The Ox-Bow Incident

Last updated

The Ox-Bow Incident
The Ox-Bow Incident (1942 poster).jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by William A. Wellman
Written by Lamar Trotti
Based on The Ox-Bow Incident
by Walter Van Tilburg Clark
Produced by Lamar Trotti
Starring Henry Fonda
Dana Andrews
Cinematography Arthur C. Miller
Edited byAllen McNeil
Music by Cyril J. Mockridge
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release dates
  • May 8, 1943 (1943-05-08)(New York City) [1]
  • May 21, 1943 (1943-05-21)(USA)
Running time
75 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$565,000 [2]
Box office$750,000 (rentals) [3]

The Ox-Bow Incident is a 1943 American Western film directed by William A. Wellman, starring Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews and Mary Beth Hughes, with Anthony Quinn, William Eythe, Harry Morgan and Jane Darwell. Two cowboys arrive in a Western town, when news arrives that a local rancher has been murdered and his cattle stolen. The townspeople, joined by the two cowboys and cowboys from other ranches, form a posse to catch the perpetrators. They find three men in possession of the cattle, and are determined to see justice done on the spot.

Contents

The film premiered in May 1943 to positive reviews from critics. It was nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture at the 16th Academy Awards, losing to Casablanca . It is one of a select group of films to secure just one Oscar nomination, albeit in the Best Picture category. As of 2023, it is the last film to be nominated solely in that category. [4] The Ox-Bow Incident and The Outlaw (also produced in 1943) are the earliest films in the AllMovie list of psychological Westerns. [5]

In 1998, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". [6] The film was adapted from the 1940 novel of the same name, written by Nevadan Walter Van Tilburg Clark. [7]

Plot

In Bridger's Wells, Nevada in 1885, [8] two cowboys, Art Croft and Gil Carter, hitch up their horses and enter Darby's Saloon. There, it is learned that a rancher, Larry Kinkaid, has been murdered. The townspeople immediately form a large posse to pursue the murderers. Art and Gil join. Davies, fearing a lynching, also joins, hoping he can prevent such an occurrence. Major Tetley, dressed in an old Civil War uniform, assumes leadership. His son, Gerald, comes with him. Soon, news arrives that three men with cattle bearing Kinkaid's brand have just entered Bridger's Pass.

Later that night in Ox-Bow Canyon, the posse find three men sleeping, with what are presumed to be stolen cattle nearby. The posse interrogate them: a young, well-spoken man, Donald Martin; a Mexican, Juan Martínez; and an old man, Alva Hardwicke, who is clearly mentally disabled. Martin claims that he purchased the cattle from Kinkaid but received no bill of sale. No one believes Martin, and the posse decide to hang the three men at sunrise. As a final request, Martin writes a letter to his wife and asks Davies to deliver it. When dissent develops among some members of the group, a vote is taken on whether to hang the trio or take them to town to stand trial. Only seven vote for the latter. The rest support a hanging.

After the lynching, the posse returns to Bridger's Wells. On the way, they encounter the town's sheriff, Risley, who reveals Kinkaid is not dead and that the men who shot him have been arrested. Risley then asks Davies who is responsible for the lynching. “All but seven,” Davies replies, and the sheriff angrily declares, “God better have mercy on you. You won't get any from me.” Later, the posse gather in Darby's Saloon. In silence, they listen as Gil quietly reads Martin's letter aloud to Art. Meanwhile, Major Tetley returns to his house, locks his son out, and commits suicide. In the end, Gil and Art head out of town to deliver the letter and $500 raised by those in the posse for Martin's wife.

Cast

Production

Director William A. Wellman loved the novel and wanted to adapt it into a film and then interested Darryl F. Zanuck in producing it. Zanuck agreed in producing the story, on the condition that Wellman would also direct two other films for the studio, Thunder Birds (1942) and Buffalo Bill (1944).

There are several differences between the film and the novel, notably the fate of the Tetleys and the fate of the lynch mob. In the book, young Gerald commits suicide by hanging himself in the barn. This leads his father to fall on his cavalry sword. The sheriff stares down each member of the mob, but then he says he will forget everything. [9]

The role of Gil Carter, played by Henry Fonda, was originally offered to Gary Cooper, who turned it down. Fonda was generally unhappy with the quality of the films he was cast in while under contract with 20th Century Fox. This was one of only two films from that period that he was enthusiastic about acting in (the other was The Grapes of Wrath , made in 1940). Fonda regarded this film as one of his favorites.

Filming was done from late June to early August 1942, mostly in studio back-lots and sound stages; a limited amount of location shooting was done at a ranch in Chatsworth and in Lone Pine, both in California. Additional sequences and retakes were done mid-August to late August. The production on the film would be shut down for a week or ten days "due to the $5,000-per-film limit on new construction materials" (imposed by the War Production Board). During the shutdown, already used sets were torn down so their materials could be used to build the mountain pass set. Studio publicity noted that the Ox-Bow Valley setting was "the largest set ever constructed" by Fox, covering 26,703 sq ft (2,480.8 m2; 0.6130 acres). [10]

The western street set seen in this film was subsequently used in another western, The Gunfighter (1950), which starred Gregory Peck.

