The Searchers, by John Ford, is considered to be a true American classic of Western film making. I agree that the Searchers is a hate-ridden quest of crusaders obsessed with revenge and hatred. Indians are portrayed negatively as blood thirsty animals in this. Despite the violence, there was beautiful scenery that made it realistic. The establishing shots on Monument Valley gave the viewer a really good glance at where they were and allowed us to experience it as if we were really there.
John Wayne plays a typical cowboy from what I've seen and understand about western movies. He's tough, rugged, and a pro at handling a gun. He's always moving, never settling in one place, which could explain why he doesn't have a family of his own. He becomes a hero on his relentless search to find his niece and even then he doesn't stay and settle down with the family. I think this is a way of portraying that he is a loner and does not conform to society's beliefs that everyone should settle down and take care of a family. It shows him as an individual and the camera angle shows us (the viewers) as the normal ones looking out from the inside. Even in the end he is still searching. For what? I guess we'll never know.
Although I'm not a fan of western movies this movie was somewhat enjoyable. It had its humerous parts (Martin by the fire) as well as, the down time in the movie (i.e. when the family was slaughtered). The only thing I didn't really like about the movie was that it portrayed Indians as evil and was slightly racist. They also could've made it a little interesting when they saved Debbie if Martin had fought Scar to save her. That could've built a lot of suspense. I felt like the women were very dramatic and the men were just rough. My favorite part about the movie was the beautiful scenes of the valley. Overall, it was a pretty good movie and if you enjoy westerns you'll most likely enjoy this one.
This film did seem to be a typical western style. It had the cowboy who was reluctant to be the hero but did what he had to do in the end. I also enjoyed the landscape but to me it seemed somewhat fake and not truly the "west" as we know it. More of a hollywood portrayal of the west. The women were very dramatic I agree.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm not much a fan of western movies as well, but I seem to think that overall this is an interesting movie due to the humor. I find tat all western movies seem to have a lot of adventure and is right to have it to downplay the genre.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with you that Ethan is racist, and that the portrayal of Native Americans is racist. However, the movie is also very complicated, because Ethan is obviously a problem in the movie from the beginning to the end. And there are moments that are sympathetic with the Native Americans. So, if we take the classic Western hero who is a man who takes charge and doesn't listen to anyone, that's Ethan, but his character is troubling instead of heroic. Even the other characters in the movie are afraid of him. And if we take the classic cowboy versus Indian story, this movie has that too, but in this movie, it seems slightly wrong. So, then, here's the question. Does this movie simply reflect the racist ideology of America in the 1940s and 50s, or does it in some way (ever so slightly) challenge it or question it?
ReplyDeleteAnother question which nobody in your group noticed is Debbie's decision to go back with Ethan and Martin. Earlier in the movie, she says she wants to stay with the Comanche, but at the end she changes her mind. Why does she change her mind? This climactic scene when we fear Ethan might kill her is the most troubling and ideologically confusing scene in the movie -- it means a lot (condensation, displacement, etc.), but what?
--Steve
I did notice that it was Debbie's decision to go back and that is why i mentioned in my blog that i got really confused about some changes in the movie. It did not give us a logical explaination of some changes.But you are right, since we can not see the process of changing, it may be something the director leave us to think about.
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