The Searchers

Blinded by Hatred The Searchers, filmed in 1956, is considered to be a true masterpiece of American filmmaking. Filled with beautiful images of Monument Valley, its secluded open spaces capture the beauty and the isolating danger of the frontier. This movie tells the emotionally compelling story of not only a revengeful man in search of his kidnapped nieces but also of his inner battle and discovery of his true identity. The main character of this movie, …

…as the camera pulls back into the darkened inside of the home, the doorway framing the scene. Ethan is fated to wander on into the wild and untamed West. Neurotically split and isolated, he belongs neither to the settlers nor with the Indians. Ethan turns around for one last longing look then begins walking into the swirling dust back into the desert wilderness, a reversal to how he entered the picture so many years before.