User Reviews

The Ox-Bow Incident is directed by William A. Wellman and adapted to screenplay by Lomar Trotti from the novel of the same name written by Walter Van Tilburg Clark. It stars Henry Fonda, Henry Morgan, Dana Andrews, Mary Beth Hughes, Anthony Quinn, William Eythe and Jane Darwell. Music is scored by Cyril J. Mockridge and cinematography by Arthur C. Miller.

Gil Carter & Art Croft ride into the town of Bridger's Wells, they hit the local saloon to imbibe after a log hard cattle drive. Whilst there a man runs in and announces that a popular man from the town has been shot by rustlers. The sheriff is out of town and a lynch mob quickly forms to bring what they see as swift justice to the culprits, Gil & Art join the posse so as to make sure they themselves don't get blamed for the shooting. The posse finds three weary workers and convince the majority that these guys are guilty and that instant hanging is the only way to do things. There are, however, one or two dissenting voices...

What a fabulous movie this is, a powerful indictment of how the lynch mob mentality can grip and lead to pain for many. William Wellman directs superbly, with a big ensemble in such a small area (Ox-Bow), he manages to get the right blend of emotive reactions from the leading players. Henry Fonda as Gill Carter is perfectly sedate and compassionate, even though he is far from being a flawless character, Dana Andrews as Donald Martin is heart achingly real, while others like Frank Conroy as Major Tetley are suitably full of ignorant bluster. It's quite an experience to see Wellman pull them all together with so much style. The photography from Miller is excellent, shadowy low tone black and white that is in keeping with the downbeat nature of the film, it infuses the picture with a gritty hard bitten noirish look. While Mockridge scores it suitably as sombre.

Ultimately it's the story that triumphs the most, claustrophobic in nature, it is simple yet tragic as it spins out to tell us how a group of seemingly sane individuals turned out to be a mass of incoherent reasoning. When a letter is read out during the finale, it is devastating in its effect, we see men broken, heads bowed in shame, others heavy in heart, their lives never to be the same. The emotional whack is hard hitting, and rightly so. For this is unashamedly a message movie, and a worthy one at that, so much so its reputation has grown over the years, where both the film and novel have made it into some educational curriculum's. It's very much a landmark Western, by choosing to forgo action for dark characterisations, it opened up the Western genre to being more than just shoot-outs and trail blazing. Had it been made seven or eight years later I think it would have garnered higher critical praise.

In spite of being one of Fonda's favourite movies that he made, the film didn't make money. The public were not quite ready for such sombre beats (Orson Welles, tellingly I feel, loved it), the critics of the time were irked by Wellman's decision to film the key trial and lynching sequences on the stage. Yet the closeness this gives the narrative serves it well, thrusting the many characters close together so they, and us, can see the whites of everyone's eyes, this is about focusing on the faces of those about to commit a capital crime. The close confines also gives off a pervasive sense of doom, where pessimism seeps through, there is no short changing here, the makers are dealing in bleakness and the right choices are made to produce one of the finest and most upsetting exponents of mob mentality played out on film. 9/10

An excellent movie that avoid the western cliché, bringing a Theatrical Drama about reason, justice and piety.

Everything works perfectly, in terms of sound, ambiance and plot. Exception made by the role of Mary Beth Hughes. The protagonist's frustrated romance does'nt add nothing relevant to presents Gil Carter's personality.

The letter reading scene is absolutelly beautiful and very meaningful, totally worth the movie. This Western deserves more recognition from the overall public.

The Ox-Bow Incident isn't a very well known cinema classic, and therefore it's fan base is comprised mostly of cinema buffs that are willing to go that extra mile to see great films. It's a shame that this film hasn't managed to cement itself better in cinema history since it's release in 1943, but on the other hand; anyone who does make the effort to seek it out is definitely in for a treat! Unlike many other westerns from the golden age of cinema, this one doesn't focus on Cowboys and Indians or other such entertainment friendly subjects, but instead the story is of a much more absorbing and long-lasting nature. The implications of this film can be applied to almost any time in history and it will be relevant, and that is what makes The Ox-Bow Incident such a great film. The story follows two drifters who ride into a town to find that the locals are forming a posse to catch and hang the men that they believe have murdered a local farmer and stolen his cattle. It quickly becomes apparent that the men accused may not be guilty, but the townsfolk are bloodthirsty and hungry to see justice done there and then.

