Rating: 
Summary: A classic - but with reservations
Review: One of the most influential films ever made (see it and have some snobby fun drawing seemingly unlikely connections to Star Wars and Taxi Driver for example), John Ford’s The Searchers features John Wayne in his favorite and most complex role. When his brother’s family is wiped out in a Comanche raid, Indian-hating ex-Confederate soldier Ethan Edwards (Wayne) sets off on an epic, ultimately elegiac, search for his kidnapped niece Debbie (Natalie Wood), the sole survivor of the raid. Aided by Debbie’s half-Indian brother Marty (Jeffrey Hunter), Ethan’s years of searching will finally lead him to a choice between his racial hatred and his love for his niece. The Searchers is hands down one of the 3 best films in John Wayne’s legendary career as a cowboy star (the other two being Howard Hawks’ Red River and Rio Bravo). The Searchers is perhaps most notable for its provocative tinkering with Wayne’s film persona – rendering him as a cruel racist (rather like the real Wayne himself) who we – like Marty – soon begin to suspect is bent on killing his niece should he discover she has “gone Indian”. Yet, it is undoubtedly also a technically superb genre work of great directorial craftsmanship with surprisingly grand themes carefully explored in a manner that makes it positively Shakespearean. Featuring stunning signature shots of Ford’s beloved Monument Valley, The Searchers is ultimately the classic tale of a closing frontier and a man’s reluctant realization that time and progress have begun to render him and his value system obsolete. Yet, for all its intended genre irony it is nevertheless slightly awkward to wholly and uncritically embrace The Searchers, particularly because one is never quite sure whether the film itself – despite its self-effacement - revels in the mindlessly cruel treatment meted out by Ethan to Indians. The scene – unacceptably played for laughs – in which Ethan and Marty violently assault Marty’s squaw wife (forced on him by her chief father) is particularly distasteful. Critics will well counter with a number of scenes in which the distance between Ethan’s extremist character and the closing frontier society around him is emphasized. This would include the scene in which the Reverend questions his cruelty and blind hatred, as well as the famous pathos-tinged, door-frame ending.... And perhaps fans may also point to his grudging warming to his half-breed nephew and eventual decisive encounter with Natalie Wood as something approaching satisfactory redemption. This may well be applicable to the Ethan character, but hardly addresses the issue of the film’s overall and problematic point of view. It’s a rather pointless effort to willfully wish away the film’s racism – something that even otherwise astute critics have been guilty of. The best example of this unfortunate trend is perhaps Peter Bogdanovich’s sycophantic leading comment “The Indians are always given great dignity in your films” when interviewing Ford on The Searchers in his famous 1968 interviews with the ageing director. Great dignity? The Searchers? What film was Bogdanovich watching? Even Ford himself showed a better awareness of his dubious portrayal of Indians, specifically intending his genuinely dignifying portrayal in his under-appreciated Cheyenne Autumn (1964) to be an antidote to their portrayal in his earlier Westerns. The Searchers is a great movie done no favors by unnecessarily pretending that it is not also politically problematic. Like Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation this is an undoubted classic – but one to be to be viewed with some serious reservations.
Rating: 
Summary: Many levels of meaning
Review: Once you get past the conventions that were required in a Western made in 1956 (e.g. a white man playing the part of Chief Scar, and insulting treatment--by characters in a work of fiction--of Look), what do you have? Simply the greatest Western made by the greatest director of Westerns in film history. (For what it's worth--and I think this means something when you're talking about a Hollywood product--THE SEARCHERS was in the top 20 of moneymakers in the year it was released). Of course a lot of bad movies have made money, but ask Scorcese and Spielberg et al. what films have influenced them. Food for thought for the "enlightened."
Rating:
Summary: Career Defining!
Review: The closing shot in this movie defines the career of one of the greatest American actors ever: Ethan Edwards (a Civil War veteran played by Wayne) rides up on horseback to deliver the kidnapped girl to her surviving relatives and walks off (the classic John Wayne walk) into the sunset as we are looking out through the door of the house. The only other career defining scene that even comes close is the final scene of "Dirty Harry" when Clint Eastwood asks, "Do ya feel lucky punk?" and blows the character played by Andy Robinson away. "The Searchers" is arguably the greatest western ever made. John Ford & John Wayne were as great a team as Scorcese/DeNiro. The photography throughout the movie is also unbeatable.
