We have already seen Modern Times by Charlie Chaplin and North by Northwest by Alfred Hitchcock. And yesterday our teacher had picked up The Searchers by John Ford. I admit that my first thought was 'Who the heck is John Ford?' and the second one 'He directed westerns? Oh my God, no!!!!' I have never before been able to watch a whole western (I either give up or fall to sleep, depending on the time and place). I do not know why. It just happen.
But now I can say I have experienced the change of heart (well, not exactly, but at least I am willing to watch another western, someday). Ford is genius! The Searchers tells about Ethan Edwards, who comes back to his brother's farm in Texas after fought for the Confederacy in American Civil War. But peace is broken, when Edwards homestead is burned by Comanches (Indian tribe), while Ethan and some other men are lured away to seek stolen cattle. Ethan's brother and most of his family are killed, but Chomanches have kidnapped the youngest one of the family, little 8-year-old Debbie. So Ethan starts his long and almost obsessive search of her with his brother's adoptive son Martin.
The film deals with dark themes like revenge and racism, but Ford has also created some really humorous moments to counterbalance the grim moments. It has been a long time since I last time laught so much while watching a film, and this were not even a comedy!
Ford has been a great inspiration for younger directors (like George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese) and without a reason. Some of them have even planted tributes to him into their productions (e.g. does the smoking remains of Edwards homestead remember a bit the remains of certain moisture farm in a desert planet in a galaxy far far away?). I can strongly recommend to everybody. If you have not seen it, you do not know what you are missing.
Mark: 9+
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