The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Collection: The Searchers (1956)

Who is the most synonymous filmmaker with the western genre? John Ford. From the mid-1910s, Ford was working on one-reel westerns as he helped lay down the framework that would define the genre. As one of the first movie genres (dating all the way back to the turn of the 20^th century), the western captured the spirit and legacy of America’s western expansion. Ford understood this and made a career of finding stories that explored those themes and put audiences in the dangerous and wondrous landscapes of Monument Valley and many other settings in America’s western states. The western genre certainly evolved over 40 years from Ford’s first western and his masterpiece that is The Searchers. 

What makes The Searchers so special in comparison to the extension filmography of westerns during Ford’s career? This begins with the biggest complaint about traditional westerns is the horrible treatment of indigenous people. They were consistently presented as the antagonists with little depth or dimension. Savagery was the only real trait that was attached to them, which is certainly destructive from a portrayal standpoint. But The Searchers takes a different approach. That savagery is still attached but specifically to the Comanche tribe that commits the heinous act of slaughter and kidnapping at the beginning of the film. But the important difference is the portrayal of other indigenous characters who are distinctly different with kindness and willingness to trade with the protagonists of the film. Another significant layer to the film is that Scar, the Comanche leader, is presented as a reflection of John Wayne’s Ethan Edwards. They are two sides of the same coin. This brutality and hate are no longer presented as an Indigenous trait but as a trait of horrible men who use it to punish people. Even Martin, the young man who goes on this journey with Ethan, is part Native American and he is shown to be a much more kind, caring, and compassionate man. For today’s standards, there are elements that might seem antiquated for modern times, but The Searchers still presents a fascinating exploration of grey areas that few westerns tackled up to this point. 

Speaking of, how does the morality of The Searchers make it so significant in the western genre? Many early westerns were clear black and white in their morality. Most of the time, the white protagonists were the “good” and the savage indigenous characters were the “evil”. But that is not the case in The Searchers. The morally grey in the film sits firmly in the character of Ethan. Wayne’s protagonist is a far cry from the perfect hero type that Wayne usually portrays in films like this. There are few redeeming qualities that Ethan shows throughout the film. Generally, he is mean and quite a bully. He is clearly bigoted towards Indigenous individuals especially with how he treats poor Martin. He loves his family…conditionally. The fact that he was willing to kill his niece because she assimilated into Comanche culture is quite disturbing. But Ford does not make it that easy on the audience to make him a full-blown villain. We witness raw and powerful emotion when he confronts the horrific state in which he finds his dead niece (this just might be the best bit of acting that Wayne ever delivered. Ethan’s actions show his more divisive side as he is a Confederate soldier who refused to surrender and instead took a life of crime that has kept him on the run. He manipulates and uses people (even as bait to kill other people). There is even a strong implication that he is in love with his brother’s wife (which makes this whole family dynamic so much more complicated). But what is fascinating is how the film resolves this character. The climax of the film sees Martin (no Ethan) making the heroic act of sneaking into Scar’s camp to save Debbie before the calvary rides in (a calvary which Ethan joined to kill Indigenous folks). Then the conflict comes to a point as Martin and Ethan chase after Debbie with Martin wanting to save Debbie and Ethan wanting to destroy what she has “become”. But in a moment of clarity, Ethan lifts Debbie up and comes to the realization that this is still his niece and he commits to Martin’s perspective to save her. In a lesser and shallower film, this would have been the end of a redemptive arc for Ethan. But that is not what Ford portrays in his film. The final moments of the film are from a POV looking out from the front door of a home. Everyone is welcomed back into this haven together…except Ethan. He is not welcome into paradise as he did not earn it. One good deed does not cleanse the slate of a terrible man. Ethan represents so many of the terrible traits of “heroes” of traditional westerns and Ford lays his judgment in The Searchers. 

What is the crowning achievement of Ford’s The Searchers? This film is a breathtaking showcase of a visionary director. Just look at the final moments of the film. The perfect framing of that doorway and how Ethan is boxed out by it makes for a striking and powerful image. The way that Ford brings the setting to life is breathtaking. Monument Valley never looked more majestic and beautiful than in The Searchers. This is a sprawling epic that traverse seasons and years, and the audience gets to witness striking deserts and snow-covered landscapes. There are a few truly iconic shots in the film, especially those that capture the power of Wayne’s performance. There is an early shot of Wayne looking over his horse (simple) but the richness of color, his striking eyes, and the look of sadness that comes over him is poignant. The framing of Wayne’s emotional breakdown is so intimate that it allows the rawness of the moment to shine through. The rich Technicolor of Ford’s films is beautiful. The landscapes pop off screen. The costumes are so rich and authentic. Ford also delivers some impressive thrills and action throughout the film. The final charge into camp is quite impressive with the high-speed nature, the sustained shot, and the number of obstacles they had to avoid making the shot work. Ford made so many westerns up to this point but this one feels like his perfect vision comes to life. 

What does The Searchers represent in the annals of cinematic history? This is the Magnum Opus of Ford’s career and the synthesis of all his work in the western genre. Ford’s film is also one of the most significant efforts in the western genre. The Searchers feels like the peak of the more traditional western era before the 60s would take the genre into Spaghetti Westerns and Revisionist Westerns. The Searchers pushed the genre forward and other filmmakers like Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood would pick up those reins and run them forward.