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The Searchers Reviews

1956

70
from 6823 members

John Ford's classic western combines spectacular scenery with a solid narrative. A civil war veteran trails Indians to rescue his niece. Read more

Starring	John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Natalie Wood
Director	John Ford
Genres	Action/Adventure

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Critic's review of The Searchers
View all critics' reviews (4)
- Disturbing Western of obsession and racism which has become Ford's most influential film, in which Wayne gives his most ambiguous performance, being no longer a simple gung-ho hero, but a tormented loner out of step with his society. Its themes of loss an
- 30377
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:38
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Most helpful member's review of The Searchers
View all members' reviews (56)
- - 49
  - 1
  Not the classic it's cracked up to be. I'd rather see "Liberty Valance " every time, or indeed many other Wayne westerns
  
  Robert Warner from 2004 has it 'spot-on'.
  
  Not very often anyone can stop me from rambling on about any film in my reviews. But I have nothing... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1074805
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  
  [Highly rated reviewer]
  - roncoach
  - 251 reviews
  - suffolk
  - 20 Dec 2011 at 01:32
Most recent members' reviews of The Searchers
View all members' reviews (56)
- - 0
  - 0
  Enjoyable to watch despite its age even if you are not a fan of the genre
  
  If you are not a true fan of westerns but have to have one in your collection for completeness sake..........you could do worse than choosing this one.
  
  Report this review
- 1087841
- - cyanna
  - 8 reviews
  - Macclesfield
  - 01 Feb 2012 at 21:26
- - 49
  - 1
  Not the classic it's cracked up to be. I'd rather see "Liberty Valance " every time, or indeed many other Wayne westerns
  
  Robert Warner from 2004 has it 'spot-on'.
  
  Not very often anyone can stop me from rambling on about any film in my reviews. But I have nothing... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1074805
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - roncoach
  - 251 reviews
  - suffolk
  - 20 Dec 2011 at 01:32
- - 0
  - 0
  Deconstructing the Western
  
  John Ford’s The Searchers has been widely acclaimed as arguably the best western of all times and one of the top movies in history according to reputable ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1068293
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - LeonHarper
  - 49 reviews
  - At the movies
  - 28 Nov 2011 at 21:54
- - 1
  - 3
  One of the best Westerns
  
  Once upon a time the Western was a major film genre where creative writers, directors, actors and others recreated the mythic west for a mass audience of ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1042712
- - Zamy
  - 546 reviews
  - London
  - 20 Sep 2011 at 13:25
- - 1
  - 2
  Ford's best
  
  This is one of the best films John Ford ever directed.
  
  What appears to be a simple cowboys versus red indians story-line can be viewed in many ways ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1015919
- - Shootist
  - 1 review
  - 11 Jul 2011 at 19:15
- - 1
  - 3
  Best Western Ever
  
  Im a huge fan of westerns i love Magnificent Seven, True Grit, Tombstone etc.... But this film is just head and shoulders above the rest the acting in it is ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1012426
- - Goldust22
  - 58 reviews
  - Gloucester
  - 03 Jul 2011 at 09:04
- - 1
  - 3
  The Searchers - 1956
  
  The Searchers – 1956
  
  This is one of the Duke best movies, cinematography, script, setting and acting are all spectacular, one to all to your ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1004042
- - ian3
  - 538 reviews
  - Salisbury
  - 12 Jun 2011 at 21:31
- - 2
  - 2
  Nasty & stupid
  
  Conservative in such a downright nasty way its probably still top of the bill in Taliban areas of Afghanistan.
  
  John Wayne's character spends ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 999979
- - C0wb0y
  - 6 reviews
  - 03 Jun 2011 at 09:32
- - 0
  - 0
  A solid introduction to the world of the Wild West
  
  I'm neither a devoted fan of the western genre nor have I watched the films which can be described as classics within it. With this in mind I watched The ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 992453
- - PTP
  - 2 reviews
  - 13 May 2011 at 14:16
- - 0
  - 4
  I dont normally review, but
  
  Absolute trash. Acting, direction, script IMO were quite terrible. Everything about this film, for me, points to film making of the lowest standard. How the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 986148
- - a customer
  - 25 Apr 2011 at 21:44
View all members' reviews (56)

- - 49
  - 1
  Not the classic it's cracked up to be. I'd rather see "Liberty Valance " every time, or indeed many other Wayne westerns
  
  Robert Warner from 2004 has it 'spot-on'.
  
