The Ox-Bow Incident (1942)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Written by Lamar Trotti, based on the novel by Walter Van Tilburg Clark
Directed by William A. Wellman
Starring Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews, Anthony Quinn, Harry Morgan, William Eythe, and Mary Beth Hughes

Features:

• Running audio commentary by Western scholar Dick Eulain and William Wellman Jr.
  
• Still gallery
  
• Fonda Biography episode
  
• Restoration comparison
  

Released by: 20th Century Fox
Region: 1
Rating: NR
Anamorphic: N/A; appears in its original 1.33:1 format.

My Advice: At least view it, if not buy it

A timeless (and timely) look at the dangers of the mob mentality and the importance of due process and legal rights, The Ox-Bow Incident stands as a warning about the bad in human spirits and how very easy it is for usual people to do unusual things in unusual times. Earning its Oscar for best film in 1943, this is a movie that everyone, especially in these times, should see.

Gil Carter (Fonda) and Art Croft (Morgan) arrive in town, sick at heart from the prevalence of cattle rustlers, just in time to hear about the murder of a local, much loved rancher. The town, already worn out and angry from the cattle rustling swing fully into mob mentality. The mayor forms a posse, and Carter and Croft are drawn into things more than they ever could have imagined they would be. Vengeance and bloodshed become the game of the day; even though some voices are raised in protest, they are all too quickly hushed or assimilated. What seems fiction is all too quickly a lesson in reality.

Given that this film was released in 1942, it invites obvious comparisons with the popular German support of the Nazis, not to mention the reaction of Americans themselves to Japanese-Americans and German-Americans. It is all too easy to point to such societies and assume that we would never make the same mistakes, but in the immoral words of Agent K, "A person is smart. People are dumb panicky animals, and you know it." What we think we would not do within the sanctity of our own minds and provided with unvarnished truth is something totally different than what we would do when fed a steady diet of propaganda and when we're scared or feel threatened.

The black and white film is beautifully restored, and the lack of colorization allows the original cinematographer's choices to show the intended depth and shadow. The disc's audio quality is also solid--still where it should be still, and loud where it should be loud.

The features list is well-chosen and designed. The full-length audio commentary features Western scholar and University of New Mexico professor Dick Eulain, along with William Wellman Jr., the son of director William A. Wellman. Eulain is excellent at providing insight into the history of the real West, as well as the film and literary context of this work (and the novel from which it sprang). Wellman gives listeners a look at what it was like to be there, especially from his father's point of view. There is also a fabulous A&E Biography episode about Henry Fonda, yielding a new insight into the actor and his work. The disc is also graced with a stills gallery, a nice feature that every DVD should have, and a restoration comparison that is both interesting and reminds viewers why we're grateful for the technology that allows these things to get cleaned up.

If you are fond of old movies, philosophical films, or just appreciate good acting and good plots, then you will want to at least see The Ox-Bow Incident. Many people will not want to view this film regularly enough to warrant purchasing it, though everyone, especially those who are naive enough to believe they would never do such things when society asks it of them.