Laurie is the girl from 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance', Vera Miles. She turned in a solid performance in every part she ever had and she is still with us, 93 years young.
She lived in my hometown, Pratt(KS) when she was in high school. A friend of mine’s dad spoke about how good looking she was. She won Ms Kansas in 1948.
I just realized that earlier today. That it was Vera Miles in both roles. I can’t wait to watch the whole movie again, even though she’s only in the first part.
The flat-topped rock formations go by two names. The larger ones are called mesas ( _mesa_ is Spanish for table), the narrow ones are called buttes (from the French _butte_ a mound or hillock).
Really big ones are plateaus, next in size are mesas, then buttes. The smallest ones have lots of names, including pillar, spire, tower, needle and hoodoo.
I’ve loved the Duke since I was a kid in the 80s-90s. In 1991 the aired the 3D version of Hondo. His daughter introduced the movie. I still have the 3D glasses and I cut the advert out of the TV Guide and kept it too.
It wasn't that she didn't want to go back... what happened right after she showed up? The Comanche attacked. She was telling them to go away and leave her because _she did not want them killed_ . Ethan misinterpreted this as her having become Comanche.
If you re-watch The Searchers notice the interactions between Ethan and his sister-in-law. The way she strokes his coat, the way he kisses her goodbye on her forehead (while the Reverend Captain uncomfortably eats his donut). There was something going on when he left 7 years earlier. Maybe he was even Debbie's father.
When I first saw _The Searchers_ I had just got back from a fortnight-long touring holiday in the United States and one of the places I stopped at was Monument Valley, where this film's exteriors were shot. What a great place Monument Valley is.
@@smg85051 Not far from the truth. He was overlooked for nominations a few times, The Shootist, The High And The Mighty, some more... Some were for political reasons, some were poor advertisement from the studio like The Shootist, which was Oscar worthy acting.
@@Sven_E07 John Wayne and Cary Grant were both at a disadvantage when it came to the Oscars because neither was ever contracted to a major film studio and therefore never had the full weight of studio campaigns to back them up. In thirty five years they only received four Oscar nominations between them when they should have had twelve.
The Searchers should've won at least six Oscars: Best Actor - Duke Best Picture - Merrian C. Cooper Best Supporting Actor - Jeffrey Hunter Best Director - John Ford Best Adapted Screenplay - Frank S. Nugent Best Cinematography - Winton C. Hoch Could've won Best Supporting Actress - Vera Miles or Olive Carey Best Musical Score - Max Steiner
One of the best westerns ever made. It's an epic. You need to watch " Stagecoach" from 1939, it was John Wayne 's first major role, and it's another classic.
Dawn Marie, thank you for reacting to what I believe is the greatest western ever made. "The Searchers" is loosely based on a true story, which is expertly recounted in Glenn Frankel's book, "The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend." Also, if you watch closely, you'll realize Wayne's character and his brother's wife were in love with each other. In addition, Ethan was going to kill Debbie because in his mind she was no longer human, having been "tainted" by sleeping with Scar. Finally, Wayne walks away alone at the end because he's an uncivilized man living in a country that is rapidly becoming more civilized. He doesn't fit in anywhere anymore. Truly great film!
Loved your reactions to one of the greatest westerns ever made, Dawn Marie. Fun Movie Fact: Whenever you saw a gun jam, or mis-fire during this film, it was an actual gun jam or mis-fire. The actors then had to ad-lib their reactions and carry on, as it wasn't possible for them to re-shoot the scenes.
Let's go home, Debbie. My favourite line in any film. Comes as such a relief. One of the very few all-time great movies not to receive a single Oscar nomination!
The back story is that Ethan and Martha were in love and that Debbie is Ethan's daughter. Also Martin is Ethan's son from another woman he loved who was killed by the Comanche and he dropped him off to be raised by Aaron and Martha. When he tells him about the scalp being his mothers, that's what he's referring to.
THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE JOHN WAYNE MOVIES INCLUDING "HONDO" AND 'SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON" A BIT OF TRIVIA THE BRITISH 1960'S ROCK BAND NAMED THEMSELVES AFTER THIS MOVIE "THE SEARCHERS" ONE OF THEIR HITS WAS "LOVE POTION NUMBER 9 , AND DON'T THROW YOUR LOVE AWAY.' AND MANY MORE HITS
This was filmed in Monument Valley on the Navajo Nation Reservation in Arizona. John Ford loved to film there because it looked so good, and because he was away from his bosses in Hollywood. The young lieutenant was Patrick Wayne, John Wayne's son. Clayton (Ward Bond) got stabbed with his sword. Charlie was Ken Curtis, a singer with the Sons of the Pioneers.
John Ford directed this movie and he and Wayne both should have been nominated for Oscars for this movie which has gained more respect since both of their deaths.
wow The 1st reaction Ive seen to this classic film ( and fave of SCorcese & spielberg) and your great emotional comments. SO much to say , as EThan (J Wayne) was a complicated character. SOme people say that Debbie might have been his own child as he might have been in love with his brother's wife. John ford went all out in this beautifully filmed classic. oh and Scar the Indian was shot by Marty and The preacher was stabbed by the young kid (J Wayne's oldest son) with scabbard lol,
there is a long synapse of the entire movie; what each movie scene represents; how two scenes are connected; the cabin represents family; we see groups of people together as family, Ethan Edwards stands alone; near the start of the movie we see Ethan Edwards lifting young Debbie Edwards in the air thinking it was her older sister; near the end the the movie we see Ethan Edwards lifting an older Debbie Edwards; at the end we see the family entering the cabin Ethan Edwards does not
My all-time favorite Western movie. Many of the main actors are already mentioned by others, and were in other John Ford/John Wayne movies. We also saw here John's young son, Patrick Wayne, as the new cavalry Lieutenant. Ken Curtis was a great singer with the Sons of the Pioneers and can be heard in another Ford/Wayne movie "Rio Grande" where the Sons are the Regimental singers. He was later Festus on TV's Gunsmoke. Another great John Wayne Western is "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon". All great selections when you want to see some of the older Westerns.
In the script, he didn't kill Debbie because he saw Martha in her. But it's rumored that he didn't kill her because she was actually his child, and he couldn't go through with it.
