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IMDbPro

The Searchers

  • 19561956
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 59m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
89K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,219
2,354
John Wayne, Natalie Wood, Ward Bond, Jeffrey Hunter, and Vera Miles in The Searchers (1956)
Theatrical Trailer from Warner Home Video
Play trailer2:47
3 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Adventure
  • Drama
  • Western
An American Civil War veteran embarks on a years-long journey to rescue his niece from the Comanches after the rest of his brother's family is massacred in a raid on their Texas farm.An American Civil War veteran embarks on a years-long journey to rescue his niece from the Comanches after the rest of his brother's family is massacred in a raid on their Texas farm.An American Civil War veteran embarks on a years-long journey to rescue his niece from the Comanches after the rest of his brother's family is massacred in a raid on their Texas farm.
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
89K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,219
2,354
  • Director
    • John Ford
  • Writers
    • Frank S. Nugent(screenplay)
    • Alan Le May(from the novel by)
  • Stars
    • John Wayne
    • Jeffrey Hunter
    • Vera Miles
Top credits
  • Director
    • John Ford
  • Writers
    • Frank S. Nugent(screenplay)
    • Alan Le May(from the novel by)
  • Stars
    • John Wayne
    • Jeffrey Hunter
    • Vera Miles
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 538User reviews
    • 122Critic reviews
    • 94Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 3 nominations

    Videos3

    The Searchers
    Trailer 2:47
    The Searchers
    The Searchers
    Trailer 2:45
    The Searchers
    Did 'Home Alone' Inspire 'Rambo: Last Blood'?
    Clip 1:43
    Did 'Home Alone' Inspire 'Rambo: Last Blood'?

    Photos205

    John Wayne in The Searchers (1956)
    John Wayne in The Searchers (1956)
    John Wayne in The Searchers (1956)
    John Wayne in The Searchers (1956)
    Vera Miles in The Searchers (1956)
    Ken Curtis and Vera Miles in The Searchers (1956)
    Jeffrey Hunter in The Searchers (1956)
    Jeffrey Hunter, Olive Carey, and Vera Miles in The Searchers (1956)
    John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Henry Brandon, and Antonio Moreno in The Searchers (1956)
    John Wayne, Ward Bond, and Jeffrey Hunter in The Searchers (1956)
    John Wayne and Jeffrey Hunter in The Searchers (1956)
    John Wayne in The Searchers (1956)

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Wayne
    John Wayne
    • Ethan Edwardsas Ethan Edwards
    Jeffrey Hunter
    Jeffrey Hunter
    • Martin Pawleyas Martin Pawley
    Vera Miles
    Vera Miles
    • Laurie Jorgensenas Laurie Jorgensen
    Ward Bond
    Ward Bond
    • Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Claytonas Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton
    Natalie Wood
    Natalie Wood
    • Debbie Edwards - Age 15as Debbie Edwards - Age 15
    John Qualen
    John Qualen
    • Lars Jorgensenas Lars Jorgensen
    Olive Carey
    Olive Carey
    • Mrs. Jorgensenas Mrs. Jorgensen
    Henry Brandon
    Henry Brandon
    • Scaras Scar…
    Ken Curtis
    Ken Curtis
    • Charlie McCorryas Charlie McCorry
    Harry Carey Jr.
    Harry Carey Jr.
    • Brad Jorgensenas Brad Jorgensen
    Antonio Moreno
    Antonio Moreno
    • Emilio Gabriel Fernandez y Figueroaas Emilio Gabriel Fernandez y Figueroa
    Hank Worden
    Hank Worden
    • Mose Harperas Mose Harper
    Beulah Archuletta
    • Lookas Look
    Walter Coy
    Walter Coy
    • Aaron Edwardsas Aaron Edwards
    Dorothy Jordan
    Dorothy Jordan
    • Martha Edwardsas Martha Edwards
    Pippa Scott
    Pippa Scott
    • Lucy Edwardsas Lucy Edwards
    Patrick Wayne
    Patrick Wayne
    • Lt. Greenhillas Lt. Greenhill
    • (as Pat Wayne)
    Lana Wood
    Lana Wood
    • Younger Debbie Edwardsas Younger Debbie Edwards
    • Director
      • John Ford
    • Writers
      • Frank S. Nugent(screenplay)
      • Alan Le May(from the novel by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Natalie Wood was still a student in high school when this film was being made, and, on several occasions, John Wayne and Jeffrey Hunter had to pick her up at school. This caused a good deal of excitement among Wood's female classmates.
    • Goofs
      The "dead" Indian under the rock, when the rock is removed, is clearly breathing.
    • Quotes

      Martin: I hope you die!

