Searchers, The (1956): Hollywood’s Most Influential Movie–Admired by Bogdanovich, Spielberg, Scorsese, Scharder

The Searchers is considered to be by many critics one of John Ford’s undisputable masterpieces.

For the noted Village Voice reviewer Andrew Sarris, The Searchers is timelessly sublime, Ford’s monumental masterpiece as well as an auto-critique of a peculiarly American madness and presumption that haunt us to this day.

At least four elements of “The Searchers” explain its long-lasting effects: The exploration of a major and still timely problem of racism; Ethan Edwards as a quintessentially American hero; the film’s visual style as summation of Ford’s rich oeuvre; and John Wayne’s most complex performance.

To be sure, The Searchers is not a politically correct Western, but it’s still a poetically profound one. Placed in the context of the mid-1950s, the movie is not so much a plea for racial tolerance as examination of the roots of racism in the fabric of American history, and the very assumption of legitimate use of violence against alien or different people.

The film not only puts our political culture to a test of tolerance, but also shows deep doubt that it would pass that test. “The Searchers” raises disturbing questions about the psychosexual and political roots of racism in the American experience. And what the film says about Native Americans could easily apply to other racial minorities, including blacks and Jews. Ford shows, as the scholar Richard Combs noted, that American male heroism has a demonic side that includes exclusionary racial hatred so intense and thorough that it’s destructive to both the white and Indian commanders when the code is violated.

The economy of expression that Ford had achieved in 50 years of filmmaking constitutes the beauty of his style in “The Searchers.” The film is rich in the colors and textures of the seasons, from the whiteness of the winter snows to the brownness of summer sands.

Bogdanovich on John Wayne

John Wayne’s standing as a performer has enjoys greater prestige among the young generation of directors than among film critics.

Peter Bogdanovich, the critic-turned filmmaker, named four of Wayne movies among his ten all-time favorites: Red River ranked fourth, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon fifth, The Searchers sixth, and Rio Bravo ninth; Rio Bravo features, in his view, “Wayne’s most endearing performance.”

Bogdanovich notes that none of these pictures was recognized at the time as more than “and John Wayne does his usual job.” He feels that the critics unjustifiably panned many of Wayne’s roles, and that the quality that stars like Wayne (and Jimmy Stewart) bring with them is “unfortunately an achievement that normally goes unnoticed.” Unlike many of his colleagues at the time, Bogdanovich thinks that, “John Wayne is at his best precisely when he is being what we have to call John Wayne.”

Many critics see in Bogdanovich’s best film, The Last Picture Show” (1971), an explicit tribute to the work of John Ford and Howard Hawks. To begin with, the film is shot in black and white, which fits its ambiance of despair and stagnation, but was also influenced by Hawks’ cinematography. And for the last picture that the town’s only theater shows, Bogdanovich chose “Red River”; we see on the screen the scene in which Wayne calls the start of the cattle drive. Bogdanovich had a life dream to cast Wayne and Stewart in a Western, but it never materialized.

But if “Stagecoach” and “Red River” have managed to attain a classic status as great Westerns, “The Searchers” has become a cult movie, perhaps a reaction to the under-rated critical response when it was first released, in 1956.

Andrew Sarris on Ford and Wayne

Over the past three decades, The Searchers has gained the respect of numerous critics and filmmakers. A poll of international critics found that a majority cited the movie as one of their all-time favorite. Two of the Village Voice reviewers cited The Searchers as one of their ten favorite films. Andrew Sarris ranked the film fourth, preceded by Welles’s The Magnificent Ambersons, Murnau’s Sunrise, and Hitchcock’s Vertigo.

And Tom Allen placed the film at the head of his list, followed by Vertigo and another Wayne film, Hatari!

In the 1972 survey of Sight and Sound, several of Wayne movies were mentioned among the best films of all times, but The Searchers was the most frequent choice.

Jean-Luc Godard on Wayne

Mention has been made of the popularity of Ford and Hawks Westerns in France. Jean-Luc Godard, a leader of the French New Wave and one of the most experimental filmmakers, whose leftist politics were diametrically opposed to Wayne’s wondered: “How can I hate McNamara and adore Sergeant La Terreur, hate John Wayne upholding Goldwater and love John Wayne tenderly when abruptly he takes Natalie Wood into his arms in The Searchers.”

