice to say also Ford played a major role in getting the best out of Wayne, along with the mandatory regulars that seemed to follow the Directer and Star in Westerns of the era. It's easy to compare The Searchers with other Westerns, few are as good, apart from Shane with it's sombre tones and stark realism. The Searchers is a good second to Shane, with it's intrigue, romance, action and humour, cleverly put together by an acknowledged Directer and the Doyen of the Western genre....John Wayne.
Rating:
Summary: Second only to "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance."
Review: Wayne's bravura performance and Ford's resonant direction in this picture are second only to their work on "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." This one should only be seen in widescreen form, so this format provides a valuable service for the hordes of people who've only had an opportunity to see it in the loathesomely inferior pan-and-scan. The naked depiction of obssesive racism is as relevant today as ever, and the end of the movie makes perfect sense, since it obviously takes a powerful emotional attachment to drive a man to such dreadful extremes. If you've never seen this film, watch it as soon as possible, and don't settle for less than a widescreen presentation. Afterward, hit the library and treat yourself to the book upon which the movie was based.
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Summary: The Greatest Western of all time!!!
Review: THE TIME: Shortly after the Civil War THE PLACE: Texas THE GOOD NEWS: The Commanchees raided a ranch,murdered a family and took a young girl captive. THE BAD NEWS: She was the Duke's neice.So begins John Ford's epic saga of Family Honor, Western style. John Wayne and Jeffery Hunter spend 5 years searching,finding and bringing home Natalia Wood. The last scene, with the Duke, framed in the doorway, his back to the camera; holding his right elbow with his left hand, which was a tribute to the great Harry Carey Sr.; brought his widow, Olive Carey(Mrs. Jorgenson) to tears. Ford,Wayne,Western: always a winning combination!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Definitely NOT as good many other Westerns
Review: It is difficult to enjoy a film with so many inaccuracies in time and place. Texas looks NOTHING like the Monument Valley of Utah, where this was shot. All of the characters are using 1892 Winchesters** and Colt Single Action metallic cartridge revolvers*** which were not manufactured until **1892 and ***1873, respectively. The idea that our "?HERO?" wants to kill an innocent white girl simply because she was captured by, and is living with, Indians is not believable. There are many other Westerns with better stories and acting, such as: Treasure of the Sierra Madre, True Grit, The Unforgiven, The Missouri Breaks, etc. . Why some people consider John Wayne (the person) as a Hero is baffling as he did nothing heroic in his entire Real-life.
Rating: 
Summary: John Ford--too many moral tags
Review: Best western!! I think not. Not in comparison to High Noon, Eastwood's The Unforgiven--the dialogue in Searchers is sophomoric, embarassing and Natalie Wood--that eye makeup is not Native American. Even the Magnificent Seven is better.
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Summary: Superbly realized western.
Review: I will add to the praise for the Searchers. The use of visuals to tell this complex story of love, hatred, & redemption is almost without parallel. This is much more than "the best" western. It is film at its very best. I love the way the opening scene and the closing scene work as cinematic bookends to the story in between. The composition of almost every shot is near flawless. The structure of the narrative is also powerful and compelling, pulling the viewer along without manipulation. While at first the story seems relatively simple, on reflection the complexities slowly rise to the surface. It is a film that rewards rewatching. I have only two criticisms and they both relate to the end. Natalie Wood as Debbie looks much too Hollywood with perfect make-up and hairdo & her character is too simply stated. Why she suddenly changes her mind about returning is not revealed or developed. I would have liked to have seen more of her inner conflict. This relates to my second criticism. Not clear why Ethan changes his attitude toward Debbie. The change is powerful, but what leads him there? Maybe I'll figure it out next time I see the film. But these are minor points, this is a masterpiece.
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Summary: Best Western Ever!
Review: John Wayne gave his best performance ever in this film. John Ford was never better at film making than he was in The Searchers. This film is one of the best ever made. The location is great, as is the script and the music score is among the best you've ever heard in a film. This is one of my all time favorite movies. I recommend it even if you don't like John Wayne and westerns.
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Summary: A true epic and a legendary story.
Review: A movie which originated on the Saturday Evening Post in the early 50's to a novel in 1955 to a movie in 1956. A chilling tale of a man, Ethan Edwards who comes home from the war three years late. Shortly after returning his brother and family are murdered by Comanche. Wayne portrays a bitter and cold Edwards as he searches with co-star Jeff Hunter for his niece who was the only survivor in the murder raid and had been kidnapped by the Comanche. Truly this was the greatest John Wayne performance and truly the greatest John Ford film as director.
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Summary: The Dukes Dark Side
Review: His best ever,all time! in this movie we are treated to a side of John Wayne the movie goer hadn`t seen before. His singlness of purpose that we are used to turns into a black obsesion, we also get a glipse of forbidden love plus a hint of unsavory dealings following the War.What we are seeing is a composit of many soldiers coming home to Texas after Appomatox.
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