The Searchers.

Review #1392: The Searchers.

Cast: 
John Wayne (Ethan Edwards), Jeffrey Hunter (Martin Pawley), Vera Miles (Laurie Jorgensen), Ward Bond (Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnson Clayton), Natalie Wood (Debbie Edwards), John Qualen (Lars Jorgensen), Olive Carey (Mrs. Jorgensen), Henry Brandon (Chief Cicatriz - Scar), Ken Curtis (Charlie McCorry), Harry Carey, Jr. (Brad Jorgensen), Antonio Moreno (Emilio Gabriel Fernández y Figueroa), and Hank Worden (Mose Harper) Directed by John Ford (#398 - The Last Hurrah, #1324 - 3 Bad Men, #1349 - Stagecoach, and #1372 - Fort Apache)

Review: 
Every director surely wants to have one masterpiece in their lifetime, or at the very least wants to have their name or films endure even after their death. John Ford is certainly one man who achieved both with making numerous classics, particularly with John Wayne. It should prove no surprise that this film has endured as a classic in the eyes of many, with Wayne calling it his favorite role and one of his favorite films, and numerous directors have been inspired by the film that ranged from David Lean to Jean-Luc Godard. The film was adapted from novelist/screen-writer Alan Le May's 1954 novel of the same name by Frank S. Nugent. There had been cases where Native American had abducted children and raised them as members of their tribe only to be rescued later, most notably with the Fort Parker massacre in 1836 Texas. This is a film that features familiar aspects of a Western for its director with Wayne and Monument Valley as a primary filming location to view throughout its 119 minute run-time.

This is an interesting film in the middle of Ford's penultimate decade of directorial work, one that grew considerably in reputation over the past six decades (going from receiving no award nominations to best-of lists), which can be attributed to a stellar cast and an injection of darker hues in terms of realism when it comes to telling its story in ways more complex than the usual standards for a Western were. We are intrigued by the characters that come across this vast barren landscape, particularly when it comes to Wayne. He excels with displaying such obsession over his pursuit for vengeance that burns with plenty of conviction that drives the climax in wondering just how far one man is willing to go to finish a quest as grisly as this one is. Hunter does just as well as a foil for this rough quest that we see plainly in his calm eyes, someone who grows as the film does that make him a key for how the tension is built so well for the climax, since our focus is on these two for most of the film and the child-turned-teenage star Wood has only so much time to be on screen (basically ten minutes) that she pulls off with resolve. Miles and Bond each lend a hand as counterparts to the main duo for moments on the lighter side, whether filled with a few wisecracks or something else. The other members of the cast (some of whom were part of numerous films with Ford) do their part in filling things out neatly, whether that means a sequence involving a marriage fight or the buildup to the climax with a nervous soldier. In any case, this is an entertaining film with plenty to say of the harsh realities of the Old West on numerous angles, where losses were suffered on both sides by innocents and warriors alike that went hand in hand with the attempts of trying to build a life for themselves in vast and dangerous territory. Life can be hard if one is not up to the challenge of standing up to what may come their way, whether that involves conflict with oneself or with prejudice from others or something else entirely when it comes a wanderer and coming home. In any case, The Searchers does fairly well with making an attempt at a darker Western with an intense Wayne at the helm to sell itself off beautifully by the time it gets to its enduring last shot. Six decades of time have left plenty to shine in this Western now more than ever as a rewarding film for the ages for all who take it upon themselves to get on the frontier and find themselves watching the film for themselves.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.