The Searchers
Hosted by Andrew
Date 11 June
Score 61%
Andrew picked the category "John"!!! Of course there are a lot of John's to choose from but perhaps the most famous in film circles is John Wayne (real name Marion Morrison). Recognised as one of John Waynes's finest performances this 1956 was shot in Monument Valley. Wayne plays a confederate solider (Uncle Ethan) returning home after a long war in 1868. He is soon confronted by Indians who burn the family house kill the parents and young son and kidnap two young girls. Etan makes it his mission to track down the Indian's and recover the two kidnapped girls. It takes fives years of clambering through snow drifts and fighting off the occasional injun. It has been suggested that The Searchers was inspired by the 1836 kidnapping of nine-year-old Cynthia Ann Parker by Comanche warriors who raided her family's home at Fort Parker, Texas. She spent 24 years with the Comanches, married a war chief, and had three children befoe being rescued (?!) against her will.
The film was accompanied by all things American. American beer, popcorm (a bag each), chips and dips. The dips included a spreadable cheese that had the consistency of polyfiller and could propably be used for a similar purpose. The beer was a micro brewed specialist beer from Chicago. They brew some strange stuff , in particular one that is described as a sour beer. I just thought it was off - but it turns out this is a real beer with a very loyal following. A very educational evening!
The film was rated well but did drag a bit in places and I was disappointed not to have seen the indian's chasing around a circle of wagons!
Film 63%
Evening 59%
Aggregated score of 61%
