THE SEARCHERS is not the John Ford masterpiece that many critics would have us believe. It would be a good film if not for its uneven tone, which undercuts a good deal of the drama and pathos. Perhaps this movie should have been shot in black and white, or maybe the comedy should have been excised. Either way, Ford ruined a potentially good idea.
One thing confuses me, though. The character of Ethan Embry (John Wayne) is often tagged a "racist" because of his belligerent attitude toward the red man. To me, this is a gross oversimplification. What is a "racist," after all? A racist is a very ignorant, stupid person who judges people based on the color of their skin. Ethan may be bloodthirsty and cruel, but he certainly isn't stupid. He doesn't hate ALL Indians, just the Comanches. (Hmmm...does that make him a "Comanchist"?) And his reasons for wanting to kill Scar and his followers are motivated not by physical appearance, but by revenge. Yes, vengeance may not be a healthy thing; but it's not necessarily indicative of bigotry. From a certain point of view, you can even sympathize with Ethan.
And finally, people who watch this film have seriously erred if they consider John Wayne's character to be the villain. The real villains are the smarmy white settlers who simply assume that the frontier belongs to them and thus casually foment the conflict between Indians and whites. They're the true racists.
One thing confuses me, though. The character of Ethan Embry (John Wayne) is often tagged a "racist" because of his belligerent attitude toward the red man. To me, this is a gross oversimplification. What is a "racist," after all? A racist is a very ignorant, stupid person who judges people based on the color of their skin. Ethan may be bloodthirsty and cruel, but he certainly isn't stupid. He doesn't hate ALL Indians, just the Comanches. (Hmmm...does that make him a "Comanchist"?) And his reasons for wanting to kill Scar and his followers are motivated not by physical appearance, but by revenge. Yes, vengeance may not be a healthy thing; but it's not necessarily indicative of bigotry. From a certain point of view, you can even sympathize with Ethan.
And finally, people who watch this film have seriously erred if they consider John Wayne's character to be the villain. The real villains are the smarmy white settlers who simply assume that the frontier belongs to them and thus casually foment the conflict between Indians and whites. They're the true racists.