That scene is often cited as one of the most memorable and touching in film history! Another noted French director, Francois Truffaut, liked The Searchers, but he also admired Rio Lobo, which neither Hawks nor Wayne liked, as one of the ten movies in the 1970s he would like to see again, due to its “magistrate direction.”

Hollywood’s Young Directors

A whole generation of American directors was inspired by The Searchers, including Paul Schrader, John Milius, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Michael Cimino.

By 1980, John Milius said he had watched the movie at least 60 times.

Scorsese and Paul Schrader cultivated the habit of revisiting Ford’s movie at least once or twice a year. Schrader, the critic-turned director-screenwriter, admitted that his scenario for “Hardcore” (1979) was virtually a reworking of “The Searchers” plot. George C. Scott plays the Wayne role, a father obsessed with finding and rescuing his teenage daughter from prostitution. The urban scene of New York’s pornographic world substitutes for the Comanche Indians. In the last reel of “Hardcore,” Schrader betrays his hero’s psychological makeup so that he can stage a climax that mimics “The Searchers.”

Spielberg had seen the film at least a dozen times, twice during the shoot of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” Spielberg also paid homage to Ford and Wayne in his blockbuster “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” (1982). In a funny and moving scene, the creature from outer space is watching television and is aroused by the seduction scene between Wayne and Maureen O’Hara in “The Quiet Man.”

Spielberg later offered Wayne a role in his war comedy “1941,” which the star turned down.

Most of these directors have tried to incorporate elements and ideas and characters of The Searchers into their movies. The Searchers has inspired many directors and writers all of whom have acknowledge their great intellectual and cinematic debts to it. About a dozen American films, which are masterpieces in their own right, ranging from “Taxi Driver,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “The Deer Hunter,” have used the same narrative premise: an obsessed and obsessive young man searching for something, to which goal he is willing to sacrifice his body and soul.

Individual sequences, thematic ideas (revenge) and visual motifs of “The Searchers” have appeared in Clint Eastwood’s “Dirty Harry” movies, Sam Peckinpah’s “Ulzana’s Raid,” “The Wind and the Lion,” “Dillinger,” Sergio Leone’s “Once Upon a Time in the West,” and George Lucas’ “Star Wars” film series.

Critics and directors continue to be intrigued by “The Searchers” morally complex story. The film’s denouement and its implications on racism has understandably led to a sharply divided response, between what could be called the pessimists and optimists. According to one optimist reader, Jim Beaver: “It is Ford’s recognition and expert depiction of this ability of man to overcome even his worst nature that makes ‘The Searchers’ a great film.” Others think that the movie is never able to reconcile its ideological cracks and that its very contradictions and ambiguities are the reasons for endlessly revisiting and reevaluating the film.

Inspired by or Homages to The Searchers

After Hours
Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Django Unchained
The Emerlad Forest
E.T.
Hardcore
The Lion King
Mona Lisa
Paris, Texas
Star Wars film series
Taxi Driver
Ulee’s Gold

