The Searchers

I seem to recall this is Barry Norman's - formerly of the Film series on BBC - favourite film of all time. It's considered by many to be one of the American masterpieces of filmmaking and the best film of director John Ford who was already a four-time Best Director Oscar winner. It predates the depth of American films by Scorcese and Francis Coppola in the seventies.

The Searchers is a complex story of a journey of self discovery - involving racism and sexism - by its main character: John Wayne - who is interestingly cast - in this rare case not sympathetically. Obsessed with revenge and hatred he searches for his two nieces after a Commanche raid among the "savages" over an epic five year period. The outcome of his search is a shocking bolt to everything that he stands for. Well worth seeing.