![]() ![]() Temporary houses and sets were built in the Navajo park for the film, and many local American Indians were used as extras. His trademark long shots capture his characters against imposing terrains and vast skies. True to Ford’s style, the gloriousness of the landscape, shown this time in Technicolor, acts like a peaceful watchdog, objectively observing the horrific human tribulations taking place upon it. Monument Valley has never looked more majestic than in “The Searchers”. Ford shot ten films in this unusual landscape, and largely because of him, its towering red sandstone buttes and otherworldly formations are recognized worldwide as the picture of the American West. “The Searchers” was shot on location in Monument Valley, a Navajo Nation’s Park on the Arizona-Utah border, which director Ford made famous with his 1939 classic western, “Stagecoach”. In its offensiveness, I do believe “The Searchers” forces the viewer to examine the boundaries of one’s own prejudices.Ī key element separating "The Searchers" from other films is its visual magnificence, in particular its use of framing, composition, and the majestic landscape on which it was filmed. I wrote more on that topic in my “Gone With the Wind” post. One must keep in mind that like all films, this was a product of its time. My take on that scene is that it is meant to show how uncontrolled prejudice can turn evil. The film depicts Indians as ruthless savages, and white men as victims, and is highly disrespectful towards American Indians and their culture - particularly in the scene where “Ethan” disrupts the grave of a dead Indian. Be forewarned: as with many westerns, "The Searchers" is racist. “The Searchers” is based on a 1954 Alan Le May book by the same name, which was in turn loosely based on real events. This film is not a psychological study, yet it seduces the viewer into pondering many topics. We never really get inside “Ethan’s” head, but his actions present a very complicated portrait of what seems like a man subconsciously grappling with his racism. Sometime after their search begins, “Ethan’s” goal changes, and questions of how far one is willing to take their hatred arise. Joining him is his adopted nephew, “Martin Pawley” played by Jeffrey Hunter, who is sensitive, caring, and part native Indian. At the center is “Ethan Edwards” played by John Wayne, a white, hot-headed, exceedingly racist, tough guy. Where “The Searchers” gets complicated is in the details. The story is simple: In 1868 during the Texas-Indian wars, two men begin a search for two girls (one's nieces and the other's sisters) who were abducted by Indians. Directed by the father of westerns, John Ford, and starring cinema’s top western star, John Wayne, “The Searchers” is electrifying in every way. ![]() Ranked by AFI as the #1 western of all-time, the #12th greatest film of all-time, it has been noted as having influenced film directors as diverse as Steven Spielberg, David Lean, Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader, Wim Wenders, Peter Bogdanovich, Jean-Luc Godard, and George Lucas. It has been hailed as a masterpiece, and has become one of the most influential films in history. “The Searchers” somehow thoroughly satisfies as it stirs up many questions, providing few answers if any. It is a grippingly ravishing, uncomfortable journey about revenge, race, family, finding the American identity, and the effects of festering racism. ![]() Breathtaking in its grandeur and exposing a West that is both beautiful and brutal, it might seem like just another well made western, but it's actually a film of jarring contrasts, complexities, and ambiguities. In a world we often think of as black and white, “The Searchers” is all about the gray. ![]()
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