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21OCTOBER2013HoldenwithJohnFordatthehelm.Howeverin1956TheFordStockCompanyonceagainreturnedtoMonumentValleytofilminmyopinionandImnotalonethefinestwesternevermadeifnotanymovieevermadeTheSearchers.ThestorylinewasbasedonanovelbyAlanLeMay.ThefilmenabledJohnWaynetodemonstratewhatafineactorhetrulywas.SadlytheAcademyAwardsoverlookedthemovie.Howeverthefilmreceivedmanycriticalreviews.TheAmericanFilmInstituterankeditnumber12ofthe100GreatestAmericanFilmsandtheGreatestAmericanWesternofAllTime.TheBritishFilmInstitutesSightSoundmagazinesurveyoffilmcriticslistedTheSearchersthe7thBestFilmofAllTime2012.NewYorkMagazinenoteditwasthemostinfluentialmovieinAmericanHistory.ThelateRogerEbertcommentedJohnFordsTheSearcherscontainsscenesofmagnificenceandoneofJohnWaynesbestperformances.Thereareshotsthatareastonishinglybeautiful.TheepicfilmdirectorDavidLeanwatchedthemovierepeatedlyinordertogetideasonhowtobestfilmlandscapesinpreparingtoshootLawrenceofArabia.FamousdirectorsofourtimesuchasMartinScorseseStevenSpielbergJohnMiliusPeterBogdanovichandJean-LucGoddardwereinfluencedbyFordsdirection.Eventhoughhewasattimesatyrantandwoulddressdownanyonefromtheleadingmantoagriphegottheresultshewanted.HenryBrandonwhoplayedEthanEdwardsarchnemesisScarinthefilmisreportedtohavesaidJohnFordwasTheonlymanwhocouldmakeJohnWaynecry.DukeWayneinhisunfinishedautobiographyremarkedwhenhewasworkingbehindthescenesatFoxStudiosIdecidedtobecomeadirectorandifneedbeIwouldtakeabriefdetourintoactingorwhateverelsewasnecessarytoaccomplishmygoal.Wellthatbriefdetourwasabout30yearsindurationhoweverin1960hefinallyachievedhisultimategoal.Beginningin1945DukedecidedhewantedtomakeafilmaboutthebattleoftheAlamo.HebeganthescriptprocessanddiscussedtheprojectwithRepublicStudioexecutives.Howevertheybalkedatthe3Mestimatedbudget.EventuallyhewasabletosecurefinancingwithUnitedArtists.HeoriginallyonlywantedtobetheproducerdirectoranddoacameoroleasSamHouston.HoweverUAagreedtothedealonlyifheinvested2.5Mandtheywouldputupalikeamount.Inadditiontheyrequiredheplayoneofthethreeprincipalrolesbaseduponhisboxofficedraw.WhichwasoftenthecaseDukewouldinvolvehisfamilyasmuchaspossibleespeciallyonlonglocationshoots.SonPatrickplayedasignificantroleinTheAlamoandhisoldersisterToniLaCavaandherdaughterAnitawifePilarandtheDukesyoungdaughterAissawerealsointhepicture.LateronAissaremarkedIthinkmakingTheAlamobecamemyfathersownformofcombat.Morethananobsessionitwasthemostintenselypersonalprojectinhiscareer.Thefour-monthlocationshootinTexasandoverseeingacastofthousandswasamonumentaltask.HoweverJohnWaynepulleditoff.ThefilmdidwellattheboxofficethoughitwasnotenoughfortheDuketorecouphisinvestmentasUAtooktheirmoneyfirst.LaterwhenthefilmwasreadyforTVdistributionDukesoldhisrightstoUAandhewasmadefinanciallywholeagain.ThefilmreceivedsixAcademyAwardnominationsincludingBestPictureandwonforBestSound.ReviewsweremixedwiththeNewYorkHerald-Tribunegivingit4StarsandnotingAmagnificentjob...visuallyanddramaticallyTheAlamoistop-flightwhileTimeMagazinereferredtoitasbeingflatasTexas.Regardlessitistrulyanentertainingepicmovieandalivingtestamenttothemanwhomadeithappen.JohnWaynemadetenadditionalwesternfilmsinthe60sinadditiontoothergenresincludingTheGreenBerets1968.TheywereNorthtoAlaska1960TheComancheros1961TheManWhoShotLibertyValance1962HowtheWestWasWon1962TheSonsofKatyElder1965ElDorado1966TheWar