Walter Van Tilburg Clark wrote the novel when he was 30 years old. He wrote only two more novels, some poetry and a book of collected short stories. He earned his living as a college professor. He son said he became paralyzed as a writer because he wouldn't let anything go until he thought it was perfect.

Great cast with Dana Andrews and Anthony Quinn. Another great Western with Henry Fonda and Anthony Quinn, also with Richard Widmark is "Warlock" (1959).

An amazing film. Even more personal and powerful in black and white.

I've heard that Once Upon a Time in the West -- the one time he played a villain -- is pretty good.

One of the most powerful films that were one of the rare honest portrayals of outlaw justice in Hollywood history. For that reason alone it ranks high on my Western list. Henry Fonda is always sublime but the entire cast helps paint the picture. Thanks for reacting to this one - hopefully Dances with Wolves will be one you react to as well ;)

Hollywood used to drop anti-lynching films every so often back when. The Ox-Bow Incident stands out for the intensity of the drama and the pull no punches approach to the grotesque depiction of the lynch mob. "From 1882 to 1968, 4,743 lynchings occurred in the U.S., according to records maintained by NAACP." Crying festivals over cancel this or that are sour grapes compared to that bitter fruit. Henry Fonda's film career was quite exceptional -- Jezebel (1938), Jesse James (1939), Young Mr. Lincoln (1939), Drums Along the Mohawk (1939), The Return of Frank James (1940), The Grapes of Wrath (1940), The Lady Eve (1941) -- and those are from before he starred in this. Fonda starred in many Westerns, a few notable ones include The Tin Star (1957), directed by Anthony Mann, with Anthony Perkins; Warlock (1959), directed by Edward Dmytryk, with Richard Widmark, Anthony Quinn, and Dorothy Malone; and Firecreek (1968), with James Stewart -- where Fonda plays the heavy carrying over from Once Upon a Time in the West.

Damn good edit of a damn good movie! I was just thinking how this is almost a trial run for his "12 Angry Men" performance. I remember that this movie was NOT what I was expecting the first time I saw it! Totally agree about how powerful it is, and infuriating. The sick and sad thing is that crap like that was STILL going on in America during that time, and would continue to do so. And they're alive and well, fantasizing about the "good old days" when you could do stuff like this with impunity. Someone was just caught on tape in Oklahoma talking like that! It's no accident there's a black character that talks about his cousin getting lynched - unheard for a 1943 movie. This is a nice, tight short one, too! You must have been psyched not to have to edit too much! Where does it rank for me in terms of fave westerns? Way up high! Same thing with fave Henry Fonda films. The reason "Once Upon A Time In The West" was so great for me the first time I saw it was just savoring seeing Fonda - who always was the good guy...not just the good guy, but the BEST guy....almost saintly, always the voice of morality - seeing him play the skeeviest bad guy ever was delicious! I always tell people to watch a few Henry Fonda classics before they see "Once Upon A Time In The West" just so they can have that experience!

This was not really a "Western Movie" per se, it was actually a morality play which happened to be set in a Western milieu. One might be able to do this same story in many other settings as well. It was a remarkable film to have been produced in Hollywood at any time, but particularly in the middle of World War II. However, it meant a great deal to William Wellman, who directed it, and who really wanted to do it very badly. The same went for Henry Fonda who, the story goes, had actually witnessed a lynching when he was young. The story was derived from a novel by Martin van Tilburg Clark, published in 1940, which also was actually his first novel.

So happy to see a reactor cover this one! Everyone does “12 Angry Men” (which is great too), but I think this one should be just as well known. A timeless tale about mob rule and (like “12 Angry Men”) the importance of due process. This is pretty faithful to the novel and terrific acting all-around by the cast. Directed by William ‘Wild Bill’ Wellman, who also did “The Public Enemy” (James Cagney’s breakthrough movie).

This one and The Gunfighter are a perfect Revisionist Western duo. Cinematography done by Arthur Miller for both. Very tightly wound films with short running times but plenty of tension.

Truly a wonderful movie. Too bad people watch or read movies and books of that nature, get angry and yet many are still fast and ready to join mobs and judge people so fast. Great choice and great reaction!

Great review! Amazing how this film still affects viewers after 80 years. William Wellman's filmography includes classics and clunkers but Ox-Bow is right with the classics (which include The Public Enemy and Heroes For Sale.) Wellman wanted to make this movie so badly, he agreed to direct two programmers in exchange to make a low-budget Ox-Bow. And the low budget is a blessing because the bare sets and stark photography emphasize the spiraling mob mentality.

One of the least commented upon features of the West is how humdrum everyday life was much of the time, when it wasn't deadly. Mix a lot of alcohol with roving bands of juvenile delinquents and the lack of reliable law enforcement and it explains much about the spasms of violence that erupted. Made things interesting, especially in hindsight.

Is this the best Western Henry Fonda starred in? Apologies for some profanity on my part. The movie did a great job of making me hate certain characters.

Really under rated film, so glad you brought some light to it. Im a big Dana Andrew's fan and this is one of his best its up there with Best years of our lives. I think Henry Fonda was great but i would give the nod to his performance in Twelve angry men.

If you decide to react to thriller movies check out the 1956 movie The Bad Seed - the story of a 8 year serial killer, a trait she inherited from from her Grandmother. ( great intense performances).

Great reaction, as always!! Though it’s difficult to watch, it’s one of my favorite films and like you said, one of the most powerful films, that I have ever seen. It’s an indictment of unchecked mob violence. The law and reason meant nothing to these morons. Revenge was all that they wanted, at any cost. Thanks for checking it out.

This is a similar premiss to HANG 'EM HIGH with Clint Eastwood.

Hey Irish Guy, love your channel. Are you a fan of Budd Boetticher? I feel like you would love his westerns. For example, 7 Men from Now, The Tall T, Ride Lonesome.

What a great movie, right? But most prefer to "react" to "American Pie." Don't give up, we support you, and you will also enjoy more.

Mob mentality, rush to judgment, lack of critical thinking is never a good look.