The cause of Ethan's racism becomes more understandable when you look closely at the scene when Scar finds Debbie in the graveyard. She's sitting in front of Ethan's parents' graves, with his mother's epitaph clearly saying, "Killed by Comanches". It looks like his father's grave has the same date, so it points to a massacre. The irony is that like the dead Commanche warrior he shot, Ethan is destined to never find contentment and will be forever blown by the winds.
@shangpush2 жыл бұрын
These guys are definitely movie people. They overlook many elements. Much of what makes The Searchers great is the screenplay . . . the narrative. It has the existentialism of a French novel. So much foreshadowing, so much psychology, so much "arc" in the characters' development. The transformation of Martin from "boy" to a "guardian" like Ethan, albeit without his dark side. The oedipal conflict between them ie "Aunt Martha." The fact that Martin's love interest even looks like Aunt Martha! The picaresque aspect of their quest as we see the West from many angles. We are on the edge of our seats until the end. But they are right: the audience leaves full and paradoxically, emotionally drained. For those who have seen The Searchers once, watch it again. You'll have many "oh, that's why" moments. And tears. A masterpiece.
@michaelhuck3 жыл бұрын
When I watched this movie the first time I was a teenager and hated it so much I stopped watching after the first 45 minutes. Later I wondered that so many of my friends had such a high regard for this movie and with 55 I finally bought it on dvd and watched it and was blown away. I have no idea how many times I´ve watched it since, sometimes twice a week. I always considered Wayne a good and a great actor who took his work extremely serious and this part is certainly the best he ever had as an actor. My favorite Wayne-Ford picture still is "Donovan´s Reef" because this is such a beautiful movie with so many great characters but The Searchers certainly is one of the greatest pictures ever.
@nickmitsialis Жыл бұрын
Many folks think Ethan Edwards was the role that should have won Wayne the Oscar. That being said, the first time I saw this movie and fully understood it was in 1982, when I was in college in Greece (Tuesday night was 'Western Movie Night). The next day, on campus, my mates & I all commented what an absolute SOB Ethan Edwards was--very uncharacteristic of Wayne's traditional image.
@jameswiglesworth5004 Жыл бұрын
Why did you not like it as a teenager, I first saw it aged 12 and was blown away by it, still am aged 70, however it has lost some of it's impact with the passing of time and I would now say Wayne's greatest film is "The Shootist"
@michaelhuck Жыл бұрын
@@jameswiglesworth5004 I was used to see Wayne in movies like El Dorado, Rio Bravo, Hatari! and I just could not stand all that hate. Later I understood as Mr Hitchcock always said "It´s only a movie!" and I realized what a damn good actor Wayne is, especially in The Searchers. Or to make it clear, when I was a teenager I obviously was too stupid to realize what a great movie this is. It´s the same with a lot of movies. The first time I watched "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" I did not like it at all, now I think it is hilarious. I think when I grew older I just looked at movies in a different way. There are so many things you just don´t get when you watch them the first time. Just watched The Fast and the Furious and then re-watched it with directors comment. When I watched it without comment I did not realize the Stageoach-homage at the beginning, only when Cohen told so I understood. It is so great to have now all those movies with making ofs and comments and I think there just are some movies you have to watch more than once to really like them.
@atm1919 Жыл бұрын
I accidentally came across this movie, when I was 8 or 9 when I was home sick from school. I had seen all of John Wayne's classic westerns (including true grit) I saw John waynes name on the vhs box and I figured I'd give it a try. I put it in and as soon as I finished it, I rewound the movie and watched it again. I couldn't believe how good it was and how I'd never seen it. I guess my parents thought it was too adult for me at the time, I'm thankful I took a gamble on it
@TheSaltydog077 ай бұрын
You can't step into the same movie twice. The film did not change. You did.
@WilliamSilva-ml5nw3 жыл бұрын
A great western... John Wayne's greatest performance on screen!!!
@devinhapanovich842810 ай бұрын
1st time I watched it late at night 14 years old couldn’t sleep all night…..what a film!
@williamsnyder561611 ай бұрын
It was almost 67 years when I saw ''The Searchers'' in a little third-run house in Wyoming, MI. I was eight years old then and easily frightened. And so I was scared tol death of a scene when the family waits in their home for the Indians to attack. There was eerie orange lighting in the backgroundas if anticipating the attack. I've seen the scene many times and I still feel for the family.
@Joemckenzie-855 ай бұрын
I love The Searchers and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
@tracyleesmith5340 Жыл бұрын
i think its the Dukes best movie ,from start to finish its a masterpiece
@wimsele9 ай бұрын
As an audience, when you know that Debbie secretly is Ethan's illegitimate daughter (and his brother's wife is the mother) things change when viewing this film.
