A Confederate soldier (John Wayne) with an intense hatred of
Indians and whose whereabouts after the close of the war have remained
mysterious, finally returns home to the family ranch after several years. There
he helps ward off a Comanche attack which leaves several of his family members
dead and his niece (Natalie Wood) kidnapped. Setting off with his nephew
(Jeffrey Hunter) on an expansive, years long search, when they finally track
down the girl it appears she has adopted the ways of her kidnappers and becomes
a target for her maddened uncle. One of the most regarded of Westerns by John
Ford, the genre’s most revered architect, The
Searchers is bold and uncompromising, both in presentation and in Wayne’s
iconic performance. The film boasts magnificent photography, incredible
location shooting, a colorful cast of supporters, and that unforgettable final
shot.
**** out of ****