This movie was loosely and I mean loosely based on a true incident that happened in Texas when the Comanches, who dominated the land and other native nations. They would raid and destroy, kill, loot and take hostages. The child's name was Cynthia Parker and eventually she assimilated into the tribe, became a wife at 15 or 16 and bore a son who would later become a fierce warrior and chief, by the name of Quana Parker. My husband read a book about his life and we both watched a documentary of his life. He became a celebrity and had a large home and many kids!
John Wayne did 10 movies besides this one with his second son, Patrick (Lt. Greenhill). Patrick wasn't always credited in some of the earlier films when he was a kid. In fact I think this was the 1st movie with his father that he was credited in.
The film was shot in Monument Valley which is spread over an area where Utah and Arizona come together. They said it was west Texas at the beginning of the film but that was only for dramatic purposes. There is nothing like that in Texas. The tall, solitary rock formations are actually the cores of ancient volcanoes where the mountains have worn away leaving only the cores. Spectacular to film Westerns in that area. The landscape becomes a third character in every Western. There are "hoodoos" all over the western US and Canada, but nothing like the size of of the ones in Monument Valley. The buffalo hunting scenes were filmed in Alberta, as there were no decent sized herds left in the US in the 1950s. Along with "Tombstone," "The Searchers" is my favourite Western. 🤠💖
This is my favourite John Wayne film. When I was a wee lad, my late grandfather used to visit on a Saturday, he'd come down from Aberdeen and we'd watch a John Wayne film. His favourite was The Quiet Man.
Among the many filmmakers this has influenced, the most visible one is Paul Schrader, who wrote TAXI DRIVER (which Martin Scorsese directed), and on his own made the films HARDCORE, AFFLICTION, FIRST REFORMED, THE CARD COUNTER, and has a new film, THE MASTER GARDENER, getting released now. I think he summed up the theme of this classic as, "The price of vengeance is you have no home." Something I find particularly interesting is that in the '70s, when Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and other directors were in Los Angeles partying with each other, Schrader had initially attempted to script CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND for Spielberg, but ultimately left it because he had a darker view of humanity than Spielberg wanted for the film. Decades later, when Spielberg directed MUNICH, it has an ending very reminiscent of THE SEARCHERS, so it's almost as if he finally came around to Schrader's worldview.
"Charlie" the ranger is Ken Curtis, a Ford Company regular who appeared in many movies with John Wayne and he usually sang a song or two in them; he was a member of The Sons Of The Pioneers. Believe it or not, he played the part of "Festus" in Gunsmoke.
The setting of Luke’s house in Star Wars is based on the homestead - the shot of Wayne’s framed in the doorway has been repeated in numerous films since, including Star Wars.
So the one part where Ethan and Mose stop and rest and feed their horses... Marty Goes on.. and when they catch up with Marty - he's on foot; meaning Marty's horse couldn't make it
Not sure if you ever saw any of these in Scotland but here's some trivia: The Native American -- Scar, (Comanche) that comes up to the little girl (Lana Wood) in the cemetery is German actor Henry Brandon -- he played the old cranky wealthy landlord Barnaby in the classic Laurel & Hardy film "The March of the Wooden Soldiers." The young man Martin Pawley is Jeffrey Hunter who was Captain Pike in the original "Star Trek" TV series. He also played a blue-eyed Jesus in "King of Kings." John Wayne says "That'll be the day," a few times in this film & the late rock singer Buddy Holly said that's where he got the title for his big hit song. This was one of John Wayne's most powerful performances. A tormented man. Many said he should have won the Academy Award for this film. The mountains you see are called Monument Valley on the Arizona-Utah border (USA). Wayne was shooting several bison (though he didn't need that many) because he didn't want the Native American tribes to have food. That was their primary meat source on the prairie. Vera Miles was also in the thriller "Psycho." The Scandanavian father is John Qualen who was also in many Wayne films but he was also in "Casablanca" with Humphrey Bogart. The cowboy with the guitar who was courting Laurie was Ken Curtis who was a folk singer but became famous as Festus in the TV show "Gunsmoke" that played for 20 years -- with James Arness (another John Wayne friend). Debbie was Natalie Wood -- famous since she was a little girl in "Miracle On 34th Street," & then with James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause."(The little girl at the beginning of the film is Natalie's younger sister). The young cadet who's asked if his head is cold by the Texas Ranger (Ward Bond -- who was in "Gone With the Wind") is John Wayne's real son Patrick. Patrick had a bigger part in the John Wayne film "Big Jake." You always do excellent assessments, Dawn Marie. Very enjoyable.
9:07 I'm the opposite. I think frog noises are so soothing. Lol I love hearing them in the evenings and at night after a good summer rain. Or at night on the lake.
In 1956, Buddie Holly and the Crickets had a hit with "That'll Be The Day". That may be the source of "That'll be the day, pilgrim." from this movie. Or vice a versa.
Darn you Dawn. I had other plans this afternoon, but when I see my favorite tuber reacting to my favorite western, zzzI was forced to delay those plans. ❤👍
Young Lt. Greenhill was played by John Wayne's son David Wayne who went on to star in several other films with his father, including the Mclintocks (Which is a great movie also) and Big Jake to name but a few.
'Double Eagle' is a $20 gold piece. One pure ounce and worth a great deal at that time. Like a Sovereign in England at that same time. The walk Wayne uses in Westerns he picked up from the famous lawman Wyatt Erp, who was an advisor on early John Ford films. In this film Wayne is very good as a pretty rough personality who has recently been through the loosing side of theAmerican Civil War, thus the uniform coat and the sword and medal he gave the children.
As part of a past job I often worked with Navajo guides and none of them took offense at being called indians. In fact that is what they often called themselves. They also referred to Navajo people as "Dineh" which basically just meant "The People", as I recall.
The New suitor has one of the best voices in the big band era and replaced frank sinatra when he got fired by tommy Dorsey. Then he played Festus in Gunsmoke
If you want to see a Great Western, you need to see STAGECOACH 1939, with a young John Wayne. It was the movie that made John Wayne the Cowboy of Cowboys, and made him a Star. You mention John Wayne's walk. We walk like that, when we've had too much tequila in our margaritas. It's known as the, "John Wayne Walk." LOL,LOL,LOL.....
Hello Dawn. This movie is rough. They filmed it in a kind of light hearted way but the story is seriously harsh. I'm so glad you enjoy the Westerns. I hope you get back to watching more. Since you recently watched the Maltese Falcon, I have a great recommendation for you. Hatari by the same director Howard Hawks with John Wayne. It's a bit different. A story about a bunch of guys who catch animals for zoos in Africa. Great soundtrack too by Henry Mancini.
