¶ … penultimate sequence in the film The Searchers (John Ford, 1957) is identified as "Let's go home," and by the time this scene begins, it has been made clear that Ethan is most likely to kill Debbie when the two searchers find her because she has been tainted by her life with the Indians. Marty, on the other hand, wants to protect her and bring her home. The concerted attack on the Indians by the cavalry is joined by Ethan and Marty, and now that they have vanquished the warriors, Ethan emerges on horseback from the Indian tent and follows Debbie, fleeing from the camp and into an arroyo. The sequence begins with an up-angle shot of Ethan on horseback emerging from the tent, pausing to observe. The angle creates tension and emphasizes the dramatic nature of the moment. Ford then cuts to a close-up on Ethan's face as he looks down the path, after which Ford cuts to a cross-angle to show his POV as Debbie runs away from near the front of the frame directly down the path to a more distant point, clearly...
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