@RestlessNative9874 ай бұрын
What? You’re a genius. I’ve seen this movie 25ish times and you say what? John Ford man, keeps on surprising me year after year
@TheSaltydog077 ай бұрын
With all due respect to Ben, I miss Robert. ❤
@scottsmith66312 жыл бұрын
I've been a movie and westerns fan my whole life. Thought I had seen them all. A friend had this movie on DVD a few years back and we watched it one afternoon. Ford had a way of getting the best performances out of John Wayne. I was blown away by the movie and Wayne's performance. Ethan is the 'anti-hero'. Violent, racist and angry, but redeems himself in the end. America was tired of the good guy wearing the white hat, especially after WWII. Clint Eastwood has made a spectacular career out of playing the anti-hero. Blondie, Josie Wales, William Munny and even Harry Callahan were all anti-heroes. Those characters spoke volumes to a jaded, post-Vietnam America.
@waynemcauliffe23623 жыл бұрын
My favorite Western
@renaissancemarinetv35363 жыл бұрын
these guys get it...to a degree.
@peterpellechia5985 Жыл бұрын
John Wayne had quite a few great performances
@ianmorrisonmovienutcase571328 күн бұрын
I personally think the reason Ethan doesn’t go in with Debbie and the family at the end is because he’s ashamed of himself that he was about to kill his niece. He knows he doesn’t deserve to go in. He feels he deserves to only be alone and he isolates himself.
@peterpellechia5985 Жыл бұрын
The searchers is the greatest western of all time!!!
@gaylecheung30872 жыл бұрын
I saw this movie is it in the late 60s early 70s or public definitely the 80s I loved it ever since and I always look forward to watching it it is one of my favourite movies
@leeturton9254 Жыл бұрын
Visually it's so beautiful so interesting...you can see why kurosawa was so influenced by ford..ran is a perfect example another movie with very artful camera work
@karlzimmerman183311 ай бұрын
The Searchers is one of the great films, but I think Wayne's performance in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon was his best acting job, especially the scene where he chokes up during his retirement ceremony. As an ex-military officer, I appreciate the pacifist message. Interesting that no Indians die in this film--only whites.
@thatamerican31872 жыл бұрын
I'm going to tell you what the Searchers is all about. It's about one man through one act redeeming himself for all the bad shiznit he has done.
@charlie-obrien Жыл бұрын
Yes, and that man is America.
@thatamerican3187 Жыл бұрын
@@charlie-obrien Dude seek help//
@charlie-obrien Жыл бұрын
@@thatamerican3187 I prefer Dude, duder or even El Duderino if your not into that whole brevity thing. BTW, I wasn't referring to you. This was Ford's summation on the Settlers and white Americans and their treatment of the Native Americans, whom he came to know quite well after working with them over so many years.
@ToddSauve Жыл бұрын
I think that John Ford, having been in the Pacific theatre of operations during WW2, must have been exposed to many soldiers of the type that John Wayne portrayed in "The Searchers." Many veterans had a very hard time fitting back into the world they had known prior to the war. There weren't that many films that portrayed these type of characters accurately, except for the 1930s gangster films and they became a parody of themselves as time went by. And John Ford was a hard boiled person himself, especially after WW2, so this may have been a bit autobiographical for him. John Wayne is quoted as saying that a scorpion bit John Ford during the filming of this Western--and the scorpion died! 🤔😮🤨😠
@davidmacnamara85952 жыл бұрын
This and good the bad and the ugly best westerns ever
@hennagaijin100 Жыл бұрын
Once Upon A Time In The West
@a.r.t933 күн бұрын
I like DeMilles "The Plainsman"
@peterpellechia59852 ай бұрын
He had alot more great performances than red river and the searchers
@jameshorton74962 жыл бұрын
Wonder how this movie would've turned out if they had gone by Alan LeMays book. I read it a few years back and in it, Ethan is killed in the attack on the village.
@6300211 ай бұрын
Great movie. Lefties make me laugh. Ben is no robert Osborne
@johnfrei90572 жыл бұрын
John Wayne’s racism? You’re confusing the actor with the role they played.
@francesbass1322 Жыл бұрын
Right John Wayne, himself, did a great deal for Native Americans especially helped them be the actual ones in the movies through his own production company. He married at least Two Spanish women. He had many friends who were not white and helped Spanish actors too. It is said he’s racist because of a rolling stone interview where he said two things that were not racist. He said in his opinion the Native Americans were selfish because there was enough for everyone and that he thought since blacks had been held back in education that they should get educated before holding a government political position. Of course I can say anything in this day and time and it be turned into racism. Neither statement is demeaning to either. Well people say all of the time whites were selfish for coming here. I could say that’s racist. Out of over 2000 tribes most Native Americans got along with the Europeans. And there were tribes like the Comanche who were brutal to everyone including other tribes.
@alberg6290 Жыл бұрын
besides excellent cinematography vastly overrated -----Ford made 10 movies better than this mess
@MichaelTelman-we5dm7 ай бұрын
I think it's kind of corny,but it's so influential.
@mypalfootfoot959111 күн бұрын
I guess you have to like John Wayne to believe this is one of the best westerns. I don't!