In the Engagine Cinema book, it explains a slight difference between realism and hollywood realism and I think The Searchers is an example of hollywood realism. The book defines it as something that "revolves around situations and events that are plausible within the terms and conventions of a given kind of world" (182). The events that take place in this film are plausible in relation to the storyline and the context of the film but at the same time would not really take place in real life events. This somewhat connects to what The Western movie (that we watched on Monday) talked about. It explained how the whole idea of "The West" is made up and does not actually exist. So this movie is as real as possible even though the actual place and time of the film is made up.
In Laurie Boeder's review on The Searchers, she talks a lot about the racial aspects of this movie. It is evident through Ethan and Martin's interactions that Ethan holds it against him that he is part Native American. Also, toward the end when they find Debbie with the Native Americans, Ethan wants to kill her because he feels she has somehow been tainted just by being around them. This theme is not difficult to point out and according to the review "Most film critics see this as director John Ford’s tentative exploration of racism and miscegenation in the American West set against the real-world battle for civil rights for African Americans in 1956". During the time this film came out this might have been a very relevant subject but when we watch it now it just seems like a lot of racial issues.
For having never really watched a western film before I have to say this is pretty much what I expected them to be like. It was interesting to see the differences and similarities between different movie genres between the 1940's and 1950's. It is interesting to see what different genres and techniques could be accomplished in film during a time when it was just getting started.
The review I read said John Wayne's line, "That'll be the day" inspired this song by Buddy Holly. The lyrics dont really relate other than this line but I thought it was interesting. It shows the impact of the film at the time.
I definitely agree that The Searchers is an example of Hollywood realism. As we have discussed in class, the world of the Western is not (and never has been) a real world at all and certain parts of the movie (such as the shot of the Jorgensen home in the desert) serve to demonstrate this. Also, while it is true that certain racial issues such as those concerning Native Americas were especially socially relevant in the 1950's, I do not believe that the concept of the marginalization of a minority group can be considered any less pertinent today. When I watched the film, I did not think of Ford's examination of racism as "just..a lot of racial issues," rather I viewed it as a general examination, or even critique, on the unjust treatment of a misunderstood and overly stereotyped group.
ReplyDeleteNow that you bring it up and unpack it, I can see this film as an example of Hollywood Realism, but I also see some elements of modernism. Aside from the shots we mentioned in class that exemplify the modernist view, I think it unravels in the context as well. The book talks about themes of alienation and disconnect, which I think are very apparent. While the film about Westerns said the hero should be, or at least is usully isolated, I think this film not only isolates Ethan as a "my way or no way, I don't care about anybody's opinion" type of guy, but also the Comanche tribe as they are alienated to the point of not even being considered human.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your explination on how this film portrays realism. You said that "this movie is as real as possible even though the actual place and time of the film is made up," which is completly true. Do you think it could have some Ideology as well?
ReplyDeleteNice distinction between Hollywood realism and other kinds of realism (e.g., the neorealist movement in Europe.)
ReplyDeleteThe Buddy Holly song was released in 1957, the very next year after The Searcher's was released. But the rest of the lyrics don't seem to relate... or do they? Ideologically, what might Holly's ironic use of that phrase be doing there?
--Steve