The themes in the film are more prevalent and important than the plot itself. The film shows how rash decisions can out-shadow the truth, and this story can be likened to any number of stories over the last few centuries where the American value of 'innocent until proved guilty' has been overshadowed in favour of a crowd-pleasing decision. The tragedy of the film is always at the forefront, and this makes it difficult to aptly categorise this film as a western. Putting this film in with a genre of film that often focuses on gunfights and chase sequences somehow doesn't seem right. This film is really an ensemble drama, and in just a 72 minute running time, director William A. Wellman has managed to make a film that both intrigues and gives it's audience food for thought. Too many filmmakers these days think that a long running time is what makes a great film; but Wellman has proved that tight plotting and an important story are the far more important aspects. Henry Fonda is the biggest name on the cast list, and he does well; but even he struggles to shine amongst this film's real star, which is, of course, the script and the themes on offer. On the whole, this is a great film, which deserves more respect and shouldn't be missed by anyone!

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

Before "12 Angry Men" there was "The Ox-Bow Incident," a bleaker and never less than fascinating exploration of the nature of mob violence. Unlike "12 Angry Men," this film has no clear-cut heroes. It takes place in a more primitive, wilder time and location, and the principal question at the crux of this movie's conflict is whether or not three suspected cattle thieves should be punished without due legal process. A small group is in favor of letting the frontier town sheriff handle the situation, while a much larger group smells only blood (and in some cases are motivated by personal vengeance) and convince themselves of the suspects' guilt without listening to any of the evidence. It's quite a frightening movie in its own way, and it has a stark look at odds with the average studio film being churned out at the time (1943). Henry Fonda is quite good, as usual, in the closest thing the movie has to a main character, but it seems pointless to single him out in what is obviously such an ensemble effort, and in a movie that only lasts a mere 75 minutes or so and has such a large cast, each actor manages to color his/her character with delightful details, sometimes with no more than a single line of dialogue or one reaction shot.

"The Ox-Bow Incident" is a fantastic film. I don't think it's well-remembered now, but I'm thrilled to see it on DVD and hope that it will be rediscovered.

Grade: A

... and while marsupials didn't roam the US countryside a kangaroo court establishes the desires of the baying mob that only a lynching will do, while only a select few have the will and decency to defy their savage rage for revenge.

...without have the explanation. because it is more. more than a western, more than a moving story, more than admirable performances, more than a beautiful moral lesson, more than a great way to remind basic truths. it is a pledge for honest perspective about justice and what it defines. it is a good occasion for admire Henry Fonda and Dana Andrews, for the gallery of portraits, for the impecable cinematography . and for reasons who escape from real explanations. because it has the courage. to be . a masterpiece.

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.

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.

I don't understand why this movie is so highly praised. It's really nothing special. There are clear-cut bad guys represented by the mob, and clear-cut good guys represented by the few. This is not a novel concept, it wasn't then, it isn't now, and it wasn't 2000 years ago. The movie itself has no originality or courage, it splits good and bad into black and white and shamelessly sides with the good guys. So what? What is so original or powerful about that? The comments listed here suggest a very powerful and important film. It's not. Setting up the bad guys as targets and then shooting them like fish in a barrel isn't courageous, it's self righteous. This movie is not daring or challenging. It takes no chances, it takes the easy path, the path of the morally superior, the way of the majority, the way of the mob. Maybe they were trying to be ironic.

A dark Western that ranks with "Liberty Valance" as a top Western-Noir film. This great film has a ranking that would place it in the top 250, but lacks enough votes.

"Ox-Bow" is rarely viewed or mentioned, yet most consider it to be a great film. Fonda's slow style is perfect for this psychological drama, and Henry Morgan delivers a very deep and compassionate performance. Dana Andrews may be miscast but delivers. Though slow-paced its characters, plot line and score keep the viewer glued. It's a haunting story with a twist at the end.

Please vote for this fine film and see if we can get it into the top 250!

"The Ox-Bow Incident" is a film that parallels the times we are living in many ways. Darryl Zanuck probably didn't even think much of this project that has proved to be a film admired by a lot of people that find in it, something that resonates with them.

William Wellman, the director, made an excellent film out of the adaptation by Lamar Trotti, of the Walter van Tilburg Clark's novel. The film, only 75 minutes long, packs a lot in a short period, something that other films, twice as long, fail to deliver. Arthur C. Miller's cinematography is an asset for the picture.

This film brought to mind another Henry Fonda film: "12 Angry Men", in which a more or less posse is trying to decide the fate of a young man accused of committing a heinous crime. In this film, we get a similar idea, in that the mob group that is formed will end up bringing the wrong kind of justice to the three unfortunate men that are deemed guilty and will be lynched; for all practical purposes these men would be proved innocent in a real court of justice.

Henry Fonda does an excellent job as Gil Carter. The biggest surprise though is the then unknown Dana Andrews, one of the men that is made to pay for a crime he didn't commit. Also, this is an early film in which Anthony Quinn appeared as one of the doomed men. The director got marvelous acting in general from the supporting cast, notably, Frank Conroy, William Eythe, Jane Darwell and Mary Beth Hughes.

