L'étrange incident

When I first saw this film, I couldn't get it out of my head. Three men are executed by vigilante justice, put forth by a bigoted, but respected man. I couldn't help but put myself in the place of those men, trying to logically remove myself from the the grasp of these people. There is no reason to hurry the verdict. It is about people who get caught up in a mob mentality and give up their common sense and integrity for expediency. The hard thing is that there is nothing anyone can do to right this. There is no bring people back to life. About all we can determine is that these men will have to live with this decision for the rest of their lives. The problem with mob rule, is that they all have excuses for their actions. I thought. I thought. I thought. See this film but be prepared to think about it for a long time.

THE OX-BOW INCIDENT was never considered a success at the time of release, especially by studio mogul Darryl F. Zanuck who never considered a film a success of any kind if it lost at the box-office. However, over the years it has become an artistic success with fans who appreciate good movie-making when they see it.

The performances are all first rate--particularly HENRY FONDA as the not too bright drifter who opposes the lynching mob, Harry Morgan as his rather slow witted sidekick, Frank Conroy as the General with the weakling son (William Eythe), and most importantly, DANA ANDREWS, who has the most riveting role in the whole film and makes the most of it. His is the outstanding contribution, sensitive and gripping. The story is based on a true incident that happened in Montana in the late 1880s--and, of course, one that could have happened anywhere in the old West.

It's easy to see why it was not a commercial success. Except for Fonda, there are no other major stars in the cast for marquee value. Neither Dana Andrews nor Anthony Quinn had yet achieved star status. The story is grim and downright sobering, dwelling, as it does, on man's inhumanity to man. The Paul Hurst character, who makes various mocking gestures with his hangman's knot, adds to the grim gloominess of all the proceedings. Hurst (who played the Yankee deserter in GWTW) was almost always cast as a villainous lug.

The night scenes involving the hanging seem to take place on a studio soundstage but somehow it doesn't matter. Nothing distracts from the taut realism of the drama once we know that the lynching is definitely going to be carried out. Afterwards, the knowledge that the man they allegedly hanged is not dead, comes as a twist that drives home the senselessness of what their mob mentality has done.

Mary Beth Hughes has a decorative role as the only feminine interest in the film--except for an uncredited bit by Margaret Hamilton and an unusually grim and unsympathetic role for Jane Darwell.

Well worth watching, a message picture that delivers without being preachy. My only complaint is that the letter Fonda reads at the end could have been simpler and less eloquent for the sake of realism and in keeping with the naturalness of Dana Andrew's performance. Complementing Andrew's work is a nice, sympathetic performance by character actor Harry Davenport as the man who tries hard to prevent the hanging.

Otherwise, everything is right on the mark. Well worth watching.

Wellman touches on so many social concepts in this film, that it is necessary to view it multiple times to understand all the complex interactions between the characters. Whether it is racial, generational, or the examination of peer pressure and mob mentality, this film covers the entire spectrum of bestial, vs. human behavior in people from widely different points of view and reference. As a father, I felt terrible pain for the character portrayed by Dana Andrews. His poignant portrayal of someone in the wrong place, at the wrong time, is heart-wrenching. I was also touched by the brief appearances of the sole black character in the film, who knew better than any of the protagonist's what the real significance of lynching forebode.

An intelligent adult and impressively tense Western based on a true story by Walter Van Clark . A top-notch cast under superb direction by William A Wellman makes this movie excellent in every aspect ,being shot on 20th Century Fox studios that serves to increase the mood of darkness and claustrophobic tension . This famous and prestigious picture from the 'Golden Age of the classic Western' was splendidly directed by William Wellman with an extraordinary plethora of actors who deliver unforgettable performances . It is set in 1885 Nevada , where takes place a terrifying nightmare when a popular rancher is killed and a mob of angry townspeope can't wait for the Marshall to find the murderers . Then , some of them attempt to take justice on their hands and quick to condemn a trio (Dana Andrews , Anthony Quinn, Francis Ford) of drifters on a lousy trial without solid evidences , being accused of rustlers and killers . As they judge those considering guilties , despite the protests of a good guy called Gil Carter (Henry Fonda) and his colleague Donald Martin (Henry Morgan) . As they are posthumously proven innocent and Carter slowly manages to convince the others and he holds out with a verdict of not guilty, thus setting the stage for arguments and reasons why or why not the three detained men may be guilty . As two different groups are struggling to decide the fate of the suspect people who allegedly killed a rancher . Lynch law rules the mob ¡ . It'll chill your blood with terror amd make it boil with fury ¡