20:28 that's Festus from Gunsmoke. He's quite a talented singer as well. 32:10 that's Patrick Wayne, John Wayne's son 36:06 the boy didn't watch that knife... 😂 you were right, he accidentally sworded someone 😂
Thank you for your reaction to this outstanding western movie. The searchers is for me one of the greatest westerns ever made, rankinhg alongside Once Upon a Time In The West among the greatest of any genre ever produced. John Wayne's performance here is exceptional, proving for whoever it seemed necessary that he really was a fine actor. His performance in The Searchers was perhaps his best ever, and he really should have won an Oscar for Leading Actor. His character Ethan Edwards is both complex and flawed, marked by a determination do the right thing according to his beliefs, but his character flaws, especially his racism and his inability to conform with society and settle down makes for disturbing possibilities once he found his kidnapped niece. Was he trying to rescue her or would he kill her at the end of his long search? That is the question at the heart of this movie and John Wayne is utterly convincing in portraying a man who may be capable of the unthinkable.
Dawn, the Comanche were brutal fighters and raiders. They'd have killed Aaron and the boy, perhaps tortured them first. They'd also have had their way with Martha before killing her. They took young women as concubines. They did these things as part of their regular wars between tribes and as vengeance against first the Spanish conquistadors and then the white settlers for their western expansion. The US Cavalry would slaughter whole groups of natives, women, and children included, so the Comanche would respond in kind. They say, when Ethan and Marty meet Scar in person that Scars childrennwere killed by white men, so he's getting his revenge against any whites he feels like attacking. In the end, Martin shot and killed Scar, and Ethan scalped him as payback for what Scar did to his family. When Ethan had originally planned to kill Debbie, it was, in his mind and the minds of many other whites, to save her from being forced to marry and bear the children of her captors. But he couldn't do it. Ethan is not a good person in this movie. He's a thief (the new gold pieces), a racist (he hates natives), and is likely a killer. But his neice softens his heart at the end. Marty helps with that too, clearly, but Debbie is his soft spot. At the end he leaves because he knows he has no place there, in a peaceful, loving family. He is a man who leads a violent life and would likely bring more violence to these good people if he stayed. So he rides away so they can rebuild their lives. Its a brilliant movie. Im glad you enjoyed it.
'to save her from being forced to marry and bear the children of her captors' - you're sanitising his character in a way that makes no sense in the narrative; he tries to kill her AFTER she is rescued from her captors. It's WAY darker than that. He tries to kill her (who is strongly implied to be his daughter btw) b/c she slept with the comanche chief, he even says so, he feels she is tainted somehow. At the end he realises he can't really live around normal people harbouring hatred like this, and so that the younger people (incl. notably a mixed-race young man) might live a more hopeful life he leaves them
Dawn Marie, Great reaction !!! I always love what you do. You are so funny and are always in good spirits, even when you don't feel well, and that makes you special. Ok on to some things (i.e. questions of yours) ... Yes, there were and still ARE many Native American tribes in the U.S., as well as in Mexico and Canada. Even Alaska has their own NAs (indigenous tribes), with about 100,000 or so living directly in and/or around the state, including the Eskimo peoples. In total, their are around 28 tribes, as I understand. Thanksgiving is a celebration ... a feast that is celebrated each year, around many parts of the world. However, in America, settlers brought the custom with them to the new land, and it's now used to remember & celebrate the first feast had between the Puritans and NAs of that time. We are the ONLY country though, that celebrates it on the 4th Thursday in November every year. It is also customary to have Thanksgiving AND the following Friday off of work. Woo-hoo !!! Wow, what a movie, huh ??? I must say, I never realized all the stars that were in this movie. You've got: 1. John Wayne (of course) 2. Jeffrey Hunter (Martin) 3. Vera Miles (Laurie) 4. Ward Bond (Reverend) 5. Natalie Wood (Debbie) 6. Lana Wood (Young Debbie, and Natalie Wood's real sister) 7. Tyrone Power 8. Maureen O'Hara 9. Harry Carey Jr. 10. Olive Carey (Harry Carey Jr.'s mother) 11. Ken Curtis (Charlie, as well as Festus from Gunsmoke) 12. Milburn Stone (Doc from Gunsmoke) 13. Patrick Wayne (John Wayne's 2nd son) 14. Robert & Jack Ellis (his son ???) That is a LOT of famous actors to have in 1 movie.
The skinnier geologic formations are called "buttes." Steep on all sides and a flat top. "Mesas" are solo mountains that have wider flat tops and at Least one steep side. "Mesa" is spanish for table, so the look more Luke tables.
The guy in this movie who played the Captain of the Rangers and was also going to marry Laurie and Charlie is the same guy who played the catholic priest in Quiet Man.
The hills your wondering the name. Go by many. Butte or bluff. The Spanish name is mesa, meaning table top. The south west was settled by the Spanish first so the mostly still have mesa in their name. Like Grand Mesa, Bear Butte, Mesa Vejo....My family is from Colorado for a hundred years and before that my family goes back 6 generations in New Mexico
This is considered one of the most legendary movies of American cinema and perhaps the best Western ever. It ranks up there with Gone With The Wind and Casablanca to name but a few. This is John Wayne as the hero/antihero who is driven to do what is necessary to protect his family but maybe not always for altruistic reasons. It is very Shakespearean in that the hero is driven and strong and yet has his tragic flaws. He is driven on his heroic quest because that is what heroes do. They complete some superhuman challenge no matter what it takes or the scars (mental as well as physical) it may leave on their character. To really understand what drives the hero you really have to watch this movie many times just as you can't understand Hamlet or King Lear on the first take. There is so much depth to this movie and that's what makes it such a timeless work of art. BTW you should get yourself a good American history textbook and read it cover to cover to answer all the questions you asked about. I think your understanding of this movie would be greatly enhanced by doing that.
The tribe names were real. There were different tribe's often at war with each other. In fact you might see a tribe called Sioux (pronounced "Sue") They call themselves Lakota. Settlers asked other tribes and got their wotd for enemy.
This was the film John Wayne should have won an Oscar for. True Grit was amazing as well, but he was really completely robbed here, of not only a nomination but a win. No question about it. It is one of his absolute best.