After the film was completed, it was kept on the shelf for months because Fox executives were uncertain how to market a film with such a sobering theme.

Reception

The film received mostly positive reviews. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote that it "is not a picture which will brighten or cheer your day. But it is one which, for sheer, stark drama, is currently hard to beat." [11] Variety called it a "powerful preachment against mob lynching ... Director William Wellman has skillfully guided the characters and driven home the point that hanging is unwarranted. Fonda measures up to star rating ... He helps hold together the loose ends of the rather patent plot." [12] David Lardner of The New Yorker called it a "rather good piece of work". [13] Harrison's Reports printed a negative review, calling it a "depressing, unpleasant, at times horrible, melodrama ... Whoever is responsible for selecting such sordid material for the screen should be awarded a 'booby' prize." [14]

More recently, La Furia Umana's Toshi Fujiwara said the film is "one of the most important westerns in the history of American cinema". [15] Clint Eastwood has stated this is his favorite film. However, Darryl F. Zanuck, head of Twentieth Century-Fox 1935–1956, recalled the film as "a flop. In spite of its significance and its dramatic value, our records showed that it had failed to pay its way. In fact, its pulling power was less than that of a Laurel and Hardy comedy we made about the same time."

It earned $750,000 in the United States. [16]

Awards and honors

The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 16th Academy Awards, losing to Casablanca . As of 2022, it is the last film to be nominated for Best Picture and nothing else.

An outdoor mural at Twentieth Century Fox Studios, Century City, depicts the filming of The Ox-Bow Incident. [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Fonda</span> American actor (1905–1982)

Henry Jaynes Fonda was an American actor whose career spanned five decades on Broadway and in Hollywood. On screen and stage, he often portrayed characters that embodied an everyman image.

<i>My Darling Clementine</i> 1946 American Western film

My Darling Clementine is a 1946 American Western film directed by John Ford and starring Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp during the period leading up to the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The ensemble cast also features Victor Mature, Linda Darnell, Walter Brennan, Tim Holt, Cathy Downs and Ward Bond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dana Andrews</span> American actor (1909–1992)

Carver Dana Andrews was an American film actor who became a major star in what is now known as film noir. A leading man during the 1940s, he continued acting in less prestigious roles and character parts into the 1980s. He is best known for his portrayal of obsessed police detective Mark McPherson in the noir Laura (1944) and his critically acclaimed performance as World War II veteran Fred Derry in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darryl F. Zanuck</span> American film producer (1902–1979)

Darryl Francis Zanuck was an American film producer and studio executive; he earlier contributed stories for films starting in the silent era. He played a major part in the Hollywood studio system as one of its longest survivors. He produced three films that won the Academy Award for Best Picture during his tenure.

<i>Wilson</i> (1944 film) 1944 film by Henry King

Wilson is a 1944 biographical film about Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States. Shot in Technicolor and directed by Henry King, the film stars Alexander Knox, Charles Coburn, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Thomas Mitchell, Ruth Nelson, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Vincent Price, William Eythe and Mary Anderson.

<i>Young Mr. Lincoln</i> 1939 film by John Ford

Young Mr. Lincoln is a 1939 American biographical drama western film about the early life of President Abraham Lincoln, directed by John Ford and starring Henry Fonda. Ford and producer Darryl F. Zanuck fought for control of the film, to the point where Ford destroyed unwanted takes for fear the studio would use them in the film. Screenwriter Lamar Trotti was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing/Original Story.

<i>Warlock</i> (1959 film) 1959 film directed by Edward Dmytryk

Warlock is a 1959 American Western film produced and directed by Edward Dmytryk starring Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda, Anthony Quinn and Dorothy Malone. The picture is an adaptation of the novel Warlock by American author Oakley Hall. The film is both set and filmed in Utah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Van Tilburg Clark</span> Novelist, short story writer, educator

Walter Van Tilburg Clark was an American novelist, short story writer, poet, and educator. He ranks as one of Nevada's most distinguished literary figures of the 20th century, and was the first inductee into the 'Nevada Writers Hall of Fame' in 1988, together with Robert Laxalt, Clark's mentee and Nevada's other heralded twentieth century author. Two of Clark's novels, The Ox-Bow Incident and The Track of the Cat, were made into films. As a writer, Clark taught himself to use the familiar materials of the western saga to explore the human psyche and to raise deep philosophical issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Eythe</span> American actor (1918–1957)

William John Eythe was an American actor of film, radio, television and stage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank McGrath (actor)</span> American actor and stunt performer (1903–1967)

Benjamin Franklin "Frank" McGrath was an American television and film actor and stunt performer who played the comical, optimistic cook with the white beard, Charlie B. Wooster, on the western series Wagon Train for five seasons on NBC and then three seasons on ABC. McGrath appeared in all 272 episodes in the eight seasons of the series, which had ended its run only two years before his death. McGrath's Wooster character hence provided the meals and companionship for both fictional trail masters, Ward Bond as Seth Adams and John McIntire as Christopher "Chris" Hale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Beth Hughes</span> American actress

Mary Elizabeth Hughes was an American film, television, and stage actress best known for her roles in B movies.

