"The Searchers" A John Ford Classic
John Ford was always one of my favorite directors. A son of Irish Immigrants, he was proud of his heritage and even more proud of his American citizenship. It is reflected in all his movies. Some say he was a "super patriot". One of his main interests was westerns. Many a Saturday afternoon in the late 50's/early 60's I would find myself watching one of his westerns. I saw the great west through his eyes....Which was kind of like a Remington painting come to life. He loved to film in locations such as Monument Valley Utah/Arizona (where the "Searchers" was filmed). In the 50's it was rumored that people watching his movies in Europe though the entire west looked like that.
The movie feature some of Ford's favorite actors. Many said he had his own stock company of actors. They were right!
Main characters:
- John Wayne as Ethan Edwards
- Jeffrey Hunter as Martin Pawley
- Vera Miles as Laurie Jorgensen
- Ward Bond as Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnson Clayto
Natalie Wood as Debbie Edwards (older)
The story is supposed to be set it Texas during the Texas-Indian wars and follows the relentless search by Ethan Edwards & Martin Pawley for Ethan's niece, abducted by the indians, over a period of years. The script, scenery & photography are all superb. The movie was named "greatest western" by the American Film Institute in 2008. Supposedly based on Alan LeMay's novel, though some believe the story is actually based on the 1836 kidnapping of 9 year old Cynthia Ann Parker by the Comanches. In any event Frank Nugent deserves credit for that script, which in my mind, gave life to those characters.
The picture I used to pin on the article has become iconic. It's the final scene when John Wayne steps away holding his arm that way. To me the scene that I could never forget (I was just a boy) was that of the young girl, whom was out on her own (clutching her doll) as her doomed family was about to be murdered. We only see the shadow of an Indian come upon her. I was never frightened by horror movies, yet that scene was scary!
That is the last we see of Lana Wood, who played the young Debbie Edwards. Thus, after the remains of the family are discovered, we learn that a young woman & young girl have been taken by the Comanches. The long search begins with a hopeful Martin and a much more pessimistic Ethan. Ford does give both sides to the saga of the Indian Wars in this movie, as only he could do it. As much as we are angry about the despicable deeds of the Comanches, we do learn later that Scar , the leader of the Comanche band known as the Nawyecka, was also a victim of transgressions by "the white man".
In today's world the question of Wayne's character would be one of hero or villain?
Late in the story Martin is astonished when he realizes Ethan intends to kill Debbie when he finds her.
Why?
She's been living with Comanche men.
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