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"The
Searchers"
Essays and Reflections on John Ford's Classic Western
Edited by Arthur M. Eckstein and Peter Lehman
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In
many ways a traditional western, The Searchers
is considered by critics as one of the greatest Hollywood
films, made by the most influential of western directors. Yet John Ford's classic
work, in its complexity and ambiguity, was a product of post-World War II American
culture and sparked the deconstruction of the western film myth by looking unblinkingly
at white racism and violence and suggesting its social psychological origins.
The Searchers: Essays and Reflections on John
Ford's Classic Western brings historians and film
scholars together to explore the major critical issues of this film. The essays
cover a wide range of topics, from John Wayne's grim character of Ethan Edwards,
to the actual history of Indian captivity on the southern Plains, to the role
of the film's music, setting, and mythic structure —all of which help
the reader to understand what makes The Searchers
such an enduring work. |
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"The
Searchers goes beyond auteur issues with
striking formulations of the historical, social, and even geographical context
surrounding the film. . . . The result is the best kind of auteur and genre
criticism, deepening our appreciation of a film classic, providing new information
on its production, [and] intelligent treatment of its thematic richness
and connection to American history and culture.”
—Stephen Prince,
Virginia Tech
Arthur M. Eckstein is professor of History at University
of Maryland.
Peter Lehman is Director of the Interdisciplinary Humanities
Program at Arizona State University. |
