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The Searchers (1956 - John Ford, John Wayne)

Started by Chedney Honks, May 16, 2021, 03:43:35 PM

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Chedney Honks



My Western journey keeps on rolling to another classic and the first John Wayne movie I've consciously chosen to watch. I liked it a lot, and I was quite intrigued by the tonal pendulum shifts.

On the one hand, you've got the vengeful racist force of nature in John Wayne, a pretty foul man who is nevertheless heroic and brave. That character is the core of the film and Wayne is remarkably commanding. There's a darkness and callous determination there which reminds me of Robert Mitchum in Night of the Hunter.

While the Comanche aren't at all developed as characters, there's also an implied brutality and horror to their actions which I found quite shocking but also refreshing. They too are portrayed as driven by hatred and revenge, arguably with very good reason. The film doesn't explain everything or go into too much detail but it gives enough to understand the ruthlessness with which they treated outsiders.

On the other hand, you've got very broad comedy and some quite bizarre characters such as Mose and Nesby. The Reverend/Captain is also a curious character, somewhat played for laughs but with a toughness that is sincere.

I also realised this is the first Western I've chosen to watch which features Native Americans, as well. This is more what I thought Westerns were like before I started catching up on the genre. I think I've seemingly watched a lot of the Revisionist stuff (and I've bloody loved it) so it's been really interesting to watch an older style film, albeit there is far more here than shootouts with savages. The landscapes are wonderful and the Warner Blu-ray version I picked up looked great, cost like seven quid off Amazon. The moment I saw that ending shot, I knew it must be legendary. 

I would have liked to know more about Debbie's time with the Comanche, to be honest, but I suspect that would be a very different film. There are lots of characters where their emotional turmoil or past experiences are only hinted at, though. I think that's part of the appeal of the film.

To my tastes, it's nowhere near OUATITW and I certainly preferred Shane and High Noon, but I think it's one that I'll get more from each time. I understand that Wayne (and maybe Ford) are politically dodgy but his performance, drawled delivery and lumbering physicality are extraordinary here.

mothman

A Man Called Horse might be good for your Native American viewpoints, but it's firmly of the revisionist era. Also, Little Big Man... um... Soldier Blue?

dissolute ocelot

It's one of those films where while it's very good in some ways, I'm still not sure exactly how good it is: it certainly offers a tough portrayal of racism, revenge, and brutality, and some great cinematography, and maybe Wayne's best performance (although The Shootist could claim that, it's a more conventionally sentimental performance). The action is good and the darker moments are still compelling, but a lot of it is very incongruous and doesn't really work with modern audiences.

The slapstick comedy thing seems part of a lot of Westerns. Most by both Ford and Hawks seem to have a formula where there are some jokes, a song, a pretty girl, and some violence. Ford was known for his love of drunken Irishmen hitting each other and falling over a lot. Victor McLaglen and Walter Brennan both made a career playing comedy drunkards and old geezers in westerns. Hawks's westerns like Rio Bravo seem to tend even more to the comic, to the point where Rio Bravo is as much about Wayne hanging out with Ricky Nelson, Dean Martin, and Angie Dickinson, as it's anything to do with crime and justice, giving Nelson time for a song and Martin time to do his thing. (It is a great film though.) And Ford films such as She Wore A Yellow Ribbon focus comically on Wayne dealing with women and girls as much as more seriously dealing with Native Americas. Even Peckinpah was fond of scenes of his bandits laughing and fooling around in brothels before getting shot.

You can argue whether it's necessary to balance the dark themes with people getting buckets of water over their heads or doused in a water trough, or similar motifs. And it's certainly jarring. But maybe it's offering something for everyone.

I would rate 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance' as my favourite Ford/Wayne film and Hawks' 'Red River' as also better than 'The Searchers' but there are moments of greatness in 'The Searchers' that are hugely rewarding. A key undercurrent is that Ethan is in love with his brother's dead wife and Debbie may be his daughter. The last 10 minutes or so are amazingly symbolic of how being a hero in certain historical periods may not be compatible with the hero being able to deal with family life (because it produces racist violence) and that Ethan may actually belong in the wilderness, rather like Heathcliff.

I would strongly recommended Edward Buscombe's book on the film.

Butchers Blind

Quote from: Satchmo Distel on May 19, 2021, 09:39:22 AM
The last 10 minutes or so are amazingly symbolic of how being a hero in certain historical periods may not be compatible with the hero being able to deal with family life (because it produces racist violence) and that Ethan may actually belong in the wilderness, rather like Heathcliff.

Feel the ending is similar to that of the aforementioned Shane. Both men know they're out of time in a changing landscape and leave knowing that's the the only option open to them.

Chedney Honks

I bloody love Westerns.

Watched this again and it blew me away second time around.

It is quite weird tonally but fuck me the undercurrents are gripping and John Wayne is utterly immense.

cUnT-CrAzY

This is a sensational film, and looks absolutely stunning in VistaVision.

One of the few Blu-Ray films that just pops off the screen. The story is so well done.

One the topic of good looking westerns are there any that look as good as this?

Chedney Honks

Have you seen Once Upon A Time In The West, waspy?

I think that's stunning. I'm still at the point where I'd say it's now probably my favourite film.

kalowski

I utterly love The Searchers. I am pretty sure Debbie is Ethan's daughter hence his desire to see her dead after being "despoiled" living as a "Comanche buck".
Edwards seethes with anger throughout, and his racism is plain to see, but there are other interesting things: he scalps Scar, and he can speaks some of the Comanche language. For a people he hates he's also learnt their ways.
A personal favourite scene is the funeral, with Ethan screaming "Out an amen on it!" as the mourners sing.

wooders1978

This is in my top ten - stunning film, Edwards turn on Debbie genuinely made me seeth as a kid, still does now - gonna rewatch!

Dex Sawash

Only free stream I can find is a shitty vhs pan and scan from an aids tier roku channel that looks terrible. Having a hard time at 20 minutes/night

chveik

Quote from: Dex Sawash on May 27, 2021, 10:40:29 PM
Only free stream I can find is a shitty vhs pan and scan from an aids tier roku channel that looks terrible. Having a hard time at 20 minutes/night

pm'd