The Searchers
A classic Western film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne, The Searchers was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1989 after being deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" by the National Film Preservation Board.1
Fast Facts
- Release date: March 13, 1956
- Director: John Ford
- Screenwriter: Frank S. Nugent
- Producer: C.V. Whitney
- Distributor: Warner Brothers Pictures
- MPAA rating: Not Rated
- Run time: 119 minutes
- Based on the novel of the same name by Alan Le May
- Ranked as all-time number 1 western in AFI's 10 Top 10 list in 2008
Plot Summary
John Wayne stars as Civil War veteran Ethan Edwards, whose family is attacked by a tribe of hostile Comanche, upon returning to his home in Texas after the war. Edwards, along with his part Cherokee step-nephew, Martin (Jeffrey Hunter), embarks on a seven year quest to find his kidnapped niece, Debbie. It becomes obvious to Martin that Edwards is motivated as much by revenge and bigotry as he is in finding Debbie, so Martin begins to fear what Edwards will do if they do find her and that she has been assimilated into the tribe. Martin is torn between returning home to marry the woman whom he loves, and remaining with Edwards in order to rescue Debbie.
Cast
- John Wayne: Ethan Edwards
- Jeffrey Hunter: Martin Pawley
- Vera Miles: Laurie Jorgensen
- Ward Bond: Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton
- Natalie Wood: Debbie Edwards
Related Pages on Mahalo
Natalie Wood | John Wayne
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