X
- 1956
- TV-PG
- Warner Bros.
- 1 h 59 m
- 1956
- TV-PG
- Warner Bros.
- 1 h 59 m
Summary An American Civil War veteran embarks on a journey to rescue his niece from the Comanches.
Directed By: John Ford
Written By: Frank S. Nugent, Alan Le May
- 1956
- TV-PG
- Warner Bros.
- 1 h 59 m
- 1956
- TV-PG
- Warner Bros.
- 1 h 59 m
The Searchers
7.5
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Summary An American Civil War veteran embarks on a journey to rescue his niece from the Comanches.
Directed By: John Ford
Written By: Frank S. Nugent, Alan Le May
Where to Watch
Coming Soon
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 15 Critic Reviews
94
93% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
7% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 15 Critic Reviews
94
93% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
7% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
John Wayne's Ethan is his all-time top performance: funny, romantic, hard-bitten, scary, the personification of machismo.
Directed by John Ford, The Searchers is widely recognized not only as the greatest American Western but as one of the best Hollywood films of all-time.
By Glenn Frankel
FULL REVIEW
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 77 User Ratings
7.5
78% Positive
60 Ratings
60 Ratings
12% Mixed
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
10% Negative
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 77 User Ratings
7.5
78% Positive
60 Ratings
60 Ratings
12% Mixed
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
10% Negative
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
A visually stunning western with strong performances a riveting plot and some great cinematography. While the movie uses the evil native american stereotype which is problematic in todays standards there is no ignoring the good things about this movie
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By the time of The Searchers, Wayne had toughened to match Ford's darker vision. Redemption is still out there, but it has to be fought for, and sometimes winning it doesn't make anyone happier.
The Searchers contains scenes of magnificence, and one of John Wayne's best performances.
The Searchers is more a look at American genocide and racism, and the poison of revenge-obsession, than it is an adventure movie, and it feels like one of the wisest and most mature Westerns on the classics docket.
Decades before an apologist Western such as Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves, The Searchers bluntly addressed this country’s racism toward Native Americans by putting one of Hollywood’s most famous faces on it.
You can read a lot into it, but it isn't very enjoyable. The lines are often awkward and the line readings worse, and the film is often static, despite economic, quick editing.
A wonderful movie that leaves you hanging in several scenes. Just to see it all work out. One of the greatest cowboy movies of all time.
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You can read a lot into it, but it isn't very enjoyable. The lines are often awkward and the line readings worse, and the film is often static, despite economic, quick editing.
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As I embark on the journey through the AFI 100, The Searchers stands out as the first film I've genuinely struggled to enjoy. Despite its heralded status in cinematic history, several factors marred the experience, making it uncomfortable viewing.
Firstly, it's impossible to ignore the blatant racism depicted throughout the film. While some may argue it's a product of its time, the portrayal of Native Americans is jarringly insensitive by today’s standards. This aspect alone might alienate modern audiences, and it certainly put a damper on my viewing experience.
John Wayne, as the lead, casts a long shadow over the narrative. His portrayal is undeniably commanding, yet it imbues the film with an uncomfortable aggressiveness that is hard to shake. Wayne's domineering presence, intended to be a cornerstone of the film's appeal, instead adds to the unease, making the character's motivations and actions difficult to empathise with. From what we know of the man, often it’s difficult to separate John Wayne, the actor, from the character he portrays. Native Americans continue to be shown as violent savages, as they often are in traditional Westerns. However, a key difference in this narrative is that the white characters are portrayed with equal brutality.
The cinematography of John Ford and Winton C. Hooch is undeniably stunning. The sweeping landscapes and meticulous framing create breathtaking visuals that capture the wild beauty of the American West. These scenes are the high points of the film, showcasing director Ford’s eye for composition and colour.
However, beautiful scenery alone does not make a movie enjoyable. The narrative and character interactions felt lacking. Beyond the aesthetics, I found few redeeming features in its two-hour runtime, leaving me disconnected for the majority of the film and eager for the credits.
Should this be on this be on the AFI list? Well, John Ford has better films on the AFI list, such as The **** of Wrath, and there are other superior Ford vehicles starring Wayne that didn’t make the 100. So I have to say a resounding no.
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"The Searchers" has definitely not aged well. The story is extremely simple, they're are some strange plot holes that audiences seemed to gloss over. On top of that, the role of the Native Americans in the story is extremely unrealistic, besides the fact that they are all played by white actors, perhaps excusable because of the times, there antagonistic forces are simply overly evil and hateful, and the are given no real depth. The visuals are gorgeous, and the landscape and set design is immaculate, but the story is hindered.
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I like classical music, personally I didn't like the acting of the characters. I find it overacted. It's very noticeable that they want to stand out and this makes it difficult for me to identify with any character. I find the scenes predictable, however the background music shows a great anticipated suspense. Also, the respect for their own families and love personally became very boring. The landscapes were the same without any change of atmosphere. I think a small change in that could have been good. It's not the type of movie I would watch again. It didn't surprise me at all and I think it instigates constant violence, obsession, racism, and prejudice that to this day we continue to fight with in order to improve the world we live in. I think they could have done a little more even knowing that at that time they didn't have many options when it came to filming. I'm very sure that it's not a movie I would recommend or be interested in repeating.
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Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
National Film Preservation Board, USA
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Online Film & Television Association
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination