Nothing much I can say about The Searchers that hasn't been said before. Essentially, it is one of the best of many things. One of the best Ford pictures; one of the best Duke pictures; and ultimately one of the best westerns ever. While Monument Valley appears in many a Ford films, never has it looked so good, a visual quality not limited to exteriors. The Searchers is the rare kind of film that makes you go "Wow!" after every cut.
The story is quite simple. After his brother's family gets massacred by Commanche natives, taking with them the youngest daughter, Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) spends years looking for his lost niece. Accompanied by his brother's adopted 1/8-native son Martin (Jeffrey Hunter), Edwards searches far-and-wide for what soon begins to looks like a futile quest. Furthermore, the child's young age enhances the possibility that she may be assimilated by the time she is found. This, coupled with Edwards' increasingly evident homicidal prejudice against the Commanche, raises the question as to what motive exists for Edwards to find her; to save her or kill her.
Sometimes reminiscent of Red River (Howard Hawks, 1948), especially for the young/old duality and the portrayal of Wayne's darker side, The Searchers is a must-see; for fans of westerns obviously, but also for anybody who is interested in the grey zone also known as human nature.
I agree it's a must see (it's influential, historically important, useful in interpreting Ford's work and a genuinely good film), though I think Ford made many better films and I don't know that I'd even consider it one of my favourite Westerns.
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