‘The Searchers’

“The Searchers” is arguably one of the best Westerns ever made. I have to say before readers begin to say they don’t like Westerns or shoot-outs: cut out the brain chatter and watch this movie.

This film influenced three important movies that changed American cinema (Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver,” Steven Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “Star Wars”), and the last film noted would change American pop culture.

Yes,  Robert De Niro’s famous role as Travis Bickle (“Taxi Driver”), Richard Dreyfuss’ character (“Close Encounters”) and Luke Skywalker are based on Ethan Edwards played by John Wayne in “The Searchers.” In fact, the opening 10 minutes of “Star Wars” bears multiple shots from “The Searchers,” and one scene was directly lifted into a galaxy far, far away.

As a Civil War veteran Edwards (Wayne) spends years searching for a young niece (Natalie Wood) captured by Indians, his motivation becomes increasingly questionable.

This film was landmark in 1956 for its blunt examination of racism. To many film historians this is Wayne’s best acting performance. He turned in good performances in “The Quiet Man,” “Red River” and “The Man who shot Liberty Valance,” but this is his best.

“The Searchers,” shot in VistaVision, is a painting. John Ford (the film’s director) was known for his use of landscape, and this film is his peak. Ford (along with famed film director Howard Hawkes) is the master of the Western. Ford is most-well-known for his Oscar-winning “The Grapes of Wrath,” and he is a four-time, Oscar-winning director, a record that will never be touched.

The opening shot of “The Searchers” has also influenced as many films as the entire film itself, most notably Scorsese’s “Gangs of New York.”

 I admit, this is a hard film to review, simply because it is so good. You watch it and see breathtaking landscape, wonderful performances, experience a man going over the edge and at the same time you notice its mark on so many movies you’ve already seen. It’s like meeting someone’s dad, you think, “Now I see where they get that.”

The film came at a very interesting time in American cinema. Television was on the rise and studios no longer were allowed to own movie theaters. Yes, a film studio used to be allowed to monopolize the market by owning all aspects of the process. Another interesting factor is “The Searchers” came at the end of an era for the American Western. In 1955 a simple movie about a lonely man titled “Marty” won best picture and in 1957 the best picture went to “Bridge on the River Kwai” (a massive epic). The audiences’ sensibility was changing with the genre.

In the 1960s there would continue to be a few good Westerns and, of course, Clint Eastwood carried the Western into the 1990s. However, “The Searchers” is one of the last true Westerns, based on good ‘ol Americana. It is symbolic of the changes in film and America. I’ve seen this movie 20 times and could go on all day. I’ll close with this: I want one person who doesn’t like Westerns to watch this and e-mail me your thoughts. Any takers? Let me know. I would love to hear from you.

Year: 1956

Studio: Warner Brothers

Director: John Ford

Starring: John Wayne, Ward Bond, Natalie Wood

‘The Searchers’ is screening for free at Lihu‘e PublicLibrary

• Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

Part of the Lihu‘e Library Film Club. Call for film titles andschedules, 241-3222.

• Two free movies a month, come join us!

1. ‘The Man who shot Liberty Valance’ (1962)

2. ‘Stagecoach’ (1939)

3. ‘Red River’ (1948)

4. ‘Rio Bravo’ (1959)

5. ‘High Plains Drifter’ (1973)

6. ‘Pale Rider’ (1985)

7. ‘The Good the Bad and The Ugly’ (1966)

8. ‘The Outlaw Josey Whales’ (1976)

9. ‘The Unforgiven’ (1992)

10. ‘Rio Lobo’ (1970)