The Searchers

1956, U, Directed by John Ford

Starring: John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond

As the opening credits to The Searchers roll before you, it is near impossible not to realise you are about to witness a classic Western, revered by scholars, loved by all. As John ‘The Duke’ Wayne appears on screen, drawling his lines in a nonchalant manner, you cannot help but glare at the screen and feel charmed by the legend’s presence; for somebody so cool, calm and collected, his Ethan Edwards can be so painfully harsh in his comments (he controversially assumes a quite racist tone on the subject of Native Americans). John Ford crafted a true gem here, one that is ever bit as entertaining as it must have been on release, and one that – as the closing credits roll before you – will seal the deal on seeking out more Westerns.

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