The Searchers is a 1956 movie directed by John Ford.
The Searchers tells the story of a Civil War veteran tasked with finding his abducted niece. John Wayne stars in an atypical role as the boorish and jaded Civil War veteran Ethan Edwards. Positioned as an antihero against matinee idol Jeffrey Hunter, Wayne’s character is brutal, cruel and temperamental. It’s an intriguing performance from the legendary actor – especially given his volume of stereotypical heroic Western roles. Ford’s direction is solid in the movie’s action sequences but the tone awkwardly shifts during longer narrative scenes.
THE BEST – Gorgeous Cinematography
The Searchers is a beautifully shot movie. The stones, snow and sands of the Arizona desert and mountains are a majestic backdrop for Ford’s sweeping chase scenes and moments of isolation. The grand expanse of the surroundings is a foreboding reminder of the danger lurking. Similarly, Wayne – our veritable hero – is often framed as an outsider, including in the movie’s famous ending.
THE WORST – Every Actor Other Than Wayne
Wayne is terrific in shaping a mostly unlikeable character. And while the rest of the large cast feature proficient acting, their characters aren’t believable. The range of odd emotional outbursts and overacting is distracting throughout the movie. These moments can negate the gorgeous cinematography and gritty story. Of particular note is Hank Worden’s Mose, a character whose persona falls somewhere between demeaning and jarring. The villain Scar is grossly miscast, as Henry Brandon’s dull, blue-eyed pseudo-native can’t match the narrative’s description.
FOX FORCE FIVE RATING – 4/5
The Searchers is a must-watch and definitely a Western classic. Wayne’s transformation into an anti-hero is remarkable and the cinematography is beautiful. Yet, the movie lingers and suffers from hokey and emotionally over-wrought acting.
