I just saw this movie and it was amazing. A few of the best lines/parts:

"That'll be the day"

"Put an amen to it!"

The obviously white main indian, would've only been better had it been Yul Brenner.

The semi-homoerotic campfire scene--"stop puttin' logs on the fire, will yuh?!?"

The front kick to the face during the fight scene, plus the log and "Is this somebody's fiddle?"

I could go on. Best western ever.

the best homoerotic scene in a western ever is in red river.

but this is, though quite uncomfortable and by modern standards very racist, a beautifully made movie that says a great deal about mid-century America.

The racism's kind of the point though, right? Isn't the overall message supposed to be anti-racist, with the ending and all?

Yes, Ethan changes.

Oof. I dunno. Part of me likes Once Upon A Time In The West more.

That said, The Searchers is made of win

Not really, no. When Ethan stands there in the door, he's alone. He just didn't have the balls he thought he did. He never becomes anything but a racist. He doesn't all of a sudden start thinking Indians aren't pieces of shit when he sees Natalie Wood. He just doesn't kill her. Big deal.

That being said, it's still good even despite having some of the stupidest scenes and characters ever.

I fucking HATE this movie and i fucking HATE john wayne. He's like Celine Dion to me, no matter how good a film can be, if it's got john wayne, i'll fucking hate it... i've never hated any other actor that much


/rant

I think it's quite debateable. Throughout the film he thinks of indians as savages, but sees natalie wood as one of them in the end and sees the humanity in that race of people.

Most Westerns of the day were incredibly politically incorrect. I was watching the trailer for another one of my favourite Wayne films, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, and all the talk about "Indians" and "White Man" made me cringe a little.