The Searchers (1956)

Set in Texas in 1868, a Civil War veteran (John Wayne) spends years looking for his niece (Lana Wood who morphs into Natalie Wood) who was abducted by Comanches when she was a little girl. But as the years pass, his vengeance and hate makes his adopted nephew (Jeffrey Hunter) question what the Uncle's mission really is. Is it to rescue the girl ..... or kill her for what she has become? Based on the novel by Alan Le May and directed by John Ford. Years ago, I remember a film critic saying something along the lines of "The great American novel has yet to be written but the great American film has been made and it is THE SEARCHERS". Effusive (over?) praise but today the film is generally regarded as Ford's masterpiece and one of the greatest American films ever made. It's certainly one of the greatest American films but not without major flaws. Notably, the inane attempts at folksy comedy which border on embarrassing. Still, if evidence was ever needed (certainly not by me) that John Wayne could act, THE SEARCHERS should shut up the naysayers. Visually, it's Ford's most stunning film. Winton C. Hoch's cinematography of the Monument Valley landscapes in Utah and Arizona are breathtaking. It's also one of the most influential movies ever made inspiring directors from David Lean to Martin Scorsese. The film's closing shot is one of the most haunting images put on the screen. With Vera Miles, Ward Bond, Pippa Scott, John Qualen, Olive Carey, Patrick Wayne and Henry Brandon.