Really? Seems to me that Ethan was at best, either angry or reserved in this film. He did show some kindness to Debbie and Martha, but no humor at all. Wayne's portrayal of Rooster Cogburn showed a LOT more depth and the dialogue was much better in True Grit. Plus, Rooster's flaws and strengths were completely evident. But, to each his own.
Most Indians preferred to be called by their tribal affiliation, of which their are many. In my area the two tribes are the Paiute (meaning water-Ute) and the Shoshone (Grass House People). The Comanche (from the Ute word meaning "enemy") were in western Texas, Oklahoma, and eastern New Mexico. They were considered the finest horse warriors and for a period was actually pushing the settlers east. I've never met an Indian who wanted to be called "Native American".
The area this was filmed in is called Monument Valley. It is in the the North-East corner of Arizona. John Ford filmed many of his Westerns there, and so did a lot of other people.
This one's definitely my favorite Wayne movie, but it's also where my name's from, so I'm a bit biased. For your questions at the end about the natives, there are some tribes that would've been more popular back then and more regularly known. The Apache and Comanchee were probably the best known from the West and I think they still exist on specifically set aside land, "reservations".
Regarding shooting out their eyes, I definitely believe in using someone's superstitions against them. We don't do that now because we're too 'civilized', but if it's effective, and used against those that mean us harm, I think we should do it, especially with regards to 'slain enemies'. No need to grant to grant a corpse human rights. If they believe their soul won't rest after certain measures, it just might deter them and their friends and 'souls' are unscientific nonsense anyway.
The Rock formation your asking about. Is called a Mesa. Spanish for table. What you see. Is all that is the remnants of an extinct Volcano. The portion that is sticking up. Is solidified lava. Which is much harder than the surrounding mountain. Towards the bottom. Is all that is left of the worn away mountain.
The film is based on a true story. The Comanches kidnapped Cynthia Ann Parker who was raised as a member of the tribe and became the mother of the famous Comanche chief Quanah Parker.
So glad you watched this! Beautiful country isn't it, it's actually in Arizona, not Texas. I do know a little bit about that, as I've lived in Arizona for many years. I could name a dozen good westerns with John Wayne, but sounds like you want to take a break...but if you change your mind, just say so in one of your future reviews, I'll be watching! Yes, the fight between whites and the Indians basically is over land. The Indians were here first, and the whites continually encroached on their land as part of what you might call "western expansion". I'll leave it at that, I too don't want to offend anyone. BTW, the older Debbie was actually Natalie Wood, you should look her up, she was a beautiful actress with an interesting story. Not sure if you recognized - the Reverand also played the Reverand in "The Quiet Man". And he's also in "Sergeant York" with Gary Cooper.
Thanksgiving is a celebration by (one of) the first groups of settlers from Europe, on surviving their first and particularly harsh winter. It was celebrated with the local native tribes.
Just wanted to point something out. You reacted to The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance which was directed by John Ford. So was this movie. The woman who loved Ethan was The Actress Vera Mills. She's was in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. She was Hallie, the one who ran the restaurant.
John Wayne's walk was a copy of Yakima Canutt's, a former professional Bronc rider and often John Wayne's stunt double. They were inducted in the Stuntman's Hall of Fame for developing many of the techniques using in staging and filming fights.
Laurie is the girl from 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance', Vera Miles. She turned in a solid performance in every part she ever had and she is still with us, 93 years young.
She also played Lila Crane in Psycho (1960).
@Roy Phillips She was in Psycho 2 as well.
@@Madbandit77 Hitchcock also wanted her to play Madeleine/Judy in Vertigo but Miles was pregnant at the time.
She lived in my hometown, Pratt(KS) when she was in high school. A friend of mine’s dad spoke about how good looking she was. She won Ms Kansas in 1948.
I just realized that earlier today. That it was Vera Miles in both roles. I can’t wait to watch the whole movie again, even though she’s only in the first part.
The flat-topped rock formations go by two names. The larger ones are called mesas ( _mesa_ is Spanish for table), the narrow ones are called buttes (from the French _butte_ a mound or hillock).
Yep. We have 'em here in Colorado. They don't fall.
Like many of John Ford's westerns, "The Searchers" was shot in a place called "Monument Valley" (named for the rock formations found there).
To avoid embarrassment you should have let Dawn know the pronunciation.
Byoots, not butts.
Really big ones are plateaus, next in size are mesas, then buttes. The smallest ones have lots of names, including pillar, spire, tower, needle and hoodoo.
@@MrVvulf There's no "Y" in the pronunciation, unless you're in the deep south. Here in the west, we pronounce it "beauts" as in beauty.
The Searchers is one of my favorite John Wayne westerns. Probably tied with She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
Rio Grande, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and The Shootist are probably my top three John Wayne westerns.
Hondo.
I’ve loved the Duke since I was a kid in the 80s-90s. In 1991 the aired the 3D version of Hondo. His daughter introduced the movie. I still have the 3D glasses and I cut the advert out of the TV Guide and kept it too.
Rio Bravo for me. The Searchers is a close second though
"where's your horse?"
Horses are not automobiles. He rode it to death because he didn't listen to his uncle.
Although when I was young I drove my car to death. 😉
It wasn't that she didn't want to go back... what happened right after she showed up? The Comanche attacked. She was telling them to go away and leave her because _she did not want them killed_ . Ethan misinterpreted this as her having become Comanche.
In the script, it explained that she didn't know the Comanches killed her family, they'd only told her they had rescued her.
The big rocks are called Mesa's. This was filmed in a place called Monument Valley.
John Wayne's tag line of That'll be the Day was the inspiration for Buddy Holiday's song That'll be the Day. A double eagle was a god coin worth $20.
I think you combined "Buddy Holly" and "Billie Holiday". LOL
*gold coin
❤❤
If you re-watch The Searchers notice the interactions between Ethan and his sister-in-law. The way she strokes his coat, the way he kisses her goodbye on her forehead (while the Reverend Captain uncomfortably eats his donut). There was something going on when he left 7 years earlier. Maybe he was even Debbie's father.
Also when he returns to the burning ranch he calls out for Martha twice, but not for anyone else.
At least he believed he could be. The movie couldn’t be explicit, but the thought that his daughter was having sex with Indians fueled his hatred.
"It was your mother's"
"What? How'd he know?"
Because Ethan was the one who found Martin as a baby.
Martin might just have been Ethan’s son.
@@12classics39that was my guess too. Hated the Indians that did it….that’s why he wanted to kill them all, or as many as he could.
When I first saw _The Searchers_ I had just got back from a fortnight-long touring holiday in the United States and one of the places I stopped at was Monument Valley, where this film's exteriors were shot. What a great place Monument Valley is.
The Duke should have won an oscar for this portrayal. What a redemption story!
That one and Red River as well
Should've earned at least 3 or 4 in his distinguished career
@@smg85051 Not far from the truth. He was overlooked for nominations a few times, The Shootist, The High And The Mighty, some more... Some were for political reasons, some were poor advertisement from the studio like The Shootist, which was Oscar worthy acting.
@@Sven_E07 John Wayne and Cary Grant were both at a disadvantage when it came to the Oscars because neither was ever contracted to a major film studio and therefore never had the full weight of studio campaigns to back them up. In thirty five years they only received four Oscar nominations between them when they should have had twelve.
The Searchers should've won at least six Oscars:
Best Actor - Duke
Best Picture - Merrian C. Cooper
Best Supporting Actor - Jeffrey Hunter
Best Director - John Ford
Best Adapted Screenplay - Frank S. Nugent
Best Cinematography - Winton C. Hoch
Could've won
Best Supporting Actress - Vera Miles or Olive Carey
Best Musical Score - Max Steiner
I've seen this film many, many times, but it's fun watching this lass enjoying it and her commentary is adorable
One of the best westerns ever made. It's an epic. You need to watch " Stagecoach" from 1939, it was John Wayne 's first major role, and it's another classic.
Dawn Marie, thank you for reacting to what I believe is the greatest western ever made. "The Searchers" is loosely based on a true story, which is expertly recounted in Glenn Frankel's book, "The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend." Also, if you watch closely, you'll realize Wayne's character and his brother's wife were in love with each other. In addition, Ethan was going to kill Debbie because in his mind she was no longer human, having been "tainted" by sleeping with Scar. Finally, Wayne walks away alone at the end because he's an uncivilized man living in a country that is rapidly becoming more civilized. He doesn't fit in anywhere anymore. Truly great film!
Steven Spielberg watches this movie every time he is about to start a new project. It's that influential.
Loved your reactions to one of the greatest westerns ever made, Dawn Marie.
Fun Movie Fact: Whenever you saw a gun jam, or mis-fire during this film, it was an actual gun jam or mis-fire. The actors then had to ad-lib their reactions and carry on, as it wasn't possible for them to re-shoot the scenes.
Let's go home, Debbie. My favourite line in any film. Comes as such a relief. One of the very few all-time great movies not to receive a single Oscar nomination!
The back story is that Ethan and Martha were in love and that Debbie is Ethan's daughter.
Also Martin is Ethan's son from another woman he loved who was killed by the Comanche and he dropped him off to be raised by Aaron and Martha. When he tells him about the scalp being his mothers, that's what he's referring to.
THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE JOHN WAYNE MOVIES INCLUDING "HONDO" AND 'SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON" A BIT OF TRIVIA THE BRITISH 1960'S ROCK BAND NAMED THEMSELVES AFTER THIS MOVIE "THE SEARCHERS" ONE OF THEIR HITS WAS "LOVE POTION NUMBER 9 , AND DON'T THROW YOUR LOVE AWAY.' AND MANY MORE HITS
This was filmed in Monument Valley on the Navajo Nation Reservation in Arizona. John Ford loved to film there because it looked so good, and because he was away from his bosses in Hollywood.
The young lieutenant was Patrick Wayne, John Wayne's son. Clayton (Ward Bond) got stabbed with his sword.
Charlie was Ken Curtis, a singer with the Sons of the Pioneers.
Ken Curtis married director John Ford's daughter and later was famous as Festus in the "Gunsmoke" tv series.
@@sartanawillpay7977 Never knew that!
John Ford directed this movie and he and Wayne both should have been nominated for Oscars for this movie which has gained more respect since both of their deaths.
wow The 1st reaction Ive seen to this classic film ( and fave of SCorcese & spielberg) and your great emotional comments. SO much to say , as EThan (J Wayne) was a complicated character. SOme people say that Debbie might have been his own child as he might have been in love with his brother's wife. John ford went all out in this beautifully filmed classic. oh and Scar the Indian was shot by Marty and The preacher was stabbed by the young kid (J Wayne's oldest son) with scabbard lol,
there is a long synapse of the entire movie; what each movie scene represents; how two scenes are connected; the cabin represents family; we see groups of people together as family, Ethan Edwards stands alone; near the start of the movie we see Ethan Edwards lifting young Debbie Edwards in the air thinking it was her older sister; near the end the the movie we see Ethan Edwards lifting an older Debbie Edwards; at the end we see the family entering the cabin Ethan Edwards does not
A double Egale is a Gold Dollar. Today a single Gold Double Eagle from (1868) would be worth $600 today.
A double eagle is a $20 coin , a singe eagle is $10
@@jonjofarrell4495 We're talking about an 1860 double eagle. They can go as much as $70,000. Depending on the condition of the coin.
Wow I had to like and subscribe before even watching. I've watched a lot of your reaction videos, but this is one of my favorite Westerns of all time!
My all-time favorite Western movie. Many of the main actors are already mentioned by others, and were in other John Ford/John Wayne movies. We also saw here John's young son, Patrick Wayne, as the new cavalry Lieutenant. Ken Curtis was a great singer with the Sons of the Pioneers and can be heard in another Ford/Wayne movie "Rio Grande" where the Sons are the Regimental singers. He was later Festus on TV's Gunsmoke. Another great John Wayne Western is "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon". All great selections when you want to see some of the older Westerns.
The actor that played the cavalry officer at the end, the young one that told them about scar, was Patrick Wayne. John Wayne's real son.
Always can't hold my tears back, when Ethan raises Debbie before he says "Let's go home."
In the script, he didn't kill Debbie because he saw Martha in her. But it's rumored that he didn't kill her because she was actually his child, and he couldn't go through with it.
This movie was loosely and I mean loosely based on a true incident that happened in Texas when the Comanches, who dominated the land and other native nations. They would raid and destroy, kill, loot and take hostages. The child's name was Cynthia Parker and eventually she assimilated into the tribe, became a wife at 15 or 16 and bore a son who would later become a fierce warrior and chief, by the name of Quana Parker. My husband read a book about his life and we both watched a documentary of his life. He became a celebrity and had a large home and many kids!