xosotin chelseathông tin chuyển nhượngcâu lạc bộ bóng đá arsenalbóng đá atalantabundesligacầu thủ haalandUEFAevertonxosokeonhacaiketquabongdalichthidau7m.newskqbdtysokeobongdabongdalufutebol ao vivofutemaxmulticanaisonbethttps://bsport.fithttps://onbet88.ooohttps://i9bet.bizhttps://hi88.ooohttps://okvip.athttps://f8bet.athttps://fb88.cashhttps://vn88.cashhttps://shbet.atbóng đá world cupbóng đá inter milantin juventusbenzemala ligaclb leicester cityMUman citymessi lionelsalahnapolineymarpsgronaldoserie atottenhamvalenciaAS ROMALeverkusenac milanmbappenapolinewcastleaston villaliverpoolfa cupreal madridpremier leagueAjaxbao bong da247EPLbarcelonabournemouthaff cupasean footballbên lề sân cỏbáo bóng đá mớibóng đá cúp thế giớitin bóng đá ViệtUEFAbáo bóng đá việt namHuyền thoại bóng đágiải ngoại hạng anhSeagametap chi bong da the gioitin bong da lutrận đấu hôm nayviệt nam bóng đátin nong bong daBóng đá nữthể thao 7m24h bóng đábóng đá hôm naythe thao ngoai hang anhtin nhanh bóng đáphòng thay đồ bóng đábóng đá phủikèo nhà cái onbetbóng đá lu 2thông tin phòng thay đồthe thao vuaapp đánh lô đềdudoanxosoxổ số giải đặc biệthôm nay xổ sốkèo đẹp hôm nayketquaxosokq xskqxsmnsoi cầu ba miềnsoi cau thong kesxkt hôm naythế giới xổ sốxổ số 24hxo.soxoso3mienxo so ba mienxoso dac bietxosodientoanxổ số dự đoánvé số chiều xổxoso ket quaxosokienthietxoso kq hôm nayxoso ktxổ số megaxổ số mới nhất hôm nayxoso truc tiepxoso ViệtSX3MIENxs dự đoánxs mien bac hom nayxs miên namxsmientrungxsmn thu 7con số may mắn hôm nayKQXS 3 miền Bắc Trung Nam Nhanhdự đoán xổ số 3 miềndò vé sốdu doan xo so hom nayket qua xo xoket qua xo so.vntrúng thưởng xo sokq xoso trực tiếpket qua xskqxs 247số miền nams0x0 mienbacxosobamien hôm naysố đẹp hôm naysố đẹp trực tuyếnnuôi số đẹpxo so hom quaxoso ketquaxstruc tiep hom nayxổ số kiến thiết trực tiếpxổ số kq hôm nayso xo kq trực tuyenkết quả xổ số miền bắc trực tiếpxo so miền namxổ số miền nam trực tiếptrực tiếp xổ số hôm nayket wa xsKQ XOSOxoso onlinexo so truc tiep hom nayxsttso mien bac trong ngàyKQXS3Msố so mien bacdu doan xo so onlinedu doan cau loxổ số kenokqxs vnKQXOSOKQXS hôm naytrực tiếp kết quả xổ số ba miềncap lo dep nhat hom naysoi cầu chuẩn hôm nayso ket qua xo soXem kết quả xổ số nhanh nhấtSX3MIENXSMB chủ nhậtKQXSMNkết quả mở giải trực tuyếnGiờ vàng chốt số OnlineĐánh Đề Con Gìdò số miền namdò vé số hôm nayso mo so debach thủ lô đẹp nhất hôm naycầu đề hôm naykết quả xổ số kiến thiết toàn quốccau dep 88xsmb rong bach kimket qua xs 2023dự đoán xổ số hàng ngàyBạch thủ đề miền BắcSoi Cầu MB thần tàisoi cau vip 247soi cầu tốtsoi cầu miễn phísoi cau mb vipxsmb hom nayxs vietlottxsmn hôm naycầu lô đẹpthống kê lô kép xổ số miền Bắcquay thử xsmnxổ số thần tàiQuay thử XSMTxổ số chiều nayxo so mien nam hom nayweb đánh lô đề trực tuyến uy tínKQXS hôm nayxsmb ngày hôm nayXSMT chủ nhậtxổ số Power 6/55KQXS A trúng roycao thủ chốt sốbảng xổ số đặc biệtsoi cầu 247 vipsoi cầu wap 666Soi cầu miễn phí 888 VIPSoi Cau Chuan MBđộc thủ desố miền bắcthần tài cho sốKết quả xổ số thần tàiXem