The Search (1948): cast, story & where to watch
1948 · Film · ★ 6.9
Released in 1948, The Search is a drama, adventure and war film directed by Fred Zinnemann, running about 104 minutes. “A wonderful motion picture!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. In postwar Germany, a displaced Czech boy, separated from his family during wartime, is befriended by an American GI while the boy's mother desperately searches for him.
Who’s in it. The Search stars Montgomery Clift as Ralph Stevenson, Ivan Jandl as Karel Malik aka 'Jim'/'Jimmy', Aline MacMahon as Mrs. Murray and Wendell Corey as Jerry Fisher, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.9/10, The Search has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on HBO Max Amazon Channel and HBO Max and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Search page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Search tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Search (1948)?
- In US, The Search is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel and HBO Max, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Search worth watching?
- The Search holds an audience score of 6.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, adventure and war. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Search?
- The Search stars Montgomery Clift, Ivan Jandl, Aline MacMahon, Wendell Corey and Jarmila Novotná.
- When was The Search released?
- The Search was released in 1948, with a runtime of about 104 minutes.