<i>The Gunfighter</i> 1950 film by Henry King

The Gunfighter is a 1950 American Western film directed by Henry King and starring Gregory Peck, Helen Westcott, Millard Mitchell and Karl Malden. It was written by screenwriters William Bowers and William Sellers, with an uncredited rewrite by writer and producer Nunnally Johnson, from a story by Bowers, Roger Corman, and screenwriter and director Andre de Toth. The film was the second of King's six collaborations with Peck.

<i>Track of the Cat</i> 1954 film

Track of the Cat is a 1954 American Western film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Robert Mitchum, Teresa Wright and Diana Lynn. The film is based on a 1949 adventure novel of the same name by Walter Van Tilburg Clark. This was Wellman's second adaptation of a Clark novel; the first was The Ox-Bow Incident in 1943. Track of the Cat was produced by John Wayne and Robert Fellows for their production company Batjac Productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris-Pin Martin</span> American actor (1893–1953)

Chris-Pin Martin was an American character actor whose specialty lay in portraying comical Mexicans, particularly sidekicks in The Cisco Kid film series. He acted in over 100 films between 1925 and 1953, including over 50 westerns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Conroy (actor)</span> British actor (1890–1964)

Frank Parish Conroy was a British film and stage actor who appeared in many films, notably Grand Hotel (1932), The Little Minister (1934) and The Ox-Bow Incident (1943).

<i>The Ox-Bow Incident</i> (novel) 1940 western novel by Walter Van Tilburg Clark

The Ox-Bow Incident is a 1940 western novel by Walter Van Tilburg Clark in which two local cattlemen are drawn into a lynch mob to find and hang three men presumed to be rustlers and the killers of a local man. It was Clark's first published novel.

<i>Belles on Their Toes</i> (film) 1952 film by Henry Levin

Belles on Their Toes is a 1952 American family comedy film based on the autobiographical book Belles on Their Toes (1950) by siblings Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. The film, which debuted in New York City on May 2, 1952, was directed by Henry Levin, and Henry Ephron and Phoebe Ephron wrote the screenplay. It is a sequel to the film Cheaper by the Dozen (1950), based on Gilbreth and Carey's eponymous 1948 book.

<i>Thunder Birds</i> (1942 film) 1942 film by William A. Wellman

Thunder Birds is a 1942 Technicolor film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Gene Tierney, Preston Foster, and John Sutton. It features aerial photography and location filming at an actual Arizona training base of the United States Army Air Forces named Thunderbird Field No. 1 during World War II.

<i>Way of a Gaucho</i> 1952 film by Jacques Tourneur

Way of a Gaucho is a 1952 American Western drama film directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Gene Tierney and Rory Calhoun. It was written by Philip Dunne and based on a novel by Herbert Childs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Almira Sessions</span> American actress

Almira Sessions was an American character actress of stage, screen and television. Born in Washington, D.C., her career took her through all the acting mediums of the 20th century. She appeared in over 500 films and television shows. She worked into her 80s, finally retiring shortly before her death in 1974 in Los Angeles.

References

Notes

  1. "The Ox-Bow Incident". American Film Institute . Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  2. Solomon, Aubrey (1989). Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, p. 242, ISBN   978-0-8108-4244-1.
  3. Solomon, Aubrey (1989). Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, p. 220, ISBN   978-0-8108-4244-1.
  4. "The Ox-Bow Incident,IMDb trivia". IMDb .
  5. "Psychological Western". AllMovie. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  6. "National Film Registry, 1998". Library of Congress . Retrieved May 16, 2008.
  7. "The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)". The Ox-Bow Incident (1943). FilmSite, n.d. Web. December 1, 2012. <http://www.filmsite.org/oxbo.html>.
  8. "The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)". www.filmsite.org.
  9. "The Ox-Bow Incident (novel)", Wikipedia, March 20, 2020, retrieved August 25, 2020
  10. "Ox-Bow Incident archive materials". TCM movie database. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  11. Crowther, Bosley (May 10, 1943). "Movie Review – The Ox-Bow Incident". The New York Times . Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  12. "Film Reviews". Variety . New York: Variety, Inc.: 8 May 12, 1943.
  13. Lardner, David (May 15, 1943). "The Current Cinema". The New Yorker . New York: F-R Publishing Corp. p. 47.
  14. "'The Ox-Bow Incident' with Henry Fonda and Dana Andrews". Harrison's Reports : 74. May 8, 1943.
  15. Fujiwara, Toshi (Autumn 2012). "Confidential Report: THE OX-BOW INCIDENT (1943)". La Furia Umana (14). ISSN   2037-0431 . Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  16. Aubrey Solomon, Twentieth Century-Fox: A Corporate and Financial History Rowman & Littlefield, 2002 p 220
  17. ""The Ox-Bow Incident" Mural at 20th Century Fox Studios – Century City, CA". May 6, 2013 via Flickr.