What makes a movie a classic? The verydefinition of a classic filmis often left in the hands of film connoisseurs, who are entitled to share why a film should be categorized as such. However, the reality is that anyone could say a movie should be considered a classic if enough fans agree. The beauty is that there are no winners or losers in the rocky field of film discussion.
However, some movies have been labeled as classics, and just about everyone agrees with very little debate.John Ford’s epic Westerndrama,The Searchers, is undoubtedly an excellent example of a classic film with enough legacy to make a great point of a movie that should unite everyone in a collective nod and applause.
The reason why it’s a classic varies according to the perspective of who’s watching it. Is it Ford’s groundbreaking use of the medium in terms of storytelling? Is it the scale of the film where everything feels big? Or is it something simpler, like the visuals and framing? In any case, we’re taking a trip down memory lane to look at 1956’sThe Searchers, a classic that’s alsoone of the most important films ever made.
John Ford’s The Searchers Has a Fascinating Plot
The Searchers
The Searchersstars John Wayneand follows Civil War veteran Ethan Edwards as he returns to Texas to his brother’s home after being away for almost a decade. The new society’s dynamics and the war’s divisive conclusion make him a bitter man with everyone but his family. His return also coincides with cattle theft, and Ethan agrees to investigate the crime, which Comanches most likely committed.
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But when the men return, they realize the Comanches have raided their homesteads. His brother Aaron, Aaron’s wife, and their son have been killed, and the girls Debbie and Lucyhave been abducted. This sends Ethan and his adopted nephew Martin on a quest to find the truth about what happened to Debbie. Lucy has been found viciously murdered, and her fiance, Brad, has been killed in the search attempt. After years pass, and there are no new signs of Debbie, Ethan and Martin imagine the worst has happened, but when they approach the indigenous community that took the girl, they are surprised at what they find deep in New Mexico.
The Searchers Was an Industry First in Showing What Happened Behind the Camera
A first in Hollywood history,The Searcherswas an ambitious project led by a confident and iconic directorwho had stormed Hollywood decades ago. Ford had already won four Oscars for Best Director by 1956, and he still made over two or three movies a year, with no preference for a studio. When Warner Bros decided to produce an adaptation of Alan Le May’s novel,The Searchers, John Ford jumped on board and made a film like no other. With the full support of the studio, Ford decided to makean ambitious Western epicand test his knack for Westerns once again after the great experience of 1939’sStagecoach.
Ford’s filmmaking style was the first to be documented in a “making of” film.Warner Bros. Presentswas a TV show created by the studio to experiment with the small screen format. Initially thought of as an opportunity to showcase other productions by Warner Bros, Ford complied to make a four-part series aboutThe Searchers. In the show, Ford opened up and explained many of the techniques that, up to that point, had remained a mystery.
InWarner Bros. Presents, actor Gig Young presented the studio’s latest production. By being on location in Monument Valley, Young showed behind-the-scenes segments, interviews, and, most importantly, the show provided audiences with an inside look at one of the year’s most important films.
The Searchers Is a Visual Masterpiece Like No Other
There’s no question that one of the things that remains valid and extremely influential aboutThe Searchersis the visual style. Shot by Winton C. Hoch against beautiful Utah and Arizona backgrounds, the movie was experimental in this regard as well. Paramount Pictures had come up with VistaVision a few years back, and Ford agreed to use the innovative format in the film. VistaVision is a variant of 35 mm film that didn’t last very long in the industry. However, George Lucas insisted on its use for the first threeStar Warsfilms, and the format was an early experiment that ultimately became the blueprint for 70 mm IMAX.
The film is so beautifully shot that it became a source of inspiration for David Lean and his epicLawrence of Arabia.The Searchersis also known to have influencedfilmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Wim Wenders, Jean-Luc Goddard, and George Lucas.
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In a surprising turn of events for Ford, an Academy Award darling,The Searcherswasn’t nominated for any Oscars. Not even Hoch’s cinematography was recognized, andAround the World in 80 Dayswas instead the one film that captured the attention of the Academy that year. Nevertheless, the legacy ofThe Searcherswas strong enough to make critics rave about it for years. Some still regard it as one of the best films in history.
But yes, it’s also important to mention thatThe Searchersis problematic with some of its depictions, especially when portrayingNative-American communities, which isn’t surprising given the time period in which the film was released. Additionally, the heavy theme of “miscegenation” is unbearable, even if Ford tries to symbolize and call for interpretation about Debbie’s “change of character.“The Searchersis available to rent onPrime Video.
