LogFAQs > #956788364

And on that subject, here's another classic film we ranked low lmao

#27. The Searchers 158 points

Poke 4
Johnbobb 17
CoolCly 25
Stifled 27
Inviso 28
Karo 28
KBM 29

Very poor plot synopsis:
Murdery man is so murdery he would murder a murder of crows. He wants to murder his niece because she doesnt go yee haw anymore, pilgrim.

Why it was included:
If you set out to read a critics list of the greatest westerns of all time, The Searchers will likely appear on all of them. And truly, there are good reasons why. The cinematography is excellent. The performances, whatever you might take from them, are enthralling. It definitely has something to say and it shouts it at you. But what are they saying exactly? Is this a movie about coming to terms with someone/something you once thought was an enemy and moving on? Is this a movie about feeling isolated when everyone around you moves on from an antiquated ideal and you still believe youre right? Or is this movie actually a big litmus test to determine where the country stood at the time in terms of feelings toward Native Americans? The brilliant thing about this movie is you could make a case for any or all of those and have a valid point. This is certainly a movie that warrants a discussion, and I was eager to bring that discussion to Board 8.

What Stifled thinks:
Im going to be 100% honest here. I dont believe John Ford has a nuanced bone in his body. Stagecoach painted a picture that The Searchers signed in the corner. When I watched these movies, I felt hatred towards Native Americans. In Stagecoach, Ringo was shown to have kindness towards those treated unfairly, yet he gladly dispatched the Natives like rabid animals. Fast forward to The Searchers and I see more of the same. A grizzled John Wayne takes it to the next level and goes on a quest to find his niece, but when he doesnt like what he finds, his thoughts immediately turn to murder. He no longer sees her as a person, but as a rabid animal that needs to be put down. I saw this as John Fords last gasp to try and see if people sympathized with his Ethan character. Because you see, I believe Ethan IS John Ford. Fords masterpiece puts himself on the screen because he is frustrated by a country slowly coming to terms with their mistakes. He wants to continue the hate and Ethan is his vessel. The ending of Ethan not killing his niece is a begrudging acceptance. An acceptance that he must change his ways to blend in with society, and it kills him inside. Could I be completely wrong about this? Of course. But thats how I felt when I watched this. The very fact I could tinfoil hat a movie so much easily keeps it out of last place. Plus, you know, lovely frontier scenery porn and convincing acting performances.
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Bear Bro
The Empire of Silence