Rating: 
Summary: Mediocre western, typical Wayne fare!
Review: Passable western, if you do not mind the racist portrayal of Native Americans, combined with the simplistic and turgid dialogue. A rather unbelievable film, I can think of many other westerns, new and old that fit the western bill better. I would recommend "The Wild Bunch", "Unforgiven",even Wayne's "rio bravo" are superior to this junk. Oh yes, an Italian named Sergio Leone made better westerns than mr. Ford and Mr. Wayne.Takes all the western stereotypes and mixes in bad acting, what a sorry stew!
Rating:
Summary: A great western! John Wayne's finest
Review: How could I even begin reviewing this film when so much has been said already. The most I can do is either agree or disagree with what has been said, and I definately agree with the popular vote - this is a suberb film. John Wayne goes out looking for his niece, stolen by comanches after her family is butchered, and doesn't quit till the job is done. A great quest movie with beautiful scenery mostly taking place in Monument Valley, a site this film definately promoted. If you can, purchase the new version released with trailer and a 30 min documentary, hosted by Wayne's son Patrick. It shouldn't be missed, and greatly increases the enjoyment of the picture. A real treat!
Rating:
Summary: simply a great movie
Review: In the movie, Ethan's (John Wayne) brother's cabin is attacked by Scar and his war party, and his family is slaughtered. Ethan is an Indian hater and he gets consumed with revenge after that happens. The daughter, Debbie is still alive. Ethan sets off to rescue Debbie but as the story goes on, his motives change. He wants to kill her because she has been 'ruined' by Scar. In his mind, she has ceased to be white. Ethan is joined in his search by Martin who is there to protect Debbie from Ethan. My favorite scene is when Ethan and Martin are talking. In the distance there is a dot. Slowly, it takes human form and you can see it is Debbie. Ethan tries to kill her but is prevented by Martin. The Comanche indians come and Martin and Ethan have to run away. Martin still wants to rescue Debbie and Ethan wants to take her away from the Native Americans just to kill her. Will Ethan kill Debbie? Can Ethan overcome his racism? Some people might say that the movie is bad because 'fight scenes' seem unreal or because it sterotypes Native Americans. True, the fight scences are a little off but many westerns were like that back in the day. About the movie being racist, just because Edwards is a racist, doesn't mean that the movie was meant to be racist against Native Americans. If you use that logic, Schindler's List would be anti-jewish, Amistad is anti-black, etc. I have read that the director in the past had used actual Native Americans in his other movies but he cast a white as Scar because he wanted to make the statement that Ethan and Scar underneath it all are the same and despite our difference, we are all humans. The movie has great acting. The impression on Ethan's face when he thinks that Martha's cabin might have been attacked. It has comedy. Moes (think Dana Carvey doing his George Bush impersonation), the lovable idiot who just wants a rocking chair. Breathtaking cinematography. The final scene. The scenery. It has contradictions. Even though Ethan hates the Comanche, he knows a lot about them. He knows about their religion (by shooting out that Native American's eyes, he would roam forever in the afterlife), he can speak their language and he commits a scalping later in the movie. Laurie tells Martin that Martha would have wanted Ethan to kill Debbie for being involved with an Indian but Laurie wants to marry Martin and he is one-eighth Cherokee which I think makes him an Indian. Ethan thinks it is funny when Martin 'marries' Look but he is angry about Debbie and Scar. The story is complex. It deals with obsession, alienation, racism, hatred and forgiveness. Some people might not like this movie at first but they need to look deeper into it. Things in this movie are not spelled out. I notice new things every time I watch it. It is a western and from the 50s which might turn some people off, but you should give this movie a chance. The Searchers is thought-provoking, raises questions and is very well-done.
