The Searchers

1956. USA. Directed by John Ford. Screenplay by Frank S. Nugent, based on the novel by Alan Le May. Cinematography by Winton Hoch. With Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond. Frequently cited as one of the greatest films ever made, Ford's epic affords Wayne his most complex characterization in Ethan Edwards. Embodying the great contradictions of American mythology, Wayne's portrayal contains echoes that resound from the era of James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking novels to the present day. In this film, the mature Wayne—cranky, irreverent, revengeful, and relentless—established much of his persona for the rest of his career. 119 min.