This is a classic film to be treasured.

The Ox-Bow Incident can be safely ranked as one of classic cinema's great treasures. Applauded by critics worldwide, it has still received very little public recognition and appreciation and it is about time this changed. While the theme of the movie may not be extremely original by today's standards, it is as timely as ever. The issues of mob psychology and the miscarriage of justice which can occur when passion overcomes reason and logic were not new even at the time of the filming of the movie, but even then, few were willing to listen to such a sobering tale of morality and justice while America was at war. Yet this is a tale which must be told often and well, lest we fall prey to errors resulting from forgetting its lesson.

This being said, the tale itself and its delivery makes The Ox-Bow Incident more than a film with a message. By casting its characters in a shadow of moral doubt, rather than in the traditional bright light reserved for western heroes as modern knights in shining armor, this movie truly marks a departure from classic western movies filmed until then, and sets the precedent for future "revisionist" westerns which were to come nearly 15 years later. In many ways this film is actually more a tragic play in the theatrical sense than a typical Hollywood movie. The classic elements of unity of time, space and action are used here with great effectiveness and emphasize the dramatic nature of the story and its ultimate, almost inexorable outcome, in the great tradition of Greek or Shakespearan tragedies.

Indeed one of the most surprising moments in the film does not occur in the middle or at the end of the movie, but at the very beginning, as the main character and his partner enter the saloon in the small town which is the center of the drama. Thanks to Fonda's superb characterization, we are confronted from the very start with a bitter, angry and essentially anti-heroic protagonist, quite unlike most typical western "good guys". Even though we are invited to identify with Gil Carter, he is not a particularly likeable guy. Surly, edgy, reticent, and at times, gratuitously violent, he does not present a very effective resistance to the evil he witnesses, even as he disapproves of it. Truly, one would be hard-pressed to find anyone good or likeable here, save for the black preacher, probably the most innocent and morally pure of the characters. Indeed, all the characters are drawn with several layers of psychology; which can sometimes only be revealed after several viewings of the film. One may draw for example some quick conclusions regarding the infamous Major Tetley or his son, but the true villain may be in fact the judge, who even as he realizes a gross injustice is about to be committed, choses to do nothing out of laziness and indifference.

The movie was never provided a big budget, which accounts for its set location and the size of its cast, limited in number but of epic proportions in talent (featuring a young and great Anthony Quinn, Dana Andrew at his very peak, a surprisingly unmotherly Jane Darwell, and a powerful Harry Morgan). But do not let the modest filming conditions fool you. This is a true masterpiece.

One last note: one of the most memorable and enduring scenes is the reading of a letter by Gil Carter. This scene rightly belongs among the treasures of classic cinema, along with Citizen Kane's Rosebud and Tom Joad's "wherever there's a fight" speech.

"Hangin' is any man's business that's around." Henry Fonda's father took him to the site of a lynching that occurred the previous morning and told young Henry that statement, and that line was used in the movie at Henry Fonda's insistence. It's hard to watch movies like this because it exposes the soul of every man. At a tight 75 minutes, the plot and dialogue move along at a good pace. Beautiful performances by Dana Andrews and Anthony Quinn along with the reaction shots of the mob after the final realization of their lynching leave an indelible mark on the watcher. It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture and in 1998 it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

I can't remember seeing a lot of films from director William Wellman. But after finally getting the opportunity to see his highly regarded The Ox-Bow Incident, I'd definitely like to try to see some more. It's a serious-minded oater, which even given its short running time, still tries to have a large say on some serious issues, which aren't confined to the time period of the film.

In this case, it's a reminder that even on the fringes of what was then known as the Wild West, the rule of law should be always remembered and practised, as the basis for a civilised society.

This is not what we necessarily see, when drifters Gil and Art, who are nevertheless fairly well-known to the citizens of the small, notably down market Nevada town of Bridger's Wells, arrive back at Darby's Saloon. While the sheriff is out of town, a rumour quickly spreads about a local rancher being killed by cattle rustlers. Against the wishes of the local judge, a large, enthusiastic posse, led by ex-Confederate major Tetley, is rapidly formed with vengeance clearly foremost in its collective mind. Gil and Art join more to ensure their own safety, rather than through any high-minded ideals of seeing justice done. Against Gil's better judgement, the posse insists on heading out through the night into a mountainous landscape, where subsequently three strangers are accosted in their camp with some of the rancher's cattle, which they claim to have legally bought. But will their protestations of innocence ring true with the vigilantes from Bridger's Wells?

