The Searchers (1956)
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Movie Info & Cast
Synopsis
An American Civil War veteran embarks on a journey to rescue his niece from the Comanches.
Cast
- John Wayne
- Jeffrey Hunter
- Vera Miles
- Ward Bond
- Natalie Wood
- John Qualen
- Olive Carey
- Henry Brandon
- Ken Curtis
- Harry Carey Jr.
Letterboxd User Reviews
3.9
220.9K
105.0K
56.9K
- May 26, 2014
Turns out that plenty of racism, sexism, cardboard cutouts masquerading as characters, and stunning cinematography all equal the most revered Western of all time. Well, if I have to watch John Wayne being a self-righteous asshole for two hours, at least I also get to watch…
RidaSep 2, 2015The Searchers gives the lie to the supposed heroism of the Wild West mythos. John Wayne plays the same Indian-killing cowboy we've seen him play since the early 1930's, the image of a valiant savior come to rescue a bunch of white folks from the Native American menace, but…
ScreeningNotesFeb 11, 2017Psychological epic on the psychology of racism, fascinating in dialectic with Griffith's Birth Of A Nation: racism as the product of fear of losing sexual superiority and the fear of race-mixing. Key that Ethan is pro-Confederacy: Martin fears Ethan wishes to kill Debbie…
Neil Bahadur - Dec 31, 2024
No longer just the great American western film but now also possibly the great media literacy litmus test.
matt lynchAug 5, 2017They weren’t lying he was really searching
FrankJul 9, 2020maybe I’m different, but if my niece had been kidnapped by the Comanche I’d simply find her right away instead of taking years
nickusen - Sep 24, 2023
Obviously the accumulation of so many of Ford's own interests with the psychology and camaraderie of military men, with brutal outsiders vs. graceful and warm communities, with the history of this land as both a poetic and elementally expressive monument and vast, lonely…
Josh LewisMar 23, 202086 Monument Valley as desolate, alien structures which impede an American progression after the civil war. John Ford's mise en scène is so lively, so thoroughly invested in the complexity of the homestead and the lawlessness of the open sky. Particular moments, such as…
SilentDawnAug 10, 2024*Was an 85, now a 100* Nothing less than The Great American Movie. 70mm print was truly inexplicable. Made me see the movie in a whole new way. Continues to grow in majesty and mystery with the passage of time.
SilentDawn
Queue Community Reviews
77%
Community 1,780
Top Reviews
- MovieDaddy dislikedThe Searchers
Frequently regarded as an all-time classic, this overly racist display of anti-Native filmmaking does not pass the test of time. Hard to watch by today’s standards, and impossible to justify. Shame on John Wayne.
Colin Williams lovedThe SearchersAn entertaining epic with influential camera work, master class writing, and a color pallet that would bring Edgar Allen Poe out of depression. A enjoyable classic with all the fun of a great western.
Jimmy Cricket dislikedThe SearchersThis film, which has often been considered as one of the greatest & more influential films of its time, is difficult & frustrating to watch due to its obvious racism towards Native Americans.
- kalina dislikedThe Searchers
The Searchers is widely praised as one of the “greatest Westerns ever made,” but for me, watching it in 2025, it was a genuinely unpleasant experience, and not in the way the filmmakers intended. Yes, I’m fully aware of the classic excuse: “You can’t judge old movies by modern standards.” But I’m…
timeless times gone by likedThe SearchersI enjoy John Wayne and the Indianas. I really enjoy the fact it had action adventure elements and off screen violence visuals. This movie is definitely not kid friendly. I highly recommend this movie it holds up pretty well in today standards of movie’s and jw usually skillfully
William Luckenbach lovedThe SearchersVisually stunning and thrillingly told, The Searchers is a master class in cinematic storytelling. However, being a 50s western, there are parts that aged so incredibly poorly due to racism which is so incredibly unfortunate because beside that, this film is near perfect. 9/10
- James New lovedThe Searchers
Perhaps one of the best westerns ever made. The story feels like an odyssey. You feel the character’s desperation and strife and you feel the emotions with them. Locations are beautiful, cinematography is beautiful. It is held back by its “of its time” racist dialogue
CvptvinHowdy lovedThe SearchersI'm really surprised how great this was. I've seen most of the essential Western films, but I believe this is the first I've seen from John Wayne. A search and rescue film built on vengeance, and the look of this film is amazing.
Steven Erick is "meh" onThe SearchersLook, hear me out, it’s beautiful - every frame is a work of art and John Wayne gives the best performance of his career. It just takes so long to get anywhere…which might’ve been the point.
Atom Users Reviews
Reviews
- CJCole JohnsonTLTroy LaMontHSHudson Suman
Metacritic
USER SCORE (55)
Generally favorable reviews based on 55 Reviews
The Searchers contains scenes of magnificence, and one of John Wayne's best performances.
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is The Searchers (1956) (1956)?
The movie is 1hr 59min long.
What's The Searchers (1956) (1956) about?
An American Civil War veteran embarks on a journey to rescue his niece from the Comanches.
Who's the cast of The Searchers (1956) (1956)?
- John Wayne as Ethan Edwards
- Jeffrey Hunter as Martin Pawley
- Vera Miles as Laurie Jorgensen
- Ward Bond as Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton
- Natalie Wood as Debbie Edwards - Age 15
- John Qualen as Lars Jorgensen
- Olive Carey as Mrs. Jorgensen
- Henry Brandon as Scar, Cicatriz
- Ken Curtis as Charlie McCorry
- Harry Carey Jr. as Brad Jorgensen
Who's the director behind The Searchers (1956) (1956)?
John Ford directed The Searchers (1956) (1956).
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