The Searchers (film)
"The Searchers" is a 1956 historical film directed by renowned filmmaker John Ford, celebrated for his contributions to the Western genre. The film stars John Wayne as Ethan Edwards, a troubled former Confederate soldier searching for his kidnapped niece, Debbie, after a Comanche attack on his brother's Texas ranch. Adapted from Alan Le May's 1954 novel, the narrative draws inspiration from the real-life story of Cynthia Ann Parker, a white girl who was abducted by Native Americans in the 1830s and later forcibly rescued.
Set against the striking landscapes of Monument Valley, the film explores themes of revenge, family, and the complexities of cultural identity, particularly through Ethan's conflicted attitudes towards Native Americans and miscegenation. While "The Searchers" was a commercial success and later recognized as a classic—ranking twelfth on the American Film Institute's list of "100 Greatest American Movies"—it has also faced criticism for its portrayal of Native American characters and the justifications for violence within the story. Despite its mixed reception at the time of release, the film has influenced numerous filmmakers and remains a significant work in American cinema.
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The Searchers (film)
- Release Date: 1956
- Director(s): John Ford
- Writer(s): Frank S. Nugent
- Principal Actors and Roles: John Wayne (Ethan Edwards); John Wayne (Ethan Edwards); Beulah Archuletta (Look); Ward Bond (Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton); Henry Brandon (Scar); Harry Jr. Carey (Brad Jorgensen); Olive Carey (Mrs. Jorgensen); Walter Coy (Aaron Edwards); Jeffrey Hunter (Martin Pawley); Dorothy Jordan (Martha Edwards); Vera Miles (Laurie Jorgensen); John Qualen (Lars Jorgensen); Pippa Scott (Lucy Edwards); Patrick Wayne (Lt. Greenhill); Natalie Wood (Debbie Edwards)
- Book / Story Film Based On: The Searchers by Alan Le May
The Searchers (1956) is a historical film by American director John Ford. Ford was an acclaimed filmmaker who won four Academy Awards in the category of Best Director during his long career. No other director has as many wins. He was known for making movies in the western genre, including The Searchers. Some of his other films include Stagecoach (1939), The Grapes of Wrath (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). Ford’s films tend to feature long shots of natural terrain and mythic characters, and they focus on American masculinity.
The Searchers was adapted from a novel by Alan Le May that was published in 1954. It was based on the real-life story of a young white girl named Cynthia Ann Parker who was kidnapped by Comanche Indians in the 1830s and grew up living among them. She was later rescued and taken from the Native Americans against her will. Although the story of The Searchers takes place in Texas, the film was primarily shot in the Monument Valley desert in Arizona and Utah. It stars John Wayne, who was one of John Ford’s frequent collaborators. They made a total of fourteen films together.
Plot
The Searchers stars John Wayne as a man named Ethan Edwards. At the beginning of the film, Ethan, a drifter, arrives at his brother Aaron’s Texas ranch. The story takes place several years after the end of the American Civil War; Ethan is a former Confederate soldier. He is a mysterious figure who appears to have a troubled past.
Soon after his arrival, Ethan ventures out with a posse of men to chase a group of Native Americans who had stolen cattle. While Ethan is away, his brother’s ranch is attacked by a Comanche chief named Scar. Scar and his men murder Aaron and his wife Martha. The Comanches kidnap the couple’s daughters, Lucy and Debbie (Lana Wood), and burn the ranch. The members of the posse discover that the stolen cattle were a ploy to lure them away. Ethan returns to the ruined ranch to discover the murders and kidnapping. He vows to rescue his nieces and avenge his brother’s death.
Now begins a pursuit that leads Ethan and a group of Texas Rangers to a Comanche camp. The Texans find the camp has been deserted, and the men are ambushed soon after. After fighting off the attack, the rangers decide to return home. As a result, Ethan winds up continuing his quest with the help of only two people: Lucy’s fiancé Brad and the girls’ adopted brother Martin. The three men later find Lucy’s corpse. She had been murdered and seemingly raped. Her fiancé rides into the Comanche camp, intending to attack the people there in order to avenge Lucy’s death, but he is killed, leaving only Ethan and Martin to continue searching for Debbie.
The search lasts for several years and leads the two men from Texas to New Mexico and back. Finally, Ethan and Martin learn of Debbie’s whereabouts. She is now a teenager and living as one of Scar’s wives. At this point in the film, Natalie Wood takes over the portrayal of Debbie from her younger sister, Lana. Debbie tells Ethan and Martin that she wishes to remain with the Comanches. Ethan tries to shoot her because he would rather she died than continue to live as a Native American. However, Martin protects her, and Ethan is shot with an arrow as the two men escape.
Martin and Ethan return with a posse to attack the Comanche camp. Martin sneaks in prior to the assault to warn Debbie. This time, she seems to be eager to leave the Comanches and return to her home. When Scar discovers Martin with Debbie, the white man shoots and kills the Comanche leader. Ethan later scalps Scar’s dead body. After the battle between the posse and the Comanches, Debbie runs from Ethan, afraid he will try to harm her again. He pursues her on horseback and scoops her up into his arms. Ethan does not try to kill her, but instead, he tells her he will take her home. They return to the homestead with Martin. In the final scene of the film, Ethan walks off alone, a drifter once more.
Significance
Warner Brothers released The Searchers in 1956. To promote the film, the studio created a television program to show the making of the movie. It was one of the first-ever, behind-the-scenes TV specials. The program included an interview with John Ford.
The Searchers received mostly positive reviews. John Wayne’s performance was widely praised in particular. But in contrast to many of Ford’s other films, the film notably received no Academy Award nominations. However, it was a financial success and gained a number of accolades over time. The American Film Institute (AFI) ranked the film twelfth on its list titled "100 Greatest American Movies." Also, a number of directors who rose to prominence in the 1970s cite The Searchers as an important influence. They include Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Martin Scorsese. Scorsese loosely based his film Taxi Driver (1976) on the plot of The Searchers. In addition, Ford’s movie has been preserved in the National Film Registry by the US Library of Congress.
However, The Searchers has not escaped criticism. Some film critics have taken exception to its depiction of Native Americans. The Comanches are portrayed as ruthless, and Ethan’s violent actions against them often seem to be justified. Ethan also is very dismissive of miscegenation, or marriage between different races. Ford later argued his film merely showed the brutality and racism of life on the frontier.
John Ford’s career spanned fifty years, and in that time, he directed more than 140 films. After completing The Searchers, he made many more movies. His final fictional film, 7 Women, was made in 1966. Ten years later, his last project was released posthumously. It was a documentary entitled Chesty: A Tribute to a Legend. Narrated by John Wayne, it told the story of a heroic US Marine.
John Ford died at the age of 79 in 1973. Today, he is considered one of the most influential American filmmakers of all time. The Searchers remains one of his most important works, and many critics believe it to be his masterpiece.
Bibliography
Buscombe, Edward. The Searchers. London: BFI Film Classics/Palgrave Macmillan, 2000. Print.
Frankel, Glenn. The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend. New York: Bloomsbury, 2013. Print.
"John Ford Biography." Bio. A & E Television Networks, LLC, 2016. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
Pfeiffer, Lee. "The Searchers." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
Sayles, John. "John Ford, American director." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
"The Searchers (1956)." Filmsite Movie Review. American Movie Classics Company, LLC, n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
"The Searchers: 60 Years Later." Newsweek Special Edition. Newsweek 30 Jan. 2016. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.