Movie Review: The Searchers

The Searchers: Torgo disapproves

I love Westerns. Or should I say, I love late-era Westerns, Clint Eastwood Westerns. Cowboy movies that arrived after the time in which the enemy was known as an "Injun."

"The Searchers" is supposedly the greatest Western of all time. It's John Ford, John Wayne, VistaVision landscapes, all that. But like most pre-1960's Westerns, it's inherently, profoundly racist and ignorant.

In recent years, there have been defenders of the racism in this movie. Roger Ebert wrote an article questioning whether it was racist or an indictment of racism. I don't think there's any question.

John Wayne's character, Ethan, is not a pure and virtuous hero. He's obsessively vindictive, violent, and unrestrained. His hatred of the Comanches (as he pronounces it, "Coh-manch") is supposedly multi-layered and entirely justified. IMDB.com notes that in an early shot, a gravestone can be seen that mentions Ethan's mother having been killed by the Comanches. Also, it's supposedly hinted at that Ethan had an affair with his brother's wife, and the two kidnapped girls, Debbie and Lucy, are actually his children, hence his tireless searching for them.

But none of that justifies the representation of the "Injuns" in this movie. They're brutal, merciless savages. Not smart, either. They're played for both cartoon villains and comic relief. There is one shot, only one shot, where Ford gives the Comanches some depth. Near the end, when the cavalry is raiding their village, there are children and terrified mothers trying to flee the carnage. But that's pretty much it.

Beyond the racism, it's not even that solid of a movie. I read the original NY Times review from 1956 (in which there's no mention of racism), and even then Ford was faulted for mixing beautiful outdoor cinematography with "Three Amigos"-style soundstage shots. The review noted that one campfire scene might as well have been shot in a sporting goods store window.

And back to John Wayne. I've never been a big fan of his. Like I said, I'm a Clint Eastwood fan. Wayne apparently loved this movie more than any other. He named one of his kids after his character. But his character is so sloppy and inconsistent that it's hard to admire. Ethan's supposed to be a returned Confederate soldier, dark and mysterious. But by this point in his career, 50-year-old John Wayne looked about 60, overweight and tired. Ford gives him a few menacing shots, but they're only menacing because of the lighting and camera movements. Wayne just stands there sneering.