      Ethan: That'll be the day.

    • Crazy credits
      The credits state this Warner Brothers film is in VistaVision; this may be the only Warner film in VistaVision.
    • Connections
      Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Fatale beauté (1994)
    • Soundtracks
      The Searchers (Main Theme)
      Composed by Max Steiner

      Lyrics by Stan Jones

      Sung by Sons of the Pioneers (uncredited)

    User reviews538

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    "We Be Texicans"
    If John Wayne was ever cornered about what his favorite movie role was he'd be answering Ethan Edwards in The Searchers. Proof of that is obvious, he named his son by his third marriage John Ethan Wayne.

    Ethan Edwards takes his time in returning home to Texas from the Civil War to the home of his brother and his family. But soon after he does the family is massacred in an Indian raid. The two young daughters are taken prisoner and Wayne with Jeffrey Hunter and Harry Carey, Jr. go off in search of them. Carey is killed early on, but Wayne and Hunter go on for years, both driven men for different reasons.

    Ethan Edwards is probably the most racist man Wayne ever portrayed on the screen, yet we feel sympathy for him at the same time. It's been a hard and bitter life on the frontier for him. Just as it's been for the Indians as well. Chief Scar, played by Henry Brandon, is Wayne's opposite number and he makes clear what he thinks of whites. Two of his sons were killed and he's going to take many white scalps in reprisal.

    My guess is that Ethan Edwards war service involved him seeing the war of desolation waged by William T. Sherman in the deep South. Small wonder he goes out and starts killing buffalo with a maniacal intensity that Wayne never showed before or since in film. Not an aspect that is normally brought out by reviewers.

    Wayne's relationship with Jeffrey Hunter is a strange one. He found Hunter as a toddler during a raid on a wagon train. Hunter is a distant cousin of the Edwards family and one eighth Cherokee. But to Wayne he's an Indian. He gains a grudging respect for him on the trail though.

    But Hunter's there to stop him. The oldest Edwards daughter is discovered dead early on. That by the way is an intense scene where Wayne's facial expressions register more than pages of dialog. Wayne had one of the great faces for close-ups and John Ford well knew it.

    The younger daughter has grown up and is played grown up by Natalie Wood. Wayne feels he has to avenge some family code of honor because Wood's been taken as a bride by Henry Brandon. Hunter just wants his cousin back on any terms.

    John Ford as he always does, gets some good comedy relief of the broad kind in the film. Jeffrey Hunter and Vera Miles who is Harry Carey's sister have a thing going, but when she doesn't hear from him she almost ups and marries Ken Curtis. Hunter and Curtis's confrontation is pretty funny.

    Ford also probably made his best use of Monument Valley in this film. Though Stagecoach and Fort Apache are also among his best photographed films, The Searchers being in color is in a class by itself. Proof of that is the scene at the Edwards home at twilight just before the Indian raid. Beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

    Ward Bond has a great role as Reverend/Captain Samuel Clayton, parson and Texas Ranger at the same time. A difficult job for some to reconcile, but I'm sure Bond believes that conversion of the Indians is not uppermost on his mind. Bond also has some great blustering comic moments with Patrick Wayne who plays an earnest young army lieutenant.

    The Searchers is usually found on just about every top ten list of best westerns ever made and it surely belongs there.
    helpful•114
    51
    • bkoganbing
    • Jan 11, 2006

    FAQ5

    • Why did the Comanches attack the home of Aaron and Martha to begin with?
    • Did Ethan and Martha have an affair?
    • Is this based on a true story?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 26, 1956 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Navajo
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Tragaci
    • Filming locations
      • Monument Valley, Arizona, USA
    • Production company
      • C.V. Whitney Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $3,750,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 59 minutes

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