In spite of budget limitations which forced him to shoot in black and white on what is pretty clearly studio backlots for much of the film, Wellman managed to fashion a unique sort of film. A fine cast is headed by Henry Fonda, who then proceeds to not play a traditional leading role, at all. Rather his Gil, is an everyman type character, who is just one of many of the ensemble cast making up the posse, but one of the minority of seven as we find out later, who is prepared to speak out against mob rule. Dana Andrews is excellent as a patently innocent family man and the well-spoken leader of the captured strangers, which also includes Anthony Quinn in an early significant role, for once playing true to his Mexican origins. Interestingly the other group member was played by Francis Ford, director John's brother. But really there are excellent performances by any number of the large cast who share much of the onscreen time.

Without spoiling, it's fair to add that The Ox-Bow Incident is not really concerned with your typical Hollywood endings. In fact after the film was finished it sat on the shelves for quite a time, as 20th Century Fox were unsure how to market such a sobering product. As it was, it never turned a profit, but it thoroughly, in my opinion deserved its later Best Picture Oscar nomination.

Shall we call this western?This is so moving,so harrowing and so tragic it would be a sacrilege.With a running time of 75 min,William Wellmann's work runs the whole gamut of emotions:hatred,contempt,madness,despair,indifference,you name it.Besides,the script is wonderfully written,depicting with a gutsy realism the supporting characters :the old man,the terrifying shrew,the renegade officer,his coward son -but who 's the real coward in the end?-,the Mexican,all are unforgettable.Between the lines ,there are secret plots which could provide the substance for at least four other movies.

Oddly,star Henry Fonda is nothing but a witness-except for the last sequences -and it's Dana Andrews' extremely harrowing performance which will haunt the viewers -as well as his hangmen- long after the ending.Andrews' portrayal is so moving that he almost outshadows the rest of the stellar cast,not a small feat:a western hero has rarely shown so much despair and dignity and his letter will move you to tears .It's anyway the sequence when he writes it that climaxes the movie,when most of the guys are guzzling or drinking ,with the horrible fat woman 's shrill chuckles as a sinister soundtrack.

As Neil Young sings "would fade away so young/with so much left undone/remember me to my love I know I'll miss her" (Powderfinger)

Do not miss this film !It's a timeless classic.

William A. Wellman's earnest film from Walter Van Tilburg Clark's book is more somber than moving, though it does have a good central performance by Henry Fonda, here playing a righteous man attempting to stop a small town lynch mob from acting as judge and jury with the lives of three men fingered for a murder. These unfortunate suspects don't get much of a break from the bloodthirsty group on hand--nor do they get one from this screenplay. In order to let star Fonda have the strongest scene, one of the men writes down his feelings in a letter, which Fonda's Gil Carter reads aloud. It would be a triumphant moment for any actor; however, since we never get to know the convicted trio, the immediacy (and perhaps the intensity) of the emotional situation remains closed off from us (the sequence seems designed more toward showing us what a good-hearted guy Carter is rather than underlining the evils of a mob frenzy). Considered heady stuff in 1943, the picture is less compelling today, with the stagy production design giving the picture a (perhaps deliberate) artificial appearance. Jane Darwell is hissable in a supporting role (a complete turn-about from her work in "The Grapes of Wrath"), but Dana Andrews and Anthony Quinn are under-used. Wellman's direction is fluid yet unexciting. **1/2 from ****

A combination of a frontier predisposition to hang three men suspected of murder and rustling, and circumstantial evidence, lead to their lynching. Rarely has a film had as its focus such a heavy topic as this one, and it is to this day difficult to sit through, mainly because it does such a fine job of putting the viewer into the inevitability of a long, protracted night, where the executioners delude themselves into believing that right is on their side. All the while, the hanging awaits. Maybe the best parts are those of Anthony Quinn and Jane Darwell, especially Darwell, whose character as the kindly matriarch of the Joad family in Grapes of Wrath is polar opposite of the crude and cruel woman she plays in this film.

It's 1885 and drifters Henry Fonda (Gil) and Harry Morgan (Art) ride into a backwater town where they learn that a popular cattleman has been shot dead and had his cattle stolen. The townsfolk are keen on a quick lynching for whoever is responsible and Fonda and Morgan go along with the posse to detract suspicion from themselves. They don't approve of what is happening along with a few others but they are in the minority. This town wants vengeance. Unfortunately, for whoever they find, vengeance is not the same as justice.

Once it gets going, the film is pretty tense as you side against the majority mob led by ex-Army Major Frank Conroy (Major Tetley) and local cowboy Marc Lawrence (Jeff). The audience can sense what the outcome will be but can't quite believe that the film will see it through. I kept expecting that turning point to come and change the course of events. What happened was quite shocking.

The cast are all good and the film has a compact running time and effective setting, especially that tree. I don't know how you get a tree like that. My wife reckons that it was struck by lightning. Could be? The film has a bleak ending but I guess we all make mistakes in life. We just have to move on.