The Searchers1956
Directed by John Ford
Well, I was told in one of my film classes that if there is one classic Hollywood western to watch this should be the one. The Searchers is a much darker film than I had originally imagined. John Wayne is the main character but he comes off as much more of an anti-hero than I would have imagined. His character is racist and relentless in his pursuit of his kidnapped niece. The Searchers left me feeling a bit strange after watching it. I think that this mainly had to do with the portrayal of Native Americans. Yes, they are stereotyped, but I think that this was John Ford's attempt to show how racist people have been towards the Native Americans. Most of the characters (even the sympathetic ones) has such a hatred to the Comanche tribe that they are in conflict with during the course of the film.
Rustin Allison
