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100th Anniversary Series: The Searchers
The 100th Anniversary Series, presented by industry luminaries, highlights important films from the past 100 years that continue to inspire their presenters.
Of the many collaborations between actor John Wayne and director John Ford, perhaps no film defines their collective talent quite like The Searchers. The 1956 Western follows Civil War veteran Ethan Edwards (Wayne) on a mission for vengeance after an indigenous tribe kills his family and kidnaps his niece (Natalie Wood). Ford immortalized his anti-hero Edwards’ violent struggle against the breathtaking backdrop of Monument Valley (shot by Winton C. Hoch in VistaVision), making The Searchers a turning point in the depiction of the frontier on film. Many still consider it one of the best Westerns ever made. Ford's darker, more complex characters and themes influenced generations of filmmakers to come.
Writer/Director/Producer James Schamus will introduce the film prior to the screening with a fascinating presentation about the film's complicated genesis and reception.
James Schamus, a Crandell Theatre board member, is an award-winning screenwriter (The Ice Storm), producer (Brokeback Mountain), and former CEO of Focus Features (Lost in Translation, Milk, The Pianist). His feature directorial debut, an adaptation of Philip Roth's Indignation, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and the Berlin Film Festival, and was released by Roadside Attractions. He is a consulting producer and writer of the 2026 Netflix supernatural drama, The Boroughs, executive produced by The Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things), and co-wrote and produced The Son-in-Law (El Yerno) for Netflix Mexico. Schamus’ production company, Symbolic Exchange, has produced, among others, Minhal Baig’s We Grown Now and Andrew Ahn’s 2025 update of The Wedding Banquet. Schamus is Professor of Professional Practice in Columbia University’s School of the Arts, where he teaches film history and theory.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3651405-0
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3651405-2
