Mike Di Benedetto, 11/1/11, The Searchers, American, 1956, John Ford, National Film Registry Award, 1989.
The Searchers was a Western film made in a time when the Western genre was facing its own mortality. Native Americans were no longer being subjected to such antagonist roles, and America was thrusting forth at full speed into the turbulent decade that lay ahead – one of much change and liberal progression. John Ford and the film follow all the rules attached to the genre; from the way the opening sequences are presented to the main character’s macho demeanor John Wayne portrays so well, many will argue that, although a little late on arriving in the scene, The Searchers may be one of the finest Westerns ever made.
The first article I read was a review by Roger Ebert for the Chicago Sun newspaper. Right from the get-go, Ebert is praising the film for its “magnificent scenes” and blatant influence on American film since its release. Ebert goes on to talk about the brilliance behind Wayne’s character, Ethan – the conflict of ideals his character deals with, as well as the audience who’s questioning whether or not to root for the guy. Ebert concludes with the notion that the film successfully recognizes the concept of a ‘complicated’ hero – a model that has been seen since in films like Taxi Driver, The Godfather and Star Wars.
The second article I read was written by Ken Nolley and taken from the Journal of Film & History. The article focuses on Ford’s films and their use of Native Americans. Nolley talks about how many Westerns, The Searchers in particular, follow characters that are clearly racist, and although the films depict events in a historical context, the anomaly from the standard ‘hero with good morals’ model may leave the audience a bit conflicted.
These two articles tie together to strengthen the idea that the film conceived the first great, complicated protagonist. Ethan is a racist man –a very racist man who almost enjoys murdering Indians, yet he’s also the guy the audience wants to cheer for. His character is multi-layered, contradicting and rich; it’s this complexity that makes us want to root for him – witness his evolution and progression as a person.
Aside from its evident and ingenious visual and scene presentation, captivating dialogue and radiant acting, The Searchers real gift to its audience is its character depth. Though never too obvious, the character gravity and growth is simply breathtaking throughout the entire movie – even by today’s standards. As I watched the film, I found myself entranced in Ethan’s behavior and unpredictability (especially being a psychology major) and was overwhelmed by the character development of, not only Ethan, but supporting roles as well. The Searcher is not only a film meant to be enjoyed by Western buffs, but by anyone willing to appreciate it for its compelling story telling, magnificent cinematography and stunning character dimension.
References
Ebert, R. (2001, November 25). The searchers. The Chicago Sun.
Nolley, K. (1993). John ford and the hollywood indian. 23(1-4), 44-56.