trực tiếp xổ sốXIN SỐ THẦN TÀI THỔ ĐỊACầu lô số đẹplô đẹp vip 24hsoi cầu miễn phí 888xổ số kiến thiết chiều nayXSMN thứ 7 hàng tuầnKết quả Xổ số Hồ Chí Minhnhà cái xổ số Việt NamXổ Số Đại PhátXổ số mới nhất Hôm Nayso xo mb hom nayxxmb88quay thu mbXo so Minh ChinhXS Minh Ngọc trực tiếp hôm nayXSMN 88XSTDxs than taixổ số UY TIN NHẤTxs vietlott 88SOI CẦU SIÊU CHUẨNSoiCauVietlô đẹp hôm nay vipket qua so xo hom naykqxsmb 30 ngàydự đoán xổ số 3 miềnSoi cầu 3 càng chuẩn xácbạch thủ lônuoi lo chuanbắt lô chuẩn theo ngàykq xo-solô 3 càngnuôi lô đề siêu vipcầu Lô Xiên XSMBđề về bao nhiêuSoi cầu x3xổ số kiến thiết ngày hôm nayquay thử xsmttruc tiep kết quả sxmntrực tiếp miền bắckết quả xổ số chấm vnbảng xs đặc biệt năm 2023soi cau xsmbxổ số hà nội hôm naysxmtxsmt hôm nayxs truc tiep mbketqua xo so onlinekqxs onlinexo số hôm nayXS3MTin xs hôm nayxsmn thu2XSMN hom nayxổ số miền bắc trực tiếp hôm naySO XOxsmbsxmn hôm nay188betlink188 xo sosoi cầu vip 88lô tô việtsoi lô việtXS247xs ba miềnchốt lô đẹp nhất hôm naychốt số xsmbCHƠI LÔ TÔsoi cau mn hom naychốt lô chuẩndu doan sxmtdự đoán xổ số onlinerồng bạch kim chốt 3 càng miễn phí hôm naythống kê lô gan miền bắcdàn đề lôCầu Kèo Đặc Biệtchốt cầu may mắnkết quả xổ số miền bắc hômSoi cầu vàng 777thẻ bài onlinedu doan mn 888soi cầu miền nam vipsoi cầu mt vipdàn de hôm nay7 cao thủ chốt sốsoi cau mien phi 7777 cao thủ chốt số nức tiếng3 càng miền bắcrồng bạch kim 777dàn de bất bạion newsddxsmn188betw88w88789bettf88sin88suvipsunwintf88five8812betsv88vn88Top 10 nhà cái uy tínsky88iwinlucky88nhacaisin88oxbetm88vn88w88789betiwinf8betrio66rio66lucky88oxbetvn88188bet789betMay-88five88one88sin88bk88xbetoxbetMU88188BETSV88RIO66ONBET88188betM88M88SV88Jun-68Jun-88one88iwinv9betw388OXBETw388w388onbetonbetonbetonbet88onbet88onbet88onbet88onbetonbetonbetonbetqh88mu88Nhà cái uy tínpog79vp777vp777vipbetvipbetuk88uk88typhu88typhu88tk88tk88sm66sm66me88me888live8live8livesm66me88win798livesm66me88win79pog79pog79vp777vp777uk88uk88tk88tk88luck8luck8kingbet86kingbet86k188k188hr99hr99123b8xbetvnvipbetsv66zbettaisunwin-vntyphu88vn138vwinvwinvi68ee881xbetrio66zbetvn138i9betvipfi88clubcf68onbet88ee88typhu88onbetonbetkhuyenmai12bet-moblie12betmoblietaimienphi247vi68clupcf68clupvipbeti9betqh88onb123onbefsoi cầunổ hũbắn cáđá gàđá gàgame bàicasinosoi cầuxóc đĩagame bàigiải mã giấc mơbầu cuaslot gamecasinonổ hủdàn đềBắn cácasinodàn đềnổ hũtài xỉuslot gamecasinobắn cáđá gàgame bàithể thaogame bàisoi cầukqsssoi cầucờ tướngbắn cágame bàixóc đĩa开云体育开云体育开云体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育亚新体育亚新体育亚新体育爱游戏爱游戏爱游戏华体会华体会华体会IM体育IM体育沙巴体育沙巴体育PM体育PM体育AG尊龙AG尊龙AG尊龙AG百家乐AG百家乐AG百家乐AG真人AG真人<AG真人<皇冠体育皇冠体育PG电子PG电子万博体育万博体育KOK体育KOK体育欧宝体育江南体育江南体育江南体育半岛体育半岛体育半岛体育凯发娱乐凯发娱乐杏彩体育杏彩体育杏彩体育FB体育PM真人PM真人<米乐娱乐米乐娱乐天博体育天博体育开元棋牌开元棋牌j9九游会j9九游会开云体育AG百家乐AG百家乐AG真人AG真人爱游戏华体会华体会im体育kok体育开云体育开云体育开云体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育欧宝体育ob体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育开云体育开云体育棋牌棋牌沙巴体育买球平台新葡京娱乐开云体育mu88qh88
Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter