What was the medal that Ethan gives his niece in The Searchers (1956)?
In the beginning of the 1956 feature film, The Searchers, directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne as Ethan Edwards, one of his most enduring characters, Ethan presents a medal to his niece which looks like this:
The medal has a blue and white maltese cross with an enamalled rondelle in the center featuring an insignia that is hard to make out. Was this medal an actual historical medal or based on a particular medal?
Best Answer
From IMDB...
In the screenplay by Frank S. Nugent, the medal Ethan Edwards gives to Debbie is identified as "a gold medal or medallion" awarded by Emperor Maximilian of Mexico to mercenary soldiers who fought between 1865-67 for the Emperor Maximilian's French forces against Mexican revolutionaries. This medal implies Ethan served in the French Mexican Expedition during his three-year absence and also explains his fluency in Spanish. In reality, the medal being used is the Order of St. Sava, a decoration of the Kingdom of Serbia established in 1883 to recognize civilians for meritorious achievements. John Ford was an admirer of Serbian people and heritage since his war days and probably came in possession of the medal through his friendship with director/actor Peter Bogdanovich, who has Serbian roots.
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Was Ethan in love with Martha in The Searchers?
Ethan's complexity includes his love for Martha and his brother, his desire for justice for his nieces, his mistrust of Marty, as well as his attitudes to Indians and sex and contempt for religion.Who does Ethan bequeath his estate to in The Searchers?
Martin (reading the will haltingly): 'I, Ethan Edwards, being of a sound mind and, without any blood kin, do hereby bequeath ("means leave") all my property of any kind to Martin Pawley. ' What do you mean you don't have any blood kin? Well, Debbie's your blood kin.Did The Searchers win any awards?
In his commentary for The Searchers, famed director Peter Bogdanovich explains that Harry Carey often hugged his arm in a similar fashion, and Wayne thought it was an incredibly \u201clonely gesture,\u201d perfect for the film's solitary finale.The SEARCHERS | Martin Tells Laurie That His Going with Ethan
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