The Searchers

The Searchers (1956) starring John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond, Natalie Wood. Wayne stars as Ethan Edwards, whose young niece Debbie is kidnapped by the Comanches during a raid on Edwards' brother's farmstead. Edwards, an avowed Indian hater, sets off on a mission to find Debbie (Wood) and free her from the Comanches. Widely praised movie strikes me as not that great. There are many fine sequences, the photography and action are good, but it just doesn't all come together for me. It's an epic Western, for sure, but the script seems lacking in clarity. (Subtitles in English, as well as closed captions, are available.) Grade: B