The Searchers: From Novel to Screenplay

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The Western Genre

In his influential study of popular western films, Will Wright (1975) deals with the nature and structure of the western film. Berger (1997) notes, "What Wright's analysis implies is that as certain beliefs have become dominant in U.S society, they have been reflected in western films" (Berger 1997: 154). This is the case in both the novel and the film, The Searchers.

In the film, as well as the in the novel, the authors present the viewer with many ideological positions. These ideological positions are relevant to the historical time period in which the film and novel were released. The two works represent what America was thinking at the time while instilling a cultural belief system among the audience. Ideologies such as, the goodness of monogamy and family values as well as the obsessive hatred of the Indians represents the time period as well as the Western genre. This extreme hatred towards the Indians is most evident through the main character, Ethan Edwards. The novel and the film, use Ethan to further reiterate the fact that, "these works have presented a stereotypical portrait of the Indians" (Spittles 2002: 94). It is this stereotypical portrait that presents the audience with the cultural beliefs of the Indians being "painted heathen devils" (Wood 1997: 78). The novel, as well as the film, reflects the changing America of the time in relation to an obsessive hatred towards the Indians.

Similar to Wright (1975), John G. Cawelti discusses some of the most important attributes of the Western genre (Berger 1997: 151). These attributes include:

1) It must take place in the West, near the frontier, at a point in history when social order and anarchy are in tension.

The Searchers takes place in Monument Valley Utah, which provides a definitive look at the Western frontier. It takes place at a point in history that is related to the changing social thought of racial barriers. It is during this time that civil rights were at the forefront of discussion as racism became an increasing concern.

Monument Valley Utah (Americansouthwest.net)

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Justin De Clercq