Awesome , brilliant studio of a mob mentality with strong individual characterizations , and paced in psychological tendry . But for all the obviousness of its meaning , including a simplistically liberal message , which once made it seem a landmark in the adult Western , the picture is really intriguing , not merely because William A Wellman's tersely economic narration of his material , but because 20th Century Fox made a decission to cut budget and reducing costs by filming it utterly on a studio set .This is a decidedly uncelebratory portrayal of the badness , of the angry crowd and the wrong and merciless desire for vengeance . Indeed , it influenced in Noir Film genre , as its affinity to ¨Noir¨ is extremely evident and not only in the dark shadowy cinematography , but in the gallery of sombre roles and grotesques that populates this provoking portrait of the frontier spirit .Though a long time of the movie being shot at an only location , it never lacks for taut , suspense , intrigue and inspired direction . The confrontation results to be tense , charged and riveting . Being masterfully written for the screen by Lamar Trotti , also producer , who writes an interesing and complex script from the novel by Walter Van Tilburg Clark. Being made in limited budget , as head of 20th Century-Fox Darryl F. Zanuck overcame his objections to the contentious nature of the film by insisting that it be made cheaply on studio sets . Interestingly , the movie's characterizations and dynamics can be seen to prefigure ¨12 angry men¨ by Sidney Lumet , that is less tragic but just as moving . Here Henry Fonda gives a magnificent acting as a cowboy with a conscience in an issue that is not as obviously clear . Although his character was originally offered to Gary Cooper, who turned it down. Being a choral film here appears notorious secondaries such as : Anthony Quinn , Mary Beth Hughes, William Eythe , Jane Darwell , Marc Lawrence ,Harry Davenport , Matt Briggs , Frank Conroy , Victor Kilian , Rondo Hatton , Francis Ford , among others .

It packs an adequate cinematography in Black and White and in overblown and amazing deep by cameraman Arthur Miller . It contains an attractive , thrilling and lyric musical score by Cyril Mockridge . The motion picture, a big 20th Century Fox spectacle well produced by Lamar Trotti , was competentingly directed by William A Wellman who bought the rights himself, and proceeded to make the film "his" way and was a box-office flop. It had several Oscar nominations ; however , being the last movie ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture which received no other Academy Award nominations . William made very good films , as Wellman directed all kind of genres as Wartime : ¨Alas¨ , ¨Battleground¨ , ¨The story of GI Joe¨ , ¨Lafayette Escadrilla¨ , Drama : ¨Nothing sacred¨, ¨Blood Alley¨ , ¨Good my lady¨ , ¨Magic Town and the Oscarized ¨A Star is born¨ , his greatest success , Adventure : ¨Beau Geste¨ , Gangster movie : ¨Public enemy ¨, and Western : ¨Buffalo Bill¨ , ¨, ¨Joaquin Murrieta¨ , ¨Across the wide Missouri¨ , ¨Westerward the woman¨ , ¨¨Yellow sky¨,and this¨The Ox-Box incident¨, among others . Rating : 8/10 . Being included among the American Film Institute's 1998 list of the 400 movies nominated for the Top 100 Greatest American Movies. Above average , worthwhile watching

It is said frequently that psychological or "adult" westerns -less action and more substance in the plots- appeared in the early 50's with films like "The Gunfighter" or "High Noon". However in my opinion, the "Ox-Bow Incident", of 1943, was the first real "adult western (the previous "Stagecoach", though an excellent product in the genre, still maintains the original standards).

Director William Wellman obtains here a fantastic grey and sort of sordid atmosphere to display a story of men taking justice by their own hand and making an unrepairable mistake. The final sequence at the saloon when Henry Fonda reads in a loud voice the letter to his wife left by one of the innocent men hanged is most disturbing but at the same time rewarding for us viewers who get the feeling that justice has been done: the executioners will have to live with their terrible crime in their consciences for the rest of their lives.

Fonda and Andrews are very good in their parts and the supporting cast is excellent mainly with the always accurate Jane Darwell and a young Anthony Quinn.

"The Ox-Bow Incident" stands as a little classic among westerns, or dramas if you prefer.