The ending closing the door on Ethan is symbolic of his type of man. One with no place in civilized society after the danger/quest is done.
The guy playing his dad in the first ghost's deal is his brother Brian Murray - also the mayor in Groundhog Day.
John Wayne did 10 movies besides this one with his second son, Patrick (Lt. Greenhill). Patrick wasn't always credited in some of the earlier films when he was a kid. In fact I think this was the 1st movie with his father that he was credited in.
Charlie McCorory was played by Ben Curtis and was Festus in Gunsmoke
The film was shot in Monument Valley which is spread over an area where Utah and Arizona come together. They said it was west Texas at the beginning of the film but that was only for dramatic purposes. There is nothing like that in Texas. The tall, solitary rock formations are actually the cores of ancient volcanoes where the mountains have worn away leaving only the cores. Spectacular to film Westerns in that area. The landscape becomes a third character in every Western. There are "hoodoos" all over the western US and Canada, but nothing like the size of of the ones in Monument Valley. The buffalo hunting scenes were filmed in Alberta, as there were no decent sized herds left in the US in the 1950s. Along with "Tombstone," "The Searchers" is my favourite Western. 🤠💖
This is my favourite John Wayne film. When I was a wee lad, my late grandfather used to visit on a Saturday, he'd come down from Aberdeen and we'd watch a John Wayne film. His favourite was The Quiet Man.
Among the many filmmakers this has influenced, the most visible one is Paul Schrader, who wrote TAXI DRIVER (which Martin Scorsese directed), and on his own made the films HARDCORE, AFFLICTION, FIRST REFORMED, THE CARD COUNTER, and has a new film, THE MASTER GARDENER, getting released now. I think he summed up the theme of this classic as, "The price of vengeance is you have no home."
Something I find particularly interesting is that in the '70s, when Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and other directors were in Los Angeles partying with each other, Schrader had initially attempted to script CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND for Spielberg, but ultimately left it because he had a darker view of humanity than Spielberg wanted for the film. Decades later, when Spielberg directed MUNICH, it has an ending very reminiscent of THE SEARCHERS, so it's almost as if he finally came around to Schrader's worldview.
"Charlie" the ranger is Ken Curtis, a Ford Company regular who appeared in many movies with John Wayne and he usually sang a song or two in them; he was a member of The Sons Of The Pioneers.
Believe it or not, he played the part of "Festus" in Gunsmoke.
He also voiced Nutsy the vulture in the 1973 Disney animated Robin Hood
The setting of Luke’s house in Star Wars is based on the homestead - the shot of Wayne’s framed in the doorway has been repeated in numerous films since, including Star Wars.
So the one part where Ethan and Mose stop and rest and feed their horses... Marty Goes on.. and when they catch up with Marty - he's on foot; meaning Marty's horse couldn't make it
Those rock formations are buttes. The film is shot in Monument Valley, in northeast Arizona.
Not sure if you ever saw any of these in Scotland but here's some trivia:
The Native American -- Scar, (Comanche) that comes up to the little girl (Lana Wood) in the cemetery is German actor Henry Brandon -- he played the old cranky wealthy landlord Barnaby in the classic Laurel & Hardy film "The March of the Wooden Soldiers."
The young man Martin Pawley is Jeffrey Hunter who was Captain Pike in the original "Star Trek" TV series. He also played a blue-eyed Jesus in "King of Kings."
John Wayne says "That'll be the day," a few times in this film & the late rock singer Buddy Holly said that's where he got the title for his big hit song.
This was one of John Wayne's most powerful performances. A tormented man. Many said he should have won the Academy Award for this film. The mountains you see are called Monument Valley on the Arizona-Utah border (USA).
Wayne was shooting several bison (though he didn't need that many) because he didn't want the Native American tribes to have food. That was their primary meat source on the prairie.
Vera Miles was also in the thriller "Psycho." The Scandanavian father is John Qualen who was also in many Wayne films but he was also in "Casablanca" with Humphrey Bogart.
The cowboy with the guitar who was courting Laurie was Ken Curtis who was a folk singer but became famous as Festus in the TV show "Gunsmoke" that played for 20 years -- with James Arness (another John Wayne friend).
Debbie was Natalie Wood -- famous since she was a little girl in "Miracle On 34th Street," & then with James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause."(The little girl at the beginning of the film is Natalie's younger sister).
The young cadet who's asked if his head is cold by the Texas Ranger (Ward Bond -- who was in "Gone With the Wind") is John Wayne's real son Patrick. Patrick had a bigger part in the John Wayne film "Big Jake."
You always do excellent assessments, Dawn Marie. Very enjoyable.
Also, glad to say, Vera Miles is still alive in her 90's
I liked her here and in Psycho
9:07 I'm the opposite. I think frog noises are so soothing. Lol
I love hearing them in the evenings and at night after a good summer rain. Or at night on the lake.
The "square mountain" is called a Mesa .
an isolated flat-topped hill with steep sides, as found in arid and semi-arid areas of the US.
In 1956, Buddie Holly and the Crickets had a hit with "That'll Be The Day".
That may be the source of "That'll be the day, pilgrim." from this movie.
Or vice a versa.
You’re my favorite. “ surely there’s no harm in killing another one”😂
Fantastic Reaktions Marie 👍👍
One of my favorite western movies 😉✌️
Greets and cheers 🇭🇷
MIK
The captain wounded at the end (in the end) had been "sworded" by the young soldier.
The best description of scalping, to me, is the one given in, oddly, The Last Samurai, which you NEED to watch!
Darn you Dawn. I had other plans this afternoon, but when I see my favorite tuber reacting to my favorite western, zzzI was forced to delay those plans. ❤👍
John Wayne's catch phrase, "That'll be the day" inspired Buddy Holly to write his hit song, "That'll Be The Day (When I Die)
Young Lt. Greenhill was played by John Wayne's son David Wayne who went on to star in several other films with his father, including the Mclintocks (Which is a great movie also) and Big Jake to name but a few.
'Double Eagle' is a $20 gold piece. One pure ounce and worth a great deal at that time. Like a Sovereign in England at that same time. The walk Wayne uses in Westerns he picked up from the famous lawman Wyatt Erp, who was an advisor on early John Ford films. In this film Wayne is very good as a pretty rough personality who has recently been through the loosing side of theAmerican Civil War, thus the uniform coat and the sword and medal he gave the children.