Rating:
Summary: Contrary to popular belief, John Wayne was a great actor
Review: Many people have underated John Wayne's acting abilities. Some people say he just played himself in all his movies. I disagree with that position. Most movie fans agree like I do that Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino are two of the greatest movie actors ever. I just want to point out that a large portion of both of these men's performances have been in crime movies. John Wayne mostly appeared in Westerns. That should not be a knock on his acting. Many people have made westerns. No one ever was as successful or as effective. My way of judging someone's performance is to compare one performance to others in a career. All you need to do is watch these movies to see the wide range of John Wayne's acting performances. I will rank them in my own opinion of his best acting. The Searchers (his most complex character ever), True Grit (yes, I do believe he deserved the Oscar outright over a great performance by Dustin Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy), Red River (a character as hard driven and uncompromising as The Searchers but a completely different performance), The Shootist (his most touching performance), She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (very believeable as a retiring cavalry officer even though he was in his early 40s when he made the movie), The Quiet Man (his best performance in a non western), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (the tough man on the outside who can't hide his heartbreak over losing his girl to James Stewart). John Wayne made close to 200 movies. Most were mediocre movies and performances. But when John Wayne was good, he was very good. Plus, The Searchers is a great movie. The movie just gets better after repeated viewings. John Wayne is so good as a man fighting his own demons and maintaining his own personal code, John Ford's directing was never better, the story is mesmerizing, and the cinematography is some of the best ever, which is typical with many John Ford movies.
Rating:
Summary: What makes a man to wander?
Review: I think people read way too much into this film. Sure, it's one of John Wayne's most complex characters; Ethan Edwards is racist, stubborn and a cold-hearted killer. But for sheer entertainment value, this movie reigns supreme! John Ford's direction has never had such swagger, and his actors rise to the aesthetic challenge. The script crackles with memorable dialogue and a distinctly anti-racist sentiment. Seriously, if you have never seen "The Searchers", it should be high on your list of things to watch!
Rating: 
Summary: Searching for what all the fuss is about
Review: Almost everybody, it seems, thinks this is a masterpiece. Quite frankly, I cannot see why. I won't bother with how Native Americans are stereotyped, although, from today's understanding, the movie really gives you a hard time sitting through their comic strip-like portrayal. My main critique is that the characters development is weak. Secondary characters are stereotyped to such a degree that makes the movie almost unbearable. At the end Wayne's sudden decision not to kill the girl doesn't really surprises anybody, after all this is Hollywood. But why has he changed his mind? We do not know. What has he learned? The way that he stagers of into the sunset in the movie's final scene suggests that he hasn't learned much. He leaves because he is still uncap able of being "social". Maybe this movie "stood tall" in the 1950s, as one reviewer suggested, but it's definitely not a must see classic.
Rating:
Summary: What a team produced this movie !
Review: This is a rare beast, this movie: a thinking person's Western. It's certainly one of the best Westerns ever, but it's also often voted into the top 50 movies yet made, and in some lists even into the top 10. What makes it so good ? Firstly it's directed by the Grand Master of westerns, John Ford, working at the height of his powers. He maintains the suspense and longing throughout the film, and creates some achingly beautiful images without losing the drive of the narrative. The screenplay is by Frank Nugent (responsible for writing another of John Wayne's and John Ford's most successful films, "The Quiet Man", and for a personal favourite comedy, "Mister Roberts"). The script is deep and thoughtful; it single-handedly broadened the focus of the Western genre, by imbuing it with intelligent dialogue and masterful character development (and Nugent's script is still studied in many screenwriting courses for its intelligence and depth of character arcs). And it was produced by Merian C. Cooper, who with Ford and Nugent was also responsible for "The Quiet Man" and some of the best Westerns, such as "Fort Apache", "Rio Grande" and "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon"; his most famous production, of course, was the original "King Kong". With all this talent around him, with these people he'd worked with so often before (and would do again), it's not surprising that John Wayne managed to summon what many feel is his best performance (personally, I'd rate it equal with his moving role in "The Shootist"). It marked a turning point in Wayne's career -- prior to this movie, he had often been regarded by the critics as just a cardboard cut-out of an actor, who was nothing if he didn't have a gun in his hand. With "The Searchers", he became an actor. Personally, I would rate the technical aspects of this film much more highly than Amazon has done. It's true there is a certain softness to the image, which is typical of technicolour films of the period, but the video transfer is very pleasing indeed, and the master it was taken from is almost flawless. (There are a few flecks in the image on occasion, but they are tiny, and I've seen far more in first-run prints of modern films at the cinema.) The sound quality is limited to what was recorded at the time (I'm not a big fan of digital remixes of old movies), but the dialogue is always clear and balanced, and is provided in Dolby Digital mono at quite a high bitrate. I'd give the disc at least a 3.5 rating for both video and audio. This is a great movie, with a very thought-provoking ending. I would recommend it highly to those who like thoughtful and engrossing drama, even if they aren't fans of the Western genre.
|
