The Searchers (1956)

As a Civil War veteran spends years searching for a young niece captured by Indians, his motivation becomes increasingly questionable.

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Frank S. Nugent (screenplay), Alan Le May (from the novel by)

Stars:

John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Wayne	...	Ethan Edwards
Jeffrey Hunter	...	Martin Pawley
Vera Miles	...	Laurie Jorgensen
Ward Bond	...	Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton
Natalie Wood	...	Debbie Edwards - Age 15
John Qualen	...	Lars Jorgensen
Olive Carey	...	Mrs. Jorgensen
Henry Brandon	...	Chief Cicatriz - Scar
Ken Curtis	...	Charlie McCorry
Harry Carey Jr.	...	Brad Jorgensen
Antonio Moreno	...	Emilio Gabriel Fernandez y Figueroa
Hank Worden	...	Mose Harper
Beulah Archuletta	...	Look - Wild Goose Flying in the Night Sky
Walter Coy	...	Aaron Edwards
Dorothy Jordan	...	Martha Edwards

Storyline

Ethan Edwards, returned from the Civil War to the Texas ranch of his brother, hopes to find a home with his family and to be near the woman he obviously but secretly loves. But a Comanche raid destroys these plans, and Ethan sets out, along with his 1/8 Indian nephew Martin, on a years-long journey to find the niece kidnapped by the Indians under Chief Scar. But as the quest goes on, Martin begins to realize that his uncle's hatred for the Indians is beginning to spill over onto his now-assimilated niece. Martin becomes uncertain whether Ethan plans to rescue Debbie...or kill her.

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Plot Keywords:

hatred | texas | rescue | indian war | civil war veteran | 

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Taglines:

The Biggest, Roughest, Toughest ...and Most Beautiful Picture Ever Made!

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Navajo Spanish

Release Date:

13 March 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

Más corazón que odio

Filming Locations:

Aspen, Colorado, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,750,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., C.V. Whitney Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Western star Harry Carey died in 1947. Director John Ford cast Carey's wife (Olive Carey) as Mrs. Jorgensen (the mother) and Carey's son (Harry Carey Jr.) as one of the sons (Brad) as a tribute to Carey. In the closing scene with John Wayne framed in the doorway, Wayne holds his right elbow with his left hand in a pose that Carey fans would recognize as one that he often used. Wayne later stated he did it as a tribute to Carey. Off-camera, Olive watched.

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Goofs

During the shootout with the Indians at the river, Rev. Capt. Clayton's gun is emptied and Ethan throws him a loaded gun; Clayton throws his hat and hits Ethan. Ethan is moving his lips and saying something but, there is no sound.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[seeing a horseman in the distance]
Aaron Edwards: Ethan?
Debbie Edwards: Hush, Prince.
Lucy Edwards: That's your Uncle Ethan!
Martha Edwards: [he approaches] Welcome home, Ethan!

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood (1980)

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Soundtracks

"Skip to My Lou"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Performed by Ken Curtis

User Reviews

Odd inconsistency of tone

For all this film's reputation, what is apt to strike a modern viewer for the first time is the strange disconnect between the truly horrific subject matter and its sometimes light-hearted even jokey tone. No doubt this was an attempt to make its grim subject matter more accessible to the audience of the time, but IMO it is borderline bad taste. For example the massacre of an Indian village near the end is rather undermined by the following comical scene of some old guy having shot extracted from his behind. This is inappropriate in my opinion, and similar examples abound throughout the film.

I suppose this must be judged within its time and its subject matter: brutal murder, abduction, gang rape and a man consumed with vengeance would have been considered too shocking to be shown without lightening the mood.

Some of the problem is down to the stereotypes who, apart from the main few characters, seem to lack any depth of feeling in the face of this horror. A Swedish farmer who seems unmoved by the death of his son; a 'comedy' madman; a plain Indian squaw who is accidentally bought by Jeffrey Hunter and her subsequent convenient death; a naive young cavalry man who arrives near the end. That's to say nothing of the motiveless malice of the Comanche.

This is not to make the dreary charge of 'racism' for anything which does not conform to the dogmas of political correctness, but merely to say the film does succeed in its own terms.

Despite having no time to explore the deeper side of racial tension or families afflicted with horrific suffering, there is plenty of time for embarrassing slap-stick, not helped by the overly homespun stock characters and the wooden performances. Jeffrey Hunter acts like a child at some points, and one can only imagine that in the book he was considerably younger.

He's not the only one. There is a long sequence involving a letter written to his beau by Hunter. Despite being the only one in five years, this grown woman stamps her foot and throws the letter on the fire unconvincingly at one point. And again, a long comedy fist fight occurs between the returning Hunter and the man that his girl is to marry.

It is through dated and inappropriate sequences like this rather than good characterisation that the film is developed. The cinematic artistry is second to none with the motif of the open door being used to magnificent effect through out.

Worth watching as an historical curio, but the 12th greatest film ever made? There are many more less dated films to watch from this period and earlier.