Remember the classics

‘The Searchers’ (1956)

“The Searchers” might be called the first fully “revisionist” Western for its use of one of the first ambiguous “heroes” of the genre, Ethan Edwards, as played by John Wayne.

Ethan is unapologetically racist against Indians (especially Comanches). He extends past the everyday racism of the time period, going so far as to shoot out the eyes of an Indian corpse, explaining their belief that an eyeless man will not be able to find his way to the land of the spirits. He is undeniably cruel, hateful and unlikable. Unfortunately, director John Ford was still years ahead of his time, and these qualities were largely lost on the contemporary audience—despite a powerfully frightening performance by Wayne, he was still thought of as a white-hat hero; what’s more, many viewers shared the feelings of the “savage Indian” idea. Many examples of this stereotype can be found in “The Searchers,” but Ford also refuses to let any character or plot point become one dimensional. The sheer complexity of this film, then and now, earns it the worthy title of “classic,” and the multiple viewings that goes along with it.

In 1868, Ethan returns to his brother’s home after several years of wandering, hoping to settle down. The next day, however, as he is distracted elsewhere, a tribe of Comanches kills most of his family, and kidnaps young Debbie (Natalie Wood). Ethan makes it his life’s quest to search for the girl, but the reasons become blurry as the years pass. He knows that the Indians will eventually turn her into a “squaw,” and he may be seeking to gun her down. He is further incensed to be searching with Marty Pawley (Jeffrey Hunter), who grew up with his brother’s family and is one-eighth Cherokee (“I could almost mistake you for a half-breed,” Ethan sneers).

“The Searchers,” it can be argued, is about obsession in its purest, mysterious form—where we do not know why we are driven, only that we are. It pushes Ethan to be ruthless, even going so far as to shoot several men while their backs are turned—breaking one of the cardinal rules of the Western hero. Through this and many other examples, “The Searchers” proves itself as much more thoughtful and intricate than the typical horse opera.

One section that is usually criticized for its comedic tone is the “letter” sequence, where Marty barters with Indians and accidentally purchases “Look” (Beulah Archuletta) as his bride. But the sequence serves as an effective example of the film’s double purpose of racism and obsession. After Look as asked about Indian leader Scar, she escapes and leaves a trail for the two men; after a run-in with the cavalry, she is found dead. “She never did nobody no harm,” Marty says—indirectly rebuking Ethan’s contention that all Indians are savages. When he sends a letter to his childhood sweetheart Laurie (Vera Miles) to describe these events, the only letter he would send in five years’ time, he uses a distant, unloving tone of speech that angers her so much that she falls into the hands of another man.

Even with this occurrence, Marty probably knows that he is in love with Laurie—but he is just as obsessed with finding Debbie as Ethan is. Marty sees the dangers of this fixation and tries to shield Laurie from the same fate. That Marty is able to return to her indicates that he can escape from the vestiges of obsession when all is said and done; whereas Ethan’s inherent loneliness and hatred keep him far distanced from everyone, even by the end of the picture.

The picture is sullenly powerful, a quality lacking in even some of the best Westerns. There is a sense of urgency that jolts through the scenes and performances. Wayne forever seems to operate on an unseen ticking clock—whether it relates to his quest, or his emotional state, is anyone’s guess. Hunter plays Marty in a constant struggle on all sides, vying for Ethan’s respect but increasingly questioning of his stature. Natalie Wood’s Debbie is perhaps the most perplexing of them all—she tells Ethan and Marty of the Indians,” these are my people now,” but later is happy to escape. Is it unbelievable, or is there some underlying purpose? In this film, what is unsaid tends to lean towards the latter.

“The Searchers” is one of the first wake-up calls that the Western needed to mature and become something more than simplistic tales of good and evil. It’s a lesson that would lead to the works of Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood, and eventually George Lucas and Martin Scorsese. The people who love the film can try to describe just why they love it, what makes it such a brilliant film. Its true power, however, must be left for the individual viewer to discover.