  Not very often anyone can stop me from rambling on about any film in my reviews. But I have nothing... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1074805
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  
  [Highly rated reviewer]
  - roncoach
  - 251 reviews
  - suffolk
  - 20 Dec 2011 at 01:32
- - 37
  - 19
  Worthy of classic status?
  
  The Searchers is one of those films regularly quoted in the critics 'best films of all time' and is one of those films that I feel that I ought to have ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 7025
- - Robert Warner
  - England
  - 03 Jun 2004 at 22:04
- - 15
  - 7
  By Stephen Metcalf , http://www.slate.com
  
  The Searchers, John Ford's epic 1956 Western, is a film geek's paradise: It is preposterous in its plotting, spasmodic in its pacing, unfunny in its ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 261862
- - a customer
  - England
  - 07 Jul 2006 at 15:50
- - 11
  - 5
  Searching the heart and soul
  
  Like Charles Laughton’s brilliant 'Night Of The Hunter', John Ford’s 'The Searchers' was sadly neglected on initial release in 1956. ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 340553
- - harryangel
  - Norfolk
  - 12 Jul 2005 at 02:24
- - 7
  - 6
  Hate, Revenge, Love
  
  Probably John Ford's best film, 'The Searchers' is the saga of an ex-Confederate soldier, Ethan Edwards, who embarks on a long, obsessive search for... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 12713
- - Manthing
  - London, England
  - 28 Jul 2004 at 17:26
- - 7
  - 6
  He should have got the...
  
  He should have got the Oscar for this film rather than for True Grit - this film is brilliant with a poignant and sometimes tense storyline, dramatic scenery ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 25640
- - Illbo#1
  - ALDERSHOT
  - 08 Nov 2003 at 23:23
- - 3
  - 0
  high expectations not quite met
  
  Having often heard that this is the BEST WESTERN EVER, I guess I was set up to be disappointed. The film looks great - although that has as much to do with the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 218061
- - NorwichTim
  - 26 reviews
  - UK
  - 13 Mar 2006 at 12:48
- - 3
  - 1
  Trapped in its time
  
  I must start by admitting my enjoyment of cowboy movies in general and have long considered John Wayne the best of the Hollywood cowboys. So, I had high ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 264491
- - a customer
  - Perthshire, Scotland
  - 15 Jul 2006 at 09:05
- - 3
  - 1
  The Searchers
  
  Although John Wayne is heralded as a great actor, I can't help feeling he is very wooden in his acting - though times have changed. This is apparently one ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 620648
- - filmfansoutheast
  - 23 reviews
  - Sandgate
  - 28 Aug 2008 at 17:39
- - 2
  - 0
  That'll be the day!!
  
  Soldier returns to Brother & family from Civil War, cattle go missing, Soldier & Texas Rangers go after culprits, Brother & family killed, nieces ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 928759
- - Bassman71
  - 426 reviews
  - Didsbury, England
  - 04 Oct 2010 at 09:53

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Critics' reviews
- Disturbing Western of obsession and racism which has become Ford's most influential film, in which Wayne gives his most ambiguous performance, being no longer a simple gung-ho hero, but a tormented loner out of step with his society. Its themes of loss an
- 30377
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:38
- A marvellous Western which turns Monument Valley into an interior landscape as Wayne pursues his five-year odyssey, a... read more on Time Out
- 43533
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:13
- "...An audience favorite from the beginning -- and a creative influence on a generation of filmmakers..."
- 7978
- - USA Today
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- "...Heads many a list of all-time cinematic favorites....Stunning..."
- 7977
- - New York Times
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58

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Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- The Searchers - HD
  
  A classic Western regarded by many as the best of the genre, John Ford's THE SEARCHERS has been acknowledged by several directors who came into their own in the 1970s, including Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Paul Schrader, and George Lucas, as a powerful influence on their work. The film stars ...

- - Buy
- The Searchers - Blu-ray
  
  John Ford's classic western combines spectacular scenery with a solid narrative. A civil war veteran trails Indians to rescue his niece....

- - Buy
- The Searchers
  
  John Ford's classic western combines spectacular scenery with a solid narrative. A civil war veteran trails Indians to rescue his niece....