The Searchers is a 1956 American epic Western film directed by John Ford and written by Frank S. Nugent, based on the 1954 novel by Alan Le May. It is set during the Texas–Indian wars, and stars John Wayne as a middle-aged Civil War veteran who, accompanied by his adopted nephew, spends years looking for his abducted niece. It was shot in VistaVision on Eastmancolor negative with processing and prints by Technicolor.