Review of The Searchers

Angry loner John Wayne, a veteran of the Civil War, leads embittered search for his young niece, kidnapped by Indians after her family was slaughtered. Influential John Ford-directed western features meticulously designed production and vivid cinematography (copied for years), but is weighed down by a stilted screenplay, occasionally wooden acting, and disappointing or slackly-handled passages. Ford pays far more attention to the grand scheme of the picture's design than he does to the smaller details, which may be a reason why the performances are so uneven. As for the Duke, he pretty much plays himself--not a John Wayne caricature, but close--though his reassuring presence is enough to elevate this scenario. Ford seems to have desired an inherent savagery in his narrative, and indeed the threat of the early Indian attack is harrowing, but Wayne's vengeance doesn't feel so much rage-induced or reckless as it does standard. Despite salty asides and cockeyed characters, "The Searchers" rides a well-trodden path. *** from ****