Director: William A. Wellman
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
Top Billed Actors: Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews, Mary Beth Hughes
Won 0 Oscars
Nominated for 1 more:
Outstanding Motion Picture - 20th Century-Fox
Plot: A posse of angry men seek to carry out swift justice after capturing a trio of suspects in a murder case.
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
Top Billed Actors: Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews, Mary Beth Hughes
Won 0 Oscars
Nominated for 1 more:
Outstanding Motion Picture - 20th Century-Fox
Plot: A posse of angry men seek to carry out swift justice after capturing a trio of suspects in a murder case.
The Ox-Bow Incident (1942) marks the end of an era - that of Best Picture nominees that failed to be nominated for anything else. I'm not sure if we will ever see a film enter these ranks again but starting the following year, and for the next sixty-five years, there would only be five Best Picture nominees per year so it makes sense that there wouldn't be another entry in this lone nomination club. The novel this is based on was popular in its day and William A. Wellman, the man who directed th first Best Picture winner Wings (1927), was very enthusiastic about getting this made. He finally convinced 20th Century-Fox studio head Darryl F. Zanuck in exchange for Wellman directing two other pictures. Joining the enthusiastic queue of filmmakers was lead actor Henry Fonda, who expressed distaste in his 20th Century-Fox filmography during this era. But this and The Grapes of Wrath (1940) were the exceptions. Fonda was so inspired to make the film he worked for scale. He then joined the Navy immediately after this wrapped and would serve until 1946. Another actor would also show the utmost interest in this film when one of the most foremost figures Westerns, Clint Eastwood, has named this his favorite movie. This was also named the Best Film of 1943 by the National Board of Review and would later be entered into the National Film Registry.
Like Grand Illusion (1937), I am perplexed as to how this was nominated for Best Picture and nothing else. If anything, the screenplay should have got a nod. Of course, it would have lost to one of the best screenplays of all time in Casablanca (1942) but the way this script introduces characters, presents dilemmas, resolves issues, and provides moral understandings is worthy for a shot at gold. I recently watched Twelve Angry Men (1957) for the first time (I know) and the similarities are hard to ignore. Fonda stars in each and the concept of what justice is and what one should do with reasonable doubt in their mind is prevalent in both. Like Twelve Angry Men, there is enough evidence to make anyone think this trio could be the murders of Kinkaid. Although a sensible audience could see that a lynch mob is not the answer, a sensible audience can also recognize the emotion and logic of the members of this mob. Surely, they've seen the delays in the justice system before and taking matters into one's own hands must seem appealing and efficient for some. What's more, all of this is carried out in a harrowing yet vastly entertaining manner. All of this in a very concise 75 minutes.
There isn't much that hinders this film but I do have some minor gripes. Some of the acting is stiff and there are sequences that seem too quiet so perhaps a little more music could have been used. I was also waiting for a payoff of the Rose character and her new husband; at first glance, the scene in which the carriage darts out and we meet her doesn't do much for the story or theme. It does allow some action to enter the fray as we get our first gunshot wound, but I just didn't see the point of the character. It was also difficult to tell who, if any, knew the Fonda character. A lot more could have been done to make him a suspect since he was a stranger to most of these people. It seems like they wanted to develop his character with Rose a bit more but the focus stuck with the faux trial and a brief aftermath. This was probably for the best but that sequence could have been cut out and this short film could have been even shorter. But then again, if Jane Darwell is the only woman in the whole picture...
Overall, a wonderful script that muses on the idea of justice and lynch mobs with a memorable performance by soon-to-be Navy man Henry Fonda signifies a big step in the Western genre - that of little action but many thoughts. Even in a concise picture, there are some moments that don't seem pertinent but this is a trial that needs to be seen.
My Score: 8/10
Like Grand Illusion (1937), I am perplexed as to how this was nominated for Best Picture and nothing else. If anything, the screenplay should have got a nod. Of course, it would have lost to one of the best screenplays of all time in Casablanca (1942) but the way this script introduces characters, presents dilemmas, resolves issues, and provides moral understandings is worthy for a shot at gold. I recently watched Twelve Angry Men (1957) for the first time (I know) and the similarities are hard to ignore. Fonda stars in each and the concept of what justice is and what one should do with reasonable doubt in their mind is prevalent in both. Like Twelve Angry Men, there is enough evidence to make anyone think this trio could be the murders of Kinkaid. Although a sensible audience could see that a lynch mob is not the answer, a sensible audience can also recognize the emotion and logic of the members of this mob. Surely, they've seen the delays in the justice system before and taking matters into one's own hands must seem appealing and efficient for some. What's more, all of this is carried out in a harrowing yet vastly entertaining manner. All of this in a very concise 75 minutes.
There isn't much that hinders this film but I do have some minor gripes. Some of the acting is stiff and there are sequences that seem too quiet so perhaps a little more music could have been used. I was also waiting for a payoff of the Rose character and her new husband; at first glance, the scene in which the carriage darts out and we meet her doesn't do much for the story or theme. It does allow some action to enter the fray as we get our first gunshot wound, but I just didn't see the point of the character. It was also difficult to tell who, if any, knew the Fonda character. A lot more could have been done to make him a suspect since he was a stranger to most of these people. It seems like they wanted to develop his character with Rose a bit more but the focus stuck with the faux trial and a brief aftermath. This was probably for the best but that sequence could have been cut out and this short film could have been even shorter. But then again, if Jane Darwell is the only woman in the whole picture...
Overall, a wonderful script that muses on the idea of justice and lynch mobs with a memorable performance by soon-to-be Navy man Henry Fonda signifies a big step in the Western genre - that of little action but many thoughts. Even in a concise picture, there are some moments that don't seem pertinent but this is a trial that needs to be seen.
My Score: 8/10