Today is Western day on TCM, and in just a few minutes will be airing John Ford's influential "The Searchers" from 1956, starring John Wayne and Natalie Wood. Ford combined the ways of the silent era with the new methods in talking film Hollywood and no one ever made a film quite like the "Old Master" (as he was so dutifly dubbed by Orson Welles and Ingmar Bergman).

Arguably the greatest Western ever made, in spite of some historical fallacies, The Searchers is truly one of the great treasures of Classic Hollywood. A film to be marvelled at and envied on many levels, many elements in this film would become essential components in the formation of modern Hollywood story telling. Anyone who values a good story will quickly take to this film as the plot keeps you on the edge of your saddle in the Duke's search for little Debbie. "That'll be the day" will be your new favorite catch phrase for weeks. The film's themes and moral issues regarding life in the Old West still resonate today.

But so many methods in this film are uniquely Ford and have never been duplicated with the same effect: As Laurie reads Martin's letter in the film's middle (which chronologizes the events of he and Ethan's search for little Debbie) events from the search are placed on screen betwixt her reading- suspending the audience in time, leaving us without a perception of temporal relevance as we follow the several year journey of the search to find this little girl. It's a film viewer's dream as this script has all of those fun little hidden elements we as an audience like to seek out. There's this rich content that's pervasive and crucial to every moment of the film, as no second is wasted in this search ... and the rich cinematography lends itself to the narrative as well, all in all really making this the PERFECT picture, IMO.

One of the more poignant moments in the film, when Wayne's character Ethan kisses his sister-in-law goodbye, says so much about the film without even saying a word at all. If you're at all familiar with the plot rewatching this scene should literally give you shivers
The Searchers - Best Scene

And it's essential John Wayne in the absolute prime of his career. His younger days are behind him, and this role represents his zenith on many levels. And Natalie Wood also has a big role in this picture as the older Debbie, though you might miss her if you don't look closely, but she's there.



And as promised....A little ditty about Duke and Diane, today on TCM 5:45pm (est)