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Summary: Mob Mentality
Review: The Ox-Bow Incident is the best film that I have seen to look at the dynamics and mentality of a mob. In this story, three innocent men are captured and accused of the death of a rancher. Although Henry Fonda, a drifter, tries to change the mind of the mob, everyone wants "justice". The lives of three men hang in the balance. Fonda, as usual, is excellent in his role of the man trying to convince the others, similar in a way to his role in 12 Angry Men. Dana Andrews, as one of the accused men, gives a heartfelt, unusually emotional performance. The movie is short (75 minutes), which means the action moves at a good pace, and the black and white photography adds to the starkness of the whole situation. This is a western that takes a sharp look at how mobs function, and it presents a lot of unfortunate truths.
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Summary: Yep, it is an essential western
Review: They don't make them like this any more. Powerful, important and a story which will stay with you for years. It really give one a solid incite as to how decision making can be impaired when a mob has made up its mind.I'm not going to recapitulate the plot, others have done that; suffice it to say I've read and loved the book, and the movie faithfully captures the mood and the morality of the book. I first saw this film years ago, and I'm glad it is now available on tape and DVD. Buy it, you'll not regret it. Highly Recommended.
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Summary: The best movie about lynching
Review: This a great movie where Henry Fonda showed his great acting skills. Mr. Fonda was great in roles where he had to display his persuasive ability. He, along with Harry Morgan(Mash's Colonel Potter) horsedbacked into town to find themselves in the middle of a problem of cattlemen having problems with cattle rustling.The townfolk are ready to handle this murderous situation by pressing for lynching instead of by the regular means of trial by jury. The movie shows all kinds of personalities with their reasons why they feel lynching is the right or wrong method of handling the matter. For example,Major Tetley is for lynching not so much for thinking that cattlerustling is bad, but because he wants to personally make a man out of his cowardice son. Take Mr. Davies, a storekeeper, who feels we must do things by trial of jury and act in a reasonable legitimate manner. Take Farnley, the buddy of the murdered man. He is so angry he would have handled it swiftly by lynching without having the facts. Take Henry Fonda-who feels we must give these 3 innocent men charged with cattlerustling a chance to be heard. Take Sparks-he is against lynching because he saw his own brother being lynched. Take Moore, how he came to side with the trial by jury side is a mystery in itself, but you wish there were more men like him in the end. They hang them.Dana Andrews was great in asking to have time to write a letter back home read later by Fonda to tell his loved ones that he would not be there for them anymore. What a sad time to see these men hang for something they did not do just because the majority of men plus one woman wanted to get the job over quick. This situation could have happened in another setting not just in a western. Makes you want to sit down and cry but to decide what side you would have been on in this situation. This is a great movie simply because it has a message to tell us-Let us not act in haste until we know all the facts and give those a chance being accused their day in court. Buy the movie friends-and get ready to decide on this matter. Will it be the quick hanging method of justice or the slow time taking trial by jury method? An A++++++++!
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Summary: Tragic Adult Film: Suspense in the Real West
Review: This film is a gritty portrayal of the old west in the 1880's with a town obviously hard on its luck. This film reminds me a lot of another of Fonda's later work, "12 Angry Men". But instead of a jury, its a mob formed as a posse with vengence on their mind. Some of the characters want to legitimately settle a score with the men or man that killed their friend, others are in for the sheer excitment and entertainment of a hanging. In the mix are new comers Fonda and Morgan who go along partly to ensure that they themselves are not suspects but also go out of some curiousity and sense of fair play. The personalities range from the affluent, powerful and suspicious Tettleton who seems to glory in leading the posse in his Confederate Officer uniform that is rumored to have never seen battle with a myriad number of other unique personalities. The rest are curious parrallels, the right but weak son of Tettleton, the machismo Deputy who lacks cerebal depth, the town drunk who is an insuuferable vigalantee, the store owner who seeks justice and a poor man who comes along as a minister thinking of the potential victims who appear to have no legal alternatives. The posse contains over 30 men with a single woman called "Ma" who is harder than most of the men in the possee. The accused are three contrasts, one old and weak, one strong and good and the other, played by Anthony Quinn who may be a criminal in his past but he is not this day as he travels with what may be innocent men. As the possee captures the three men, a carnival like atmosphere begins for the majority of the possee while a few try to change their mind with Fonda playing an unsophisticated but earnest cowhand that trys to stop the hanging. The final scenes reminds me of a Jesus like portyal as the three men, particularly the obviously wholesome good man who finally, after much disbelief, accepts his fate as some sort of invalid sacrifice. The final scenes are very unusual for a western in that its very adult and surprising with the ramifications of the actions of the whole thrust upon them at the end. A wonderful exchange back in town ocurrs when the vindictive drunk vigalant proclaims that its "all Tettleton's fault and we ought to hang him." "Haven't you had enough hangings for one day", replies Fonda. Its as if to say that regardless of the consequences of their actions, the evil in some men's souls can never be changed for the good.
Rating: 
Summary: Short and Sharp
Review: This film is incredibly tense and concise; the antithesis of sprawling, yawning Westerns like "The Missing" and "Open Range." At just 75 minutes, shot in claustrophobic black-and-white, not a shot or line of dialogue is wasted. Dana Andrews is completely sympathetic as the leader of the three men unjustly accused of murder, while Henry Fonda has an unusually disquieting turn as someone who goes along with the lynching...at least, until the very end of the picture. They are just two of the many powerful performances. It's a great picture, even for people (like me) who aren't really too keen on Westerns. The DVD includes a commentary by Dick Etulain, Western professor and enthusiast, and director William Wellman's son. This gets repetitive quickly, so it's best to sample the first thirty minutes and then move on. Strangely, Fox's sound editors seem to have felt similarly, because Wellman repeats a comment right in the middle of the film! Also included are a trailer, photo gallery, restoration comparison, and the real gem of the thing - a great "A&E Biography" episode on Henry Fonda.
