William A. Wellman and a Perfect Cast Vividly Depict The Ox-Bow Incident

Providing one of the most trenchant delineations of the misguided actions and attitudes leading to a mob mentality, 1943’s The Ox-Bow Incident from Twentieth-Century Fox remains one of the most powerful dramas ever produced by Hollywood. Veteran director William A. Wellman offers one of his most impressive achievements with Ox-Bow, deftly helming an ideally cast group of actors who all offer moving characterizations that linger in memory.  Also, in an age where it appears to take top filmmakers at least 2.5-3.5 hours to address a major theme, Wellman, aided by a tight, suspenseful screenplay by producer Lamar Trotti (based on the excellent novel by Walter Van Tilburg Clark) deserves credit for masterfully giving audiences a rich, emotionally compelling experience in a scant 75 minutes, without missing a beat or leaving a viewer with the feeling something has been left out of the narrative. In Wellman’s hands, every insightful scene adds to the overall mood of the film, leading to moments of harrowing impact as events unfold and the tension mounts to a breaking point.

By the time of Ox-Bow, the adventurous Wellman (who served as a decorated WWI fighter pilot prior to his film career) had established himself as one of Hollywood’s leading directors via such landmark films as 1927’s Wings (which won the first Best Picture Oscar), The Public Enemy, 1937’s A Star is Born (which won Wellman, along with Robert Carson, an Oscar for Original Story) and Nothing Sacred, and Beau Geste. Although his post-Ox-Bow career included successes such as Battleground and 1954’s The High and the Mighty, Ox-Bow may represent his peak accomplishment as a director. Wellman artfully constructs each scene and showcases every actor for maximum impact (this has to be one of the most memorable group of characters found in a film), while tightly structuring the movie with skill and inventiveness (for example, check out how the film opens and closes with a hound dog crossing back-and-forth on a dirt road, indicating how brief a span of time has passed during which the story’s monumental events took place). Filmmakers would do well to observe the prodigious economy and craft Wellman utilizes in Ox-Bow to create a moving, unforgettable viewing experience in a limited running time.

In a truly ensemble cast, top-billed Henry Fonda adds tension and humor to the film with his focused, calm-yet-assertive work as Gil Carter, who wanders into the sagebrush town of Bridger’s Wells just as the citizens become riled up due to the news one of their own, Larry Kinkaid, has been murdered by cattle thieves. As the town forms a posse to go after the killers, a few argue for waiting for the departed sheriff to return to town, and Gil and his colleague, Art (Harry Morgan) find themselves being drawn into the intrigue. Fonda does a great job adding an air of mystery to the multi-faceted Gil, who at times is pent-up, tactile, sensitive, funny and aggressive, leaving an audience not sure exactly how Gil will react under any given circumstance, even though the fundamental decency center to Fonda’s screen persona is evident, and one bets on Gil coming through in an honorable manner. He does a great job interacting with Morgan, who offers a more straightforward portrayal of an outsider uneasy to get too involved as events heat up but, working alongside Gil, driven to do what’s right in the final analysis. Fonda had much larger parts to make an impression in during his awesome career, but his work among the Ox-Bow troupe of players resonates strongly in his list of memorable roles.

Since his 1939 film debut, Dana Andrews had been working his way up the Hollywood ladder and his sensitive, emotionally-driven work as Donald Martin, a man falsely accused of Ox-Bow’s murder-in-question, announced the arrival of an exceptional screen talent. With limited screen time, Andrews subtly offers an array of reactions to Donald’s plight, including fear, anger, benevolence, and ultimately resignation as he becomes aware the unruly mob he faces will not be moved by logic. Andrews would go on to amply fulfill his early promise, becoming one of the major male stars of his era, with great work in classics such as Laura, Fallen Angel, Boomerang and one of the decade’s biggest, The Best Years of Our Lives, wherein his work ago stands out in a high-powered cast, including his Oscar-winning costar, Fredric March (somehow, Andrews never scored an Oscar nomination, despite several worthy performances; he was perhaps a victim, similar to Joel McCrea, of being too good and natural in his roles, in the face of showier work). Andrews’ instinctive, dedicated work in Ox-Bow set him up for one of the most impressive 1940’s filmographies, and Donald Martin remains among his most powerful performances. The anxiousness and desperation Andrews instills in Donald as the young man realizes the injustice that will seal his fate allows the role to stay with one long after experiencing the film.

An abundance of exceptional actors bring verve and individuality to their roles. Harry Davenport offers a beautiful depiction of Arthur Davies, the elderly, conscientious and caring townsman who serves as one of the main voices of reason as things transpire in an untoward manner, while conversely Frank Conroy brings a controlled, stern detachment to his work as the retired Major Tetley, who’s determined to ensure his own brand of justice is swiftly upheld as soon as the gang encounters possible suspects. As the Major’s seemingly timid but morally sound son, Gerald, William Eythe has some of the film’s most tense moments as Gerald comes into conflict with his domineering father’s actions. Eythe shows an intriguing combination of vulnerability and strength, and his impressive 1943 work in both Ox-Bow and one of Fox’s biggest offerings, The Song of Bernadette, indicated a bright career ahead, but his subsequent movies varied in quality before his untimely death at 38 in 1957, leaving Ox-Bow as possibly his most indelible film performance.

Onscreen since 1936, Anthony Quinn further establishes his credentials as a top Hollywood supporting player in Ox-Bow, adding a nice touch of bemusement to his portrayal of Juan, Donald’s sly, alert ally. In the primary female role of the tough, extroverted “Ma” Grier, Jane Darwell brings life and an apt overbearing presence to the role, vividly revealing the perils involved in upholding an overconfident nature with little or no facts to back up assertions; the high-spirited Ma clearly wants excitement, and doesn’t seem to care what the cost may be to obtain it. In the other key female role of Rose Swanson, Gil’s intended who’s wedded another man in his absence, Mary Beth Hughes displays an appropriate flirtatiousness (ala Lana Turner in this period, whom Hughes resembles) in her interactions with the now-flummoxed Gil and his colleagues. Leigh Whipper offers adroit work as Sparks, the gaunt, serene, and most religious figure among the mob, while Margaret Hamilton shows up playing a stern housekeeper with her typical brio. Other key Ox-Bow players who make strong impressions are Marc Lawrence as one of angriest among the mob, Francis Ford as the befuddled, terrified eldest victim of the mob, and Willard Robertson as Sheriff Risley, who quickly assesses the aftermath of the mob’s actions and hands down his verdict just as swiftly.

The bleak (if beautifully conveyed) subject matter of Ox-Bow prevented box-office success upon the film’s release in May of 1943, but the quality of one of the decade’s best films could not be denied, leading to a spot on The New York Times top ten list, a win for Best Picture from the National Board of Review, with Wellman listed among the Best Directors and Morgan cited for his performance, and an extremely worthy Best Picture Oscar nomination, with the film eventually finding a place on the National Film Registry’s 1998 list for preservation. Gifted with superior direction, top production values and one of the greatest casts ever, The Ox-Bow Incident still serves as an influential, timely illustration concerning the dangers involved in jumping to conclusions with negligible evidence, and the harmful outcome of actions subsequently taken in a haphazard, mob-like fashion.