Even the critics who often panned the Duke's movies said this was one of his best rolls.
As part of a past job I often worked with Navajo guides and none of them took offense at being called indians. In fact that is what they often called themselves. They also referred to Navajo people as "Dineh" which basically just meant "The People", as I recall.
"Fort Apache" is a good 1
Erol Flynn's "The Sea Hawk" or "They Died with their Boots On" are great too
& you keep asking about the little boy
Oof.
Historically, boys aren't taken as war trophies
The
New suitor has one of the best voices in the big band era and replaced frank sinatra when he got fired by tommy Dorsey. Then he played Festus in Gunsmoke
Based in large part on the Fort Parker Massacre and the capture of Cynthia Ann Parker. Very interesting history.
If you want to see a Great Western, you need to see STAGECOACH 1939, with a young John Wayne. It was the movie that made John Wayne the Cowboy of Cowboys, and made him a Star.
You mention John Wayne's walk. We walk like that, when we've had too much tequila in our margaritas. It's known as the, "John Wayne Walk." LOL,LOL,LOL.....
A long gone friend of mine worked for John Wayne, who told him that Tequila hurt his back because drinking too much made him fall backwards.
Hello Dawn. This movie is rough. They filmed it in a kind of light hearted way but the story is seriously harsh. I'm so glad you enjoy the Westerns. I hope you get back to watching more. Since you recently watched the Maltese Falcon, I have a great recommendation for you. Hatari by the same director Howard Hawks with John Wayne. It's a bit different. A story about a bunch of guys who catch animals for zoos in Africa. Great soundtrack too by Henry Mancini.
20:28 that's Festus from Gunsmoke. He's quite a talented singer as well.
32:10 that's Patrick Wayne, John Wayne's son
36:06 the boy didn't watch that knife... 😂 you were right, he accidentally sworded someone 😂
Thank you for your reaction to this outstanding western movie. The searchers is for me one of the greatest westerns ever made, rankinhg alongside Once Upon a Time In The West among the greatest of any genre ever produced. John Wayne's performance here is exceptional, proving for whoever it seemed necessary that he really was a fine actor. His performance in The Searchers was perhaps his best ever, and he really should have won an Oscar for Leading Actor. His character Ethan Edwards is both complex and flawed, marked by a determination do the right thing according to his beliefs, but his character flaws, especially his racism and his inability to conform with society and settle down makes for disturbing possibilities once he found his kidnapped niece. Was he trying to rescue her or would he kill her at the end of his long search? That is the question at the heart of this movie and John Wayne is utterly convincing in portraying a man who may be capable of the unthinkable.
Dawn, the Comanche were brutal fighters and raiders. They'd have killed Aaron and the boy, perhaps tortured them first. They'd also have had their way with Martha before killing her. They took young women as concubines. They did these things as part of their regular wars between tribes and as vengeance against first the Spanish conquistadors and then the white settlers for their western expansion. The US Cavalry would slaughter whole groups of natives, women, and children included, so the Comanche would respond in kind. They say, when Ethan and Marty meet Scar in person that Scars childrennwere killed by white men, so he's getting his revenge against any whites he feels like attacking. In the end, Martin shot and killed Scar, and Ethan scalped him as payback for what Scar did to his family. When Ethan had originally planned to kill Debbie, it was, in his mind and the minds of many other whites, to save her from being forced to marry and bear the children of her captors. But he couldn't do it. Ethan is not a good person in this movie. He's a thief (the new gold pieces), a racist (he hates natives), and is likely a killer. But his neice softens his heart at the end. Marty helps with that too, clearly, but Debbie is his soft spot. At the end he leaves because he knows he has no place there, in a peaceful, loving family. He is a man who leads a violent life and would likely bring more violence to these good people if he stayed. So he rides away so they can rebuild their lives. Its a brilliant movie. Im glad you enjoyed it.
'to save her from being forced to marry and bear the children of her captors' - you're sanitising his character in a way that makes no sense in the narrative; he tries to kill her AFTER she is rescued from her captors. It's WAY darker than that. He tries to kill her (who is strongly implied to be his daughter btw) b/c she slept with the comanche chief, he even says so, he feels she is tainted somehow. At the end he realises he can't really live around normal people harbouring hatred like this, and so that the younger people (incl. notably a mixed-race young man) might live a more hopeful life he leaves them
11:55 Ethan's brother Aaron, his wife Martha and the son were all killed back at the homestead. The girls were the ones who were carried off.
Dawn Marie,
Great reaction !!! I always love what you do. You are so funny and are always in good spirits, even when you don't feel well, and that makes you special. Ok on to some things (i.e. questions of yours) ... Yes, there were and still ARE many Native American tribes in the U.S., as well as in Mexico and Canada. Even Alaska has their own NAs (indigenous tribes), with about 100,000 or so living directly in and/or around the state, including the Eskimo peoples. In total, their are around 28 tribes, as I understand.
Thanksgiving is a celebration ... a feast that is celebrated each year, around many parts of the world. However, in America, settlers brought the custom with them to the new land, and it's now used to remember & celebrate the first feast had between the Puritans and NAs of that time. We are the ONLY country though, that celebrates it on the 4th Thursday in November every year. It is also customary to have Thanksgiving AND the following Friday off of work. Woo-hoo !!!
Wow, what a movie, huh ??? I must say, I never realized all the stars that were in this movie. You've got:
1. John Wayne (of course)
2. Jeffrey Hunter (Martin)
3. Vera Miles (Laurie)
4. Ward Bond (Reverend)
5. Natalie Wood (Debbie)
6. Lana Wood (Young Debbie, and Natalie Wood's real sister)
7. Tyrone Power
8. Maureen O'Hara
9. Harry Carey Jr.
10. Olive Carey (Harry Carey Jr.'s mother)
11. Ken Curtis (Charlie, as well as Festus from Gunsmoke)
12. Milburn Stone (Doc from Gunsmoke)
13. Patrick Wayne (John Wayne's 2nd son)
14. Robert & Jack Ellis (his son ???)
That is a LOT of famous actors to have in 1 movie.
The skinnier geologic formations are called "buttes." Steep on all sides and a flat top.
"Mesas" are solo mountains that have wider flat tops and at Least one steep side. "Mesa" is spanish for table, so the look more Luke tables.
They are called buttes--an isolated hill with steep sides and a flat top (similar to but narrower than a mesa).
This movie inspired Buddy Holley to write a song. "That'll Be The Day".
