John Wayne’s 1956 Western Epic Gets Abysmal Realism Score From Historian

Summary

• A historian rates
  The Searchers
  ‘ Wild West scenes abysmal for realism, particularly the depiction of Cowboys versus Indians.
• The film is considered an iconic masterpiece but criticized for historical inaccuracies, and stereotypes about Comanche culture and Native Americans.
• The Searchers
  is based on true events but misrepresents the story of Cynthia Ann Parker, while white actors in redface reinforce racial stereotypes.

The Searchers receives an abysmal score for realism from a historian who calls it “just ridiculous.” Directed by the legendary John Ford, the 1956 Western epic is set during the Texas–Indian wars and follows a Civil War veteran, accompanied by his adopted nephew, who spends years searching for his niece who was abducted by Comanches. John Wayne leads the cast alongside Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond, and Natalie Wood.

In a video from Insider, the cowboy and Old West historian Michael Grauer rated Wild West scenes in movies and television for realism, including the depiction of cowboys and the Comanche in The Searchers. Watch the portion of the video below, starting at the 10:36 minute mark:

In the video, Grauer takes issue with the Native American battle tactics on display and the very depiction of “Cowboys versus Indians,” which he calls “a very common misconception that almost never happened.” However, he did call Wayne’s character’s costume “fairly accurate.” Overall, he rated the scene an abysmal 2/10 for realism. Read his full comments below:

Great film, John Ford, but this scene is just ridiculous. Monument Valley in Utah becomes the setting for Commanche territory, which is way too far west for Comancheria where they have the Commanche warriors in full regalia and paint attempting a full-frontal assault through a river at a fortified position. That’s just utter nonsense. Native American warfare was always based in an advantage, either in numbers or surprise.

As far as Cowboys versus Indians, which becomes a very common misconception, that almost never happened. Usually, when a herd was met by a group of Native Americans, they might ask for a let’s say a toll or a tax. Most cattlemen were willing to do that, so as far as fights between actual cowboys and Native people almost never happened.

So the character that John Wayne plays, he’s wearing fairly accurate costume for being a cowboy. Hats came in all different kinds of creases individualized to the person, especially a cowhand. So what I’m wearing is a rig from a typical drover or cowhand from the 1880s. He’s wearing denim trousers, which would put this in after 1873. My pants that I’m wearing are Levis altered to look like 1873 models which only had one back pocket. They all came with suspender buttons because there were no belt loops and his boots are pretty spot-on. By the 1860s, there is not something as a recognized cowboy boot yet.

The Searchers film is based on a real set of events where a young white girl named Cynthia Ann Parker was kidnapped by Commanche in the 1830s. When she was rescued during a battle with Commanche, she’d become fully Commanche by that time and so that’s an important part of that they don’t tell here in the Searcher story. Even though he uses Native American actors, they have no lines for the most part and of course the leader of the Commanche I think he’s German. The women, for the most part, are all Navajos in this film and they’re all wearing Navajo female costume. You know there’s a great blending of native culture.

So this particular scene in The Searchers I would put no higher than a two or a three. It defies any sort of documented Native American battle with whites. They just simply didn’t do that.

How Accurate Is The Searchers?

Its Portrayal Of The Comanche Is Fraught With Inaccuracies​​​​​​

Despite giving it an abysmal rating for realism, the historian acknowledges that The Searchers is a “great film.” Critics and audiences concur, as The Searchers is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential movies ever made, not just within the Western genre. However, its historical accuracy is up for debate and has been the subject of critical reinterpretation over the years. Its portrayal of Native Americans, particularly the Comanche, is fraught with historical inaccuracies and stereotypes, many of which Grauer describes.

The Searchers primarily depicts the Comanche as violent savages, which oversimplifies and distorts the complex and varied cultures of Native American tribes. Over the course of his quest, Wayne’s character clearly becomes less interested in rescuing his niece and more intent on exacting revenge against the Comanches, a harsh attitude that is startling to many viewers, particularly later generations. Additionally, the character of Scar, the Comanche Chief, is played by a white actor, Henry Brandon, in heavy makeup, reflecting the era’s tendency toward redface casting and reinforcing harmful racial caricatures.

Grauer also explains how The Searchers is inspired by the true story of Cynthia Ann Parker, a white woman who was kidnapped by Comanches as a child and lived with them for many years. However, unlike Parker, who integrated into Comanche society and had a family with a Comanche chief, the film’s counterpart is depicted as needing rescue from her captors. While The Searchers is a celebrated Western movie that grapples with the theme of revenge, its historical accuracy is compromised by its racial stereotypes and lack of nuanced representation of Native American cultures and experiences.

Source: Insider