The Searchers | Texas Rangers Hold Off a Charge

After a massacre at the Aaron Edwards ranch, a group of fellow settlers deputized as Texas Rangers head out to rescue the nieces of Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) led by Captain Samuel Clayon (Ward Bond). 

In this clip, the group is surrounded by Chief Scar's (Henry Brandon) braves. 

This is my favorite John Ford (director) and John Wayne movie. I met three of the actors in this movie: Henry Brandon, Hank Worden and Patrick Wayne. 

The movie takes place three years after the Civil War. Although a classic movie, there are some anachronistic firearms in the movie. See the Internet Movie Firearms Database.

The Restored "The Searchers" Blu-ray

The Blu-ray of the newly-restored The Searchers (1956) with John Wayne, Ward Bond, Natalie Wood, Jeffrey Hunter and Vera Miles arrived two days earlier than expected. John Ford directed.

I have an older DVD version of The Searchers, but the new restored Blu-ray tops it by leaps and bounds. It is absolutely gorgeous!

The Blu-ray source was the original camera negative. Monument Valley, unless you're there, has never looked so good. I was able to see details in scenes I was unable to see before. 

Included are featurettes of the making of The Searchers in and around Monument Valley and the premiere in Chicago. There's also more to enjoy.

It was well worth the wait since the restored movie was premiered in Hollywood early last year.

Interestingly, I've met three of the actors of The Searchers: Patrick Wayne, Hank Worden and Henry Brandon.

If you are a fan of John Wayne or westerns in general, do yourself a favor and get this Blu-ray!

My grade: A+.

The Thumb In "The Searchers"

Above, The Thumb. In The Searchers, the posse rode between
 it and the rock wall on the right. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This evening during dinner, I was watching one of my favorite John Wayne movies, The Searchers (1956).

While watching, I noticed one landmark in Monument Valley that I saw last October during an early morning tour. It was "The Thumb" rock formation. It is also called, "John Wayne's Boot". 

In The Searchers, the rescue posse chasing after the band of Comanches that raided the family home of Ethan Edwards's brother Aaron discovered a slain prized bull of neighbor Lars Jorgenson. Just before the posse approached the bull, they rode next to The Thumb. 

There were other recognizable rock formations in the movie, but during this viewing, The Thumb caught my attention.

It also dawned on me that I have met three actors of The Searchers. They are Henry Brandon (Chief Scar), Hank Worden (Mose Harper) and Patrick Wayne (Lt. Greenhill). I met Brandon and Worden when I was in the Sons of the Desert in the 1980s and Wayne last summer in Colorado.

1983 Sons of the Desert Banquet

Above, the banquet program with autographs from Hank Worden and Hal Roach Sr.

Thirty-five years ago this month, I attended the 13th Annual Banquet of the "Way Out West" Tent of the Sons of The Desert at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City with Glenn Thornhill and Mark Rosenthal. The banquet was held on October 15, 1983.

It was there that I met and obtained the autographs of actor Hank Worden (Mose Harper of The Searchers) and Hal Roach Sr. on my program.

Above, actor Hank Worden. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At the table I was seated at was actress Joyce Compton, who was tickled that I remembered her starring with Bela Lugosi in Scared To Death.

Other stars were in attendance at the banquet, including Vivian Blaine, Alan Young, Henry Brandon and Anthony Caruso.

Above, yours truly with Mark Rosenthal (center) and Glenn Thornhill at the banquet.

Herald-Examiner columnist James Bacon was also in attendance and he wrote this in the October 20, 1983 edition:

Some of us were discussing John Wayne this morning and I noted that I met two actors in a clip from The Searchers: Hank Worden and Henry Brandon (Comanche Chief Scar). This led me to dig though my files of the banquet. 

"Henry Brandon Film Festival"

Above, Henry Brandon as Chief Scar in The Seachers.

Since I decided to remain home this Christmas Eve, I watched a couple of movies this evening.

The first, with somewhat of a Christmas theme was the 1934 Laurel & Hardy/Hal Roach version of Babes In Toyland (MGM). Watching it is a bit of a Christmas tradition with me, like people will watch How The Grinch Stole Christmas. The movie is also known as March of the Wooden Soldiers.

Above, The Mittens and Merrick Butte in Monument Valley, Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After watching it, I decided to pop in the 1956 western classic, The Searchers starring John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Ward Bond and Natalie Wood. Since Henry Brandon played Silas Barnaby in Babes In Toyland, that gave me the idea to watch The Searchers as he played Comanche chief Scar. So, in a way, tonight was a "Henry Brandon Film Festival", if you will. The movie was primarily shot in Monument Valley by director John Ford.

I had met Brandon back in the 1980s when I was a member of the Los Angeles "tent" of the Sons of the Desert, the Laurel and Hardy fan organization. He was a regular attendee. I also met one of his co-stars of The Searchers, Hank Worden at a Sons of the Desert banquet.

Not a bad night of movie-watching on Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas!

Watched "The Searchers"

Above, the Three Sisters in Monument Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last night, I decided to watch the 1956 John Wayne classic, The Searchers, since I recently visited the locations of that movie in Monument Valley with the Goulding's tour company.

Above, John Ford directs John Wayne with the Three Sisters in the background.

While watching it, it dawned on me that I had met two actors of The Searchers: Henry Brandon (Comanche Chief Scar) and Hank Worden (Mose Harper).

Above, Henry Brandon as Chief Scar.

I met both at various functions of the Los Angeles tent (Way Out West Tent) of the Laurel & Hardy fan group, The Sons of the Desert back in the 1980s.

Above, Hank Worden as Mose Harper.

Henry Brandon was a regular attendee of the Way Out West Tent as he starred in Babes In Toyland (1934) as the evil Barnaby. Worden attended one of the tent's annual banquets at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City.

Above, John Ford's director's chair at the Monument Valley Visitors Center. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Another Monument Valley location in The Searchers was Chief Scar's camp with the Totem Pole rock formation in the background.

Above, The Mittens and Merrick Butte. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, from left, Ward Bond, Jeffrey Hunter and John Wayne with the Right Mitten and Merrick Butte in the background.

Visiting Monument Valley was an enjoyable excursion. I recommend it!

"March of the Wooden Soldiers" (1934)

Since this is the Christmas season, I was on the lookout for a copy of March of the Wooden Soldiers (1934) (also known as Babes In Toyland) starring comedy greats Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. It has been a while since I last saw the movie and I wanted a copy for viewing.

Above, Charlotte Henry.

Being unsuccessful at local stores, I turned to Amazon and ordered a copy. They told me that it will be arriving tomorrow. My roomie and I plan to pop some popcorn and enjoy it.

The movie is based on Victor Herbert's 1903 operetta Babes In Toyland, but tailored by Hal Roach Studios for Laurel and Hardy. Along with Stan and Ollie, the other standouts are Charlotte Henry (what a hottie!) as Bo Peep and Henry Brandon as the evil Silas Barnaby.

Brandon was a regular attendee of the Way Out West Tent (Los Angeles) of the Laurel and Hardy fan organization, Sons of the Desert, back in the 1980s. I was a member of the Way Out West Tent back then. Brandon was a very nice guy who enjoyed mingling with fans. The members hissed at him when he was introduced at the meetings. It was all in fun. Brandon was around 22 years old when he made March of the Wooden Soldiers. You really couldn't tell he was that young with the Silas Barnaby make-up he wore. He passed away on February 15, 1990.

I am looking forward to viewing it tomorrow night!