The guy in this movie who played the Captain of the Rangers and was also going to marry Laurie and Charlie is the same guy who played the catholic priest in Quiet Man.
There’s a reason this is considered the best western film ever.
The hills your wondering the name. Go by many. Butte or bluff. The Spanish name is mesa, meaning table top. The south west was settled by the Spanish first so the mostly still have mesa in their name. Like Grand Mesa, Bear Butte, Mesa Vejo....My family is from Colorado for a hundred years and before that my family goes back 6 generations in New Mexico
This is considered one of the most legendary movies of American cinema and perhaps the best Western ever. It ranks up there with Gone With The Wind and Casablanca to name but a few. This is John Wayne as the hero/antihero who is driven to do what is necessary to protect his family but maybe not always for altruistic reasons. It is very Shakespearean in that the hero is driven and strong and yet has his tragic flaws. He is driven on his heroic quest because that is what heroes do. They complete some superhuman challenge no matter what it takes or the scars (mental as well as physical) it may leave on their character. To really understand what drives the hero you really have to watch this movie many times just as you can't understand Hamlet or King Lear on the first take. There is so much depth to this movie and that's what makes it such a timeless work of art. BTW you should get yourself a good American history textbook and read it cover to cover to answer all the questions you asked about. I think your understanding of this movie would be greatly enhanced by doing that.
The tribe names were real. There were different tribe's often at war with each other. In fact you might see a tribe called Sioux (pronounced "Sue") They call themselves Lakota. Settlers asked other tribes and got their wotd for enemy.
John Wayne should have got an Oscar for this film.
This was the film John Wayne should have won an Oscar for. True Grit was amazing as well, but he was really completely robbed here, of not only a nomination but a win. No question about it. It is one of his absolute best.
Really? Seems to me that Ethan was at best, either angry or reserved in this film. He did show some kindness to Debbie and Martha, but no humor at all. Wayne's portrayal of Rooster Cogburn showed a LOT more depth and the dialogue was much better in True Grit. Plus, Rooster's flaws and strengths were completely evident. But, to each his own.
Very different role for John Wayne. You could feel and see the seething hate he had. True Grit was amazing but not too far from other roles he played.
How did he know it was his mum's scalp? Ethan is the father of Martyn!
Pauly killed Scar when they were in the teepee while he was getting Debbie to take home.
Arguably the greatest Western film ever made. John Wayne should have received the Academy award for his performance.
This movie and many others were filmed in monument valley Arizona
Most Indians preferred to be called by their tribal affiliation, of which their are many. In my area the two tribes are the Paiute (meaning water-Ute) and the Shoshone (Grass House People).
The Comanche (from the Ute word meaning "enemy") were in western Texas, Oklahoma, and eastern New Mexico. They were considered the finest horse warriors and for a period was actually pushing the settlers east.
I've never met an Indian who wanted to be called "Native American".
The area this was filmed in is called Monument Valley. It is in the the North-East corner of Arizona. John Ford filmed many of his Westerns there, and so did a lot of other people.
This one's definitely my favorite Wayne movie, but it's also where my name's from, so I'm a bit biased. For your questions at the end about the natives, there are some tribes that would've been more popular back then and more regularly known. The Apache and Comanchee were probably the best known from the West and I think they still exist on specifically set aside land, "reservations".
The trooper with the "knife" was John Waynes son Patrick. Love you watching the Wayne films.
Regarding shooting out their eyes, I definitely believe in using someone's superstitions against them. We don't do that now because we're too 'civilized', but if it's effective, and used against those that mean us harm, I think we should do it, especially with regards to 'slain enemies'. No need to grant to grant a corpse human rights. If they believe their soul won't rest after certain measures, it just might deter them and their friends and 'souls' are unscientific nonsense anyway.
That's deeply stupid. The Indian was DEAD, his superstitions weren't bothering him anymore
The Rock formation your asking about. Is called a Mesa. Spanish for table. What you see. Is all that is the remnants of an extinct Volcano. The portion that is sticking up. Is solidified lava. Which is much harder than the surrounding mountain. Towards the bottom. Is all that is left of the worn away mountain.
This is considered one of the greatest westerns.
One of my favourite films
The film is based on a true story. The Comanches kidnapped Cynthia Ann Parker who was raised as a member of the tribe and became the mother of the famous Comanche chief Quanah Parker.
This truly is the best Western movie ever made. The second best is "Once Upon a Time in the West."
The mountains are called Butte's. The area is called Monument valley.
Hey Dawn " Red River" with John Wayne and Montgomery Cliff
Preacher didn't get bit in the behind he got stuck with that boy's sword 🤣🤣😂😂
So glad you watched this! Beautiful country isn't it, it's actually in Arizona, not Texas. I do know a little bit about that, as I've lived in Arizona for many years. I could name a dozen good westerns with John Wayne, but sounds like you want to take a break...but if you change your mind, just say so in one of your future reviews, I'll be watching! Yes, the fight between whites and the Indians basically is over land. The Indians were here first, and the whites continually encroached on their land as part of what you might call "western expansion". I'll leave it at that, I too don't want to offend anyone. BTW, the older Debbie was actually Natalie Wood, you should look her up, she was a beautiful actress with an interesting story. Not sure if you recognized - the Reverand also played the Reverand in "The Quiet Man". And he's also in "Sergeant York" with Gary Cooper.
(16:13) Vera Miles, Miss Kansas 1948, was said to be the next Grace Kelly. (Then, she got knocked-up...)
And the reverend was stabbed in the ass by the soldier and yes Ethan scalped scar . Really dig the classic John Wayne walk at the end.
Thanksgiving is a celebration by (one of) the first groups of settlers from Europe, on surviving their first and particularly harsh winter. It was celebrated with the local native tribes.
Just wanted to point something out. You reacted to The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance which was directed by John Ford. So was this movie. The woman who loved Ethan was The Actress Vera Mills. She's was in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. She was Hallie, the one who ran the restaurant.
I'm glad you're enjoying westerns so much. If you want a western with a strong female lead, check out Sam Raimi's The Quick and the Dead.
Great, under looked western.
John Wayne's walk was a copy of Yakima Canutt's, a former professional Bronc rider and often John Wayne's stunt double. They were inducted in the Stuntman's Hall of Fame for developing many of the techniques using in staging and filming fights.
love , compassion not lost. in time, great review. ricky.