Rent The Searchers (1956)

That'll be the day. - The Searchers review by griggs

The Searchers is a film I found tough to connect with. It’s undeniably influential, and there’s a lot to admire on a technical level, but watching it today is an uneasy experience.

A big part of that is how it portrays Native Americans. Some might argue it’s just a “product of its time,” but that doesn’t make it any less uncomfortable. The way the film frames Indigenous people feels dated and insensitive, which makes it hard to fully engage with the story.

Then there’s John Wayne. His performance is strong, but it adds a harshness to the film that’s hard to ignore. His character is relentless and aggressive, and knowing what we do about Wayne himself, it’s difficult to separate the man from the role.

That said, The Searchers does at least acknowledge that the white characters can be just as brutal as the so-called “savages.” That bit of moral ambiguity makes it more complex than a lot of classic Westerns, even if it doesn’t totally redeem the film’s shortcomings.

Visually, though? Absolutely stunning. Ford and cinematographer Winton C. Hoch created some of the most breathtaking shots of the American West. The landscapes, the colours, the framing—it’s all top-tier. If anything stuck with me, it’s how incredible the film looks.

But great visuals only go so far. The story and characters never fully pulled me in, and the slow pacing made it feel like a bit of a slog. I was mostly just waiting for it to wrap up.

I can see why The Searchers is considered a classic, and I get why people still discuss it. But between the uncomfortable racial dynamics and the detached storytelling, it didn’t entirely work for me.

One Of the Finest.... - The Searchers review by GI

Here's a genuine cinematic masterpiece, a film of real majesty from a director at the top of his game and this is probably his finest work. It also boasts a performance from John Wayne that ranks among some of the best screen acting you'll ever see. He plays Ethan Edwards, a former confederate soldier who returns to his former Texas home, now occupied by his brother and his family, three years after the Civil war has ended. Where he has been in the last years is a mystery but it appears he wants to settle down. But then raiding Comanche Indians, led by Scar (Henry Brandon), massacre the family and steal away the female children. Ethan, accompanied by his brother's adopted half Indian son, Martin (Jeffrey Hunter), embarks on a five year quest to find them. But Ethan is a racist with a dark agenda and Martin knows only he can prevent Ethan carrying out his intentions in the event of finding the girls. There are some very interesting themes going on here especially in a western made in the 1950s and whilst it was fairly traditional to paint all Indians as murderous in the westerns of these times this one focuses on the white mans attitude towards them, the films climax includes an Indian village massacre, which although filmed with restraint does show women and children in dire peril and hints at their destruction. Wayne, a big star at the time, is presented as an anti-hero and famously finds no redemption or peace by the films end. Shot in Monument Valley (although the story is set in Texas) this is a film that has been beautifully photographed and the framing devices used throughout are of huge influence. Wonderful support cast from Ford's usual stable of actors including Ward Bond and Vera Miles and with his usual comedic moments but ultimately this is a dark tale of vengeance and arguably one of the finest motion pictures ever made.