The Searchers (1956)

Three years after the Civil War, battle-scarred Confederate veteran Ethan Edwards returns to his brother Aaron's remote Texan homestead. But instead of finding peace, the taciturn soldier finds tragedy when the murderous raiding party of ruthless Comanche Chief Scar massacres his family, burns the ranch to the ground, and abducts his 9-year-old niece, Debbie. Fearing the worst, Ethan and his young companion, Martin Pawley, embark on a dangerous 5-year odyssey to rescue the girl, fuelled by hatred and a thirst for vengeance. However, as the searchers ride through the unforgiving desert to track down their lost Debbie, they must confront their demons and answer an unvoiced question. Is the woman they seek still the same person they once knew?