The Search For a New America
The Searchers, directed by John Ford, First comes across as a heroic journey of an uncle and nephew in the dangerous wild west on the search of their kidnapped loved one. However, as the story progresses, we see an even deeper meaning and emotionally complex significance behind their journey. As the story unravels we find that our supposed protagonist is the highly flawed Ethan Edwards, played by John Wayne, is an Indian-hating civil war veteran that was always seen as an outsider from the moment he entered the first frame. The film techniques used in this film include framing shots,non-diegetic elements, western conventions, high and low angle shots and close ups.
The story first begins as Ethan arrives at his
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There are horses, accents, a vast desert, and the memorable cowboys versus Indians motif; However, there are some things that do not meet normal western conventions. There is no famous duel, saloon or town aspect and most importantly no clear good guy. Although Ethan's efforts seem good at first, we find out that they are rooted in hate, and would even drive him to kill his niece once he realizes that she mated with an Indian. I believe, John Ford added that racism was foolish as well as absurd very destructive attribute that many people during the fifties possessed. In addition, portraying a message that people are indeed just people and their race does not make someone an outcast or secondary to someone else. While the letter is being read there are flashbacks of what happened to them. This was very entertaining and it added a visual element that keeps the audience entertained. Like they themselves are reading the letter right alongside Laurie. While Laurie continues to read, a man named Charlie, the letter delivery man who's also interested in her, plays his banjo and sings. It adds a non-diegetic element to the story. Meaning it is merely for the audience, making them feel like they can relate to the story more.
John Forde does an excellent job of portraying his thoughts on racism as a very obvious theme in the film. His use of the land and panoramic shots of the mountains around the audience to