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Summary: FRONTIER INJUSTICE...
Review: This is a classic, black and white western about frontier justice gone awry. Based upon a true incident that was memorialized in Walter Van Tilburg Clark's best selling novel, this film was a Best Picture Academy Award nominee in 1943, losing to "Casablanca".
This timeless and classic western, about how mob rule can carry the day, is set in Nevada around 1885. Cattle rustlers are the bane of the town's existence, when cowboys Gil Carter (Henry Fonda) and his illiterate side-kick, Art Croft (Henry Morgan), return to town. On the heels of their return, word gets around that a popular rancher, Larry Kincaid, has been murdered, shot in the head, and his cattle stolen.
The townspeople, mostly men, decide to deputize a posse on their own and take justice into their own hands, rather than wait for the return of the sheriff from the Kincaid ranch. The one woman, "Ma" Grier (Jane Darwell), is a harridan as bloodthirsty as the men. The mob disregards the sane, rational advice of the town's judge and of those townspeople who have cooler heads. Instead, those with blood lust in their veins prevail, and the so-called posse rides out in pursuit of frontier justice. Gil and Art join them, despite being of a mind that it would be best to wait for the sheriff.
The posse happens to come across three sleeping travelers with a herd of cattle. A dapper Mexican (Anthony Quinn), a young husband and father (Dana Andrews), and a piteous, slow-witted, old man constitute the hapless trio. With blood lust rampant, the mob obtains some seemingly damning information from them and quickly forms an opinion as to their guilt. Even though seven men, Gil Carter and Art Croft among them, disagree with the decision, the merciless majority prevails, and rough frontier justice is meted out without benefit of formal trial or due process.
This film is similar in some ways to the 1957 film, "12 Angry Men", also starring Henry Fonda. There, despite a seemingly open and shut case, twelve men are prevailed upon to weight the facts very carefully and to examine the evidence in an objective rational fashion to ensure that justice be done. In "The Ox-Bow Incident", one sees what can happen when one seemingly has an open and shut case but fails to examine the evidence in an objective and dispassionate manner. In one case, justice is done. In the other, a travesty of justice occurs.
This is a superb film, deftly directed by William A Wellman, who exacts marvelous performances from the entire ensemble. Despite its brevity, being only approximately seventy-five minutes in length, the film manages to pack a dramatic wallop. Moreover, the sets are realistic looking, with a dirty, dusty, and gritty feel, as are the seemingly threadbare, dirty, and ratty clothing worn by some of the actors. The film deservedly earned its 1943 Academy Award nomination for best picture.
The transfer to DVD is great, as the print has apparently been re-mastered, providing the viewer with clear, crisp visuals and excellent audio. The DVD also provides some extras, such as a commentary by western scholar Dick Eulain and William Wellman, Jr., the director's son, an excellent A & E Network "Biography" episode, "Henry Fonda: Hollywood's Quiet Hero", as well as a stills gallery. This is a well-priced DVD of a great film, which should find its place in the personal collection of all those who love such films.
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Summary: psychological western
Review: this little "gem" of a film is not really a western in the traditional genre. it is actually a psychological drama in a western setting. this film deals with injustice, cowardice and ultimately courage. Fonda delivers one of his great early performances in this magnificent psychological study of the betrayal of humanity. very intriguing. a must for any collector's library of classic film.
as for the DVD, both picture and audio are good. well worth Amazon's price if unable to locate it anywhere else.
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Summary: Hangin's any man's business if he's there...
Review: This movie, filmed back during the days of WWII, is still as emotionally compelling as it was then. Based on the adaptation of Walter Van Tilburg Clark's book of the same title, this story is about some cowboys eager for some justice after news has reached them of a fellow local's murder. These thirty odd men and one woman went off searching for justice and end up learning an important lesson.
Henry Fonda, one of the lead characters, plays the reluctant and rambunctious stranger. His character goes along with the "mob" more then anything, but he is truly in the center of the ethical debate that lingers around the lives of the three men who may be the murderers.
As I said, this story is still strong today. The only baggage this film brings along with age is black and white (if you don't like it), but mainly a few archaic non-politically correct comments. This shouldn't distract you as it is merely something to note as a sign of the times. Mainly, just enjoy this film, for the classic it is.
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Summary: The Ox-Bow
Review: Very good movie, with a good moral message. Henry Fonda is a great actor and shows nothing less in this movie. A must see for a Henry Fonda and/or western fan.
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Summary: A masterpiece!
Review: What are the last consequences about a crowd who decide to lynch a man?
Notice this film is made in just the middle of WW2. William Wellman made a timeless script about the no sense and the unthinkable behavior of a crowd in a small town who have decided in the name of a collective honor code to make justice by themselves.
You must have noticed that in the most of the cases the human being acts due the passion instead the reason. And that's the nucleus of the film . The concept of justice can not associate just because the number by itself imposses . This a warning for all of us .
Since the collective memory is weak and their feelings are always under the reason , you may inquire the reason must prevail. But beware. The point to remark is that the passion must under the reason's service .
In 1935 Fritz Lang made his first film in USA titled Fury with a closest script.
A powerful and timeless film!
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