John Ford western classic The Searchers on 4K UHD Steelbook in July

Experience the stunning vistas of John Ford’s 1956 classic odyssey The Searchers when it is released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment for the first time in the UK on 4K Ultra HD SteelBook in July. Annoyingly, this appears to be a Steelbook only release, and no regular UHD release has so far been announced.

Directed by John Ford (She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, The Quiet Man), the film stars Academy Award winner John Wayne (True Grit), Jeffrey Hunter (King of Kings), Vera Miles (Psycho) and Natalie Wood (West Side Story). The screenplay was penned by Frank S. Nugent, based on the novel by Alan LeMay. With stunning cinematography by Academy Award winner Winton C. Hoch (The Quiet Man, Robinson Crusoe on Mars), and a rousing score by Academy Award winner Max Steiner (Gone With the Wind, Casablanca) the film was produced by Merian C. Cooper (King Kong) and Patrick Ford (Sergeant Rutledge).

Ethan Edwards (John Wayne), an embittered veteran, returns to Texas after the Civil War and discovers that Comanche Indians have killed his family and kidnapped his nieces. Along with Martin Pawley (Jeffrey Hunter), who was adopted by the Edwards’ after his own parents were killed by Comanches years earlier, Ethan sets out to find his remaining niece, Debbie (Natalie Wood). The movie’s title refers to the duo’s five year search for the young woman, and their struggle to rescue her once she is adopted by the tribe and married to Chief Scar (Henry Brandon).