I finally got around to watching The Searchers (1956) last night. I watched it because a lot of you mentioned it...Some of you liked it, many didn't. I'll write up my thoughts on the movie shortly. Thanks to everyone for their input and thoughts!
My review is coming up...
The Searchers was one of my least favorite of the John Wayne movies that I watched recently. I watched it more for Jeffrey Hunter than for John Wayne, but the movie was just too violent for me.
...I watched the Searchers a few years back because I'd always heard so much about it and wanted to give westerns another chance by watching what's been reported to be one of the best! I was attracted to the plot (and hey, Natalie Wood, of course!) Yet it kind of reaffirmed by dislike of westerns.
I seem to remember it being full of plot holes...and a lot of meandering. And I seem to remember some comedy in it - yet a lot of it seemed inappropriate or out of place in a story about murder, families being slaughtered, rape and revenge...
I seem to remember it being full of plot holes...and a lot of meandering. And I seem to remember some comedy in it - yet a lot of it seemed inappropriate or out of place in a story about murder, families being slaughtered, rape and revenge...
...I'm another who didn't care for The Searchers.
I enjoyed The Searchers, but there’s a certain part in the film where it gets a little silly. Kind of drags the story down a little...
For me The Searchers has been a bit of an acquired taste. I've been watching westerns and John Wayne films all my life, but when I saw it the first few times about 10 years ago I wasn't much impressed. Part of that likely had to do with the film's glowing reputation, and not coming up to my initial expectations. It's got a different kind of character about it than a typical John Ford western, which can be quite off putting at first. A lot of the acting from various players make it quite surreal in parts.
But the last couple of times I've seen it I've just learnt to go with it and now I really enjoy it. I've found a lot of depth of feeling in the story and appreciate the photography as some of the best I've seen in a western...
But the last couple of times I've seen it I've just learnt to go with it and now I really enjoy it. I've found a lot of depth of feeling in the story and appreciate the photography as some of the best I've seen in a western...