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The Ox-Bow Incident

Play trailer Poster for The Ox-Bow Incident 1943 1h 15m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 24 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
In this classic Western, wanderers Gil Carter (Henry Fonda) and Art Croft (Henry Morgan) ride into a small Nevada town plagued by cattle thieves. Initially suspected of being the rustlers themselves, Carter and Croft eventually join a posse out to get the criminals, who also may be involved in a recent shooting. When the posse closes in on a group that could be the fugitives, they must decide on a course of action, with numerous lives hanging in the balance.
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The Ox-Bow Incident

Critics Reviews

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Variety Staff Variety 03/26/2009
Chief fault is that the picture over-emphasizes the single hanging incident of the novel, and there's not enough other action. Go to Full Review Steven D. Greydanus Decent Films 03/02/2004
A-
In contrast to the familiar Western device of the hero obliged to take the law into his own hands… a grim, messy cautionary tale about vigilante justice and mob rule. Go to Full Review Bosley Crowther New York Times 05/20/2003
It has the virtue of uncompromising truth. Go to Full Review Bianca Garner InSession Film 07/31/2024
Ultimately, while The Ox-Bow Incident is an astounding piece of cinema and storytelling, it is also a film that leaves you uncomfortable as the viewer finds themselves being confronted with the reality of how dangerous herd mentality can be. Go to Full Review Dave Giannini InSession Film 02/23/2024
The Ox-Bow Incident stands firmly alongside the great stories about the dangers of mob mentality. Go to Full Review Zita Short InSession Film 02/02/2023
The Ox-Bow Incident is a classic morality tale and makes a strong statement... Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Kimmo K Nov 28 Amazing movie. The acting, atmosphere and story are all very impressive. See more Simon T Nov 13 I'm the wrong person to review Westerns: I find most of them tedious and slow. Here, a ragtag posse of townsfolk ride out to ambush a small group they believe have murdered a cattle farmer, Kincaid. They find them and in a parody of justice elect to string them up, only to discover the truth - Kincaid is alive. Shot almost entirely on soundstages and at night, this really only comes alive in the latter stages, aided by good performances from Dana Andrews, Henry Fonda and a large ensemble. See more David K Nov 9 Very relevant in its time and, despite flaws others point out (backgrounds), it nails mob mentality. That makes it relevant to our times, too. The cast is superb. The direction flawless, not wasted scenes. The dialogue is spot on and somewhat spare. And, the cinematography exemplary. Set design? We'll have that discussion later. See more Alvin B. @alpbeal2112 Oct 20 Fantastic acting , and realistic story line See more Kyle M Jun 30 “Innocent until proven guilty.” This is a testament for the western genre’s evocatively relevant social commentary aspect that was perfected between an intellectual screenplay’s performative engagement and empathetic direction to effectively examine the self’s reflective morals, therefore proving to be one of the most important films for an essential viewing. (B+) See more Alec B 01/10/2024 A searing and eternally relevant indictment of mob violence. The short running time ensures that not a single moment is wasted. See more Read all reviews
The Ox-Bow Incident

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Cast & Crew

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William A. Wellman

Director

Henry Fonda

Gil Carter

Dana Andrews

Donald Martin

Harry Morgan

Art Croft

Mary Beth Hughes

Rose

Anthony Quinn

Juan Martínez

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The Ox-Bow Incident

The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In this classic Western, wanderers Gil Carter (Henry Fonda) and Art Croft (Henry Morgan) ride into a small Nevada town plagued by cattle thieves. Initially suspected of being the rustlers themselves, Carter and Croft eventually join a posse out to get the criminals, who also may be involved in a recent shooting. When the posse closes in on a group that could be the fugitives, they must decide on a course of action, with numerous lives hanging in the balance.
Director
William A. Wellman
Producer
Lamar Trotti
Screenwriter
Lamar Trotti
Production Co
Twentieth Century Fox
Genre
Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 21, 1943, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 24, 2013
Runtime
1h 15m
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