What is your favorite movie?

Two of my favorite lines are in this movie:

“If you do, Martin Polley, I’ll just die”

and… the one that made my dad cry every single time:

“Let’s go home Debbie”

Not sure if it gets much better than this (well, “come back, Shane” from Shane w/ Alan Ladd might be up there too).

There are so many factors that make this film great, from the dramatic way it was shot to the subtle direction and acting. John Wayne’s perfomance in this film was overlooked by the Academy as was the entire film which I find incredible. Wayne’s performance as Ethan Edwards was superb, anyone who thinks Wayne was just a “movie star” has never really watched this film. The way in which the subject matter was treated in this film was a first for movie goers and as far as I’m concerened this was,is and always will be a special film everytime you watch it.

I’m happy to see my favorite western ever rising in stature on the AFI Top Hundred list. I always felt that the film was by far John Wayne’s best, and vastly under appreciated.

This movie has great interaction with the characters, a wonderful story, a great cast, and beautiful scenery.

Why was THE SEARCHERS so far down the list in 1997. It has always been one of our very best film achievements and should have been near the top of the list from the beginning.

Joe

The best American film ever made. Wayne and Ford at their best.

Star Wars for originality that blew our 1977 minds away, it took us to another world with style, imagination and humor

The Searchers for its timeless story and touch of humor in what could have been a very sad movie and it has John Wayne to boot.

I’m in love with Matt Damon in this movie, just my middle age quirk I guess.

A timeless study of the human psyche; what drives a person, how far will he/she go to achieve his/her goal; the conflicting nature of human emotions, i..e the good/bad in all people. Not to mention great directing, acting, dialogue and scenery.

I admire a movie in which the acting itself dominates the story. I’m old enough to not be swayed by gimmicks, explosions, or vulgarity for the sake of vulgarity. John Wayne gave so powerful a presentation of Ethan, that even though I’ve seen The Searchers over 100 times, there are still scenes that raise the hair on my arms. “What do you want me to do, draw ya a picture, spell it out?” John Ford’s understanding of how to get everything from every actor and the sets themselves breathed the life into a movie of no equal. Citizen Kane-great, Gone With the Wind-great, The Godfather (s)-great. The Searchers–gets inside you. Biggest disappointment–where was Inherit the Wind in the 100?

The music, the location, the actors, John Ford, just a haunting movie that I think has to be seen on the big screen to really appreciate it.

John Waynes best acting job, and a masterpiece of cinematography. This is probably the perfect western.

being a huge john wayne fan i know i may be bias,however the searchers is such a great movie.how this movie,john wayne,or john ford didn’t get an oscar nomination is truely unbelieveable—WHAT DO I GOT TO DO,DRAW A PICTURE,SPELL IT OUT

The Searchers is one of the true masterpieces of American cinema. This is John Ford’s greatest picture, not The Grapes of Wrath. The cinematography combined with the way Ford composes what’s in the frame make this a visual wonder. John Wayne gives one of the best performances ever put on film, a man with inner demons whose struggling between doing what’s morally right and what’s eating away at his soul. Predecessor to Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, Lucas’ Star Wars, and an influence to many of Spielberg’s films. The very best of the western genre, it examines the western’s morals and mores and is unsympathetic in doing so.

This is the film that should rank the highest for Ford. This movie should be in the top 25 when the list is unveiled on June 20. If it isn’t, the list will be just as unsettling as the one from 1998. What a great film.

John Ford’s masterpiece. The most beautiful of his films, and the darkest. Ford’s compositions and Winton C. Hoch’s cinematography combine to create imagry that has never been surpassed in films. The film is also quite moving and very disturbing. It is not a message western, but the film’s exploration of the culture clash of white settlers and Native Americans makes it one of the most powerful movies about race relations in American cinema. The film is essentially the sory of a man, Ethan Edwards, and his journey into his own heart of darkness. Ethan Edwards is one of the great characters of moral ambiguity in American cinema (Vito Corlene, Fred C. Dobbs, Travis Bickle, etc.). John Wayne gives one of the great performances. This film should rank higher than it did 10 years ago.

The greatest western ever made.

John Wayne proves he was a great actor in this his greatest performance.Some of the most beautiful photography/scenery ever filmed.
By: Joseph Helman

This is without a doubt the greatest Western ever made.

John Ford is a genius and this is his masterpiece. John Wayne gave the performance of his life. Everything came together perfectly in this one. And what a great last shot! I watched this movie for the first time with my dad when I was twelve years old and it opened up a whole world of classic movies to me. I’ve come to appreciate it as the masterpiece it really is. It deserves to be in the top twenty five of AFI’s 100 Greatest Movies list this June. If it’s not, it’ll be a travesty…again.
By: Tom Klemick