The Ox Bow Incident

[Western Guy]

Thanks for the greeting, charliechaplinfan. Have previously read and enjoyed your posts, as I have with other members.

You're so right in your assessment of Henry Fonda's character Gil. You can't help thinking that with his strong, comforting presence onboard that somehow justice will prevail. When it doesn't, it's like a load of buckshot to the gut. You just don't expect to see Mr. Fonda lose out, with his screen persona of virtue and honesty. I feel that's one of the reasons Fonda wanted to do the film so badly. It was a nice lead-in to his military martinet role in "Fort Apache."

[CineMaven]

Hi y'all. I'm new to this Board but am a certified cinema-addict. Now I specialize in Westerns, so this is a topic I take particular interest in.

Welcome to the Oasis. Cinema-addict? You're in the right place. We all suffer from that malady. Now I'm more comfortable talking about film noir, but I've been visiting westerns a little lately. I figure as long as I give the folks in this forum some tabacky, I won't be asked to leave by sundown.

So tell us...what are some of your favorite westerns?

[Western Guy]

Thanks for the welcome and a big howdy to you CineMaven. Scouting this site I know I'm going to really enjoy myself and maybe even learn a few things.

In answer to your question, CM, my favorite Westerns (in order) are:

THE SHOOTIST (absolutely LOVE this one! A fitting swan song to the terrific movie career of Duke)

THE OX-BOW INCIDENT (reasons already explained)

SHENANDOAH (a film that to me has everything!)

THE GUNFIGHTER (can watch this classic character study endlessly. Low key but wonderfully effective)

NO NAME ON THE BULLET (terrific suspense and a great uncharacteristic Audie Murphy portrayal)

FORT APACHE (which I still consider the best of the Ford cavalry trilogy, with H. Fonda delivering a strong, very un-Henry-like performance)

And I'm sure I could dig up a couple dozen more. Gotta say I find nothing so satisfying as a good oater.

Would love to hear other Member lists!

[stuart.uk]

Welcome Western Guy. My Fav westerns are The Searchers, Red River, Bend Of The River, The Far Country, Stagecoach, They Died With Their boots On, The Shootist, River Of No Return, Tombstone, Last Of The Mochians and Northwest Passage. I'd even include Buster Keaton's The General and like Elvis in Flaming Star.

In the Ox Bow Incident I felt Henry Fonda reacted to a remark by pulling out his gun. At that point I felt he was going to stop the hanging, but was forced down.

The Ox Bow Incident reminded me of another film Bad Girls, where prostitute Madeline Stowe was about to be hung for killing a so called respectable Colonel (He was being abusive to prostitute Mary Stuart Masterson), even though it was in self defence. The Lynch Mob, was led by a church Minister, who branded her a harlot. It seems her character was about to be hung because of her lifestyle rather than the fact she killed someone. Luckilly Stowe was rescued just in time and later on in the film proved her self a fast draw with a gun

In an outstanding episode of The Quest, Amanda Blake was hung on some trumped up charge, while several watched not doing anything to stop it. Tim Mattheson was about to be hung after her, but brother Kurt Russell saved him just in time. I think
the story taking out Matheson and Russell was based on a factual event. I think the tv series Shane did a similiar episode.
In the movie The Virginian hung his best friend Steve, because he was caught cattle rustling and wouldn't name others he worked with including Trampas. But TV was a given legal right to hang the rustlers.

[stuart.uk]

Spoiler

I've just found the key part of The Quest that reminds me of The Ox Bow Incident

[Western Guy]

Holy cow, Stuart! Deja vu of the distaff kind. I was hoping Marshal Dillon would ride in at the last moment. That's one heckuva powerful piece of television. Many thanks for posting.

Agree with most of your list, especially "They Died With Their Boots On". That is a tremendous film and Errol (and Olivia) have never been better - though perhaps should not have Ronald Reagan played the part of Custer for studio consistency? Nah! Special kudos also to the onion-eating Sydney Greenstreet, Arthur Kennedy and an actor I've always greatly admired, Stanley Ridges.

[MissGoddess]

Welcome, Western Guy, and "howdy"! I look forward to more of your postings, we can always use more western fans.

I agree The Shootist is easily one of Wayne's very best performances, and certainly his most poignant. I can't watch the movie often, it's too hard to take, but I love the way it pulls together just about everything he ever did on screen.

My favorites (in order): The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Searchers, My Darling Clementine, Man of the West, Stagecoach, The Far Country, Rio Bravo, Fort Apache, The Horse Soldiers...and so many more.

[Western Guy]

Thank you MissGoddess for your warm welcome. If I may take this opportunity to say, I'm a published author of 4 Western novels so the genre holds special appeal to me. And drat, yes, you also included some personal faves. So many great titles I suppose it is easy to overlook some. "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". My gosh, what a classic. Has Lee Marvin ever been more villainous? And John Wayne more sympathetic? And how can you go wrong with Lee Van Cleef and Strother Martin? Not to mention Andy devine in a deliciously humorous role as the cowardly sheriff who more enjoys the edible perks afforded him through his position than the job itself. Priceless.

"My Darling Clementine". Well, despite the liberties taken with the true history, it really is a wonderful film. Vic Mature has often been criticized as a limited actor (even he admitted that), but in the Ford film (and also in "Kiss of Death" and arguably "Cry of the City") he showed he truly possessed some acting chops.

Interesting, though, how some movies seem to escape one's view, and I confess "The Searchers" is one. Purchased the DVD but have yet to watch it. Now, though, with so much favorable opinion cast upon it by you people, I'm making it a point to finally pop this into my DVD player this weekend.

Don't know if this is common knowledge among the board members, but in talking to John Agar several years ago, he told me that he lobbied for the Jeffrey Hunter role, and thought he had a pretty good chance at obtaining the part due to his previous and successful Wayne/Ford associations. As much as I admire Agar, I don't think he really would have fit the bill. Hunter, though IMO another limited performer, offered a good counterbalance to Wayne's Ethan Edwards.

"The Horse Soldiers" is another film that has escaped my viewing, MissGoddess. Haven't really heard a lot of good things about it (despite the triumvirate of Wayne, Holden and director Ford), but perhaps this is another Western I should seek out.


Speaking of Bill Holden, you reminded me of "The Wild Bunch". Oh, yeah!

[knitwit45]

WG, after you've watched The Searchers, please weigh in with your opinion. There is no dedicated thread for this movie, but it has been discussed in 'John Wayne, lest we forget', 'John Ford', and several others. It has so many layers, you'll probably have to view it more than one time. Here's hoping you enjoy it as much as some of the others (count me as one of them).

[stuart.uk]

Spoiler

As much as I love The Searchers I wonder if the original ending might have been better and more realistic.
Ethan, originally Amos is killed, probably by Marty.
Laurie doesn't wait for Marty, who in turn marries rescued capative Debbie after she has a nervous breakdown. That makes sense, given he's part Indian and probably more sensative as to what Debbie went through in her 5-yrs as an Indian captive

[Western Guy]

Although I haven't see the film - but will and will definitely weigh in on it, isn't one of the reasons for its classic status the final scene of Ethan Edwards (Wayne) standing in the doorway, elbow in hand, in a pose reminiscent of Harry Carey, a posture he assumed (not in the script) intended as a tribute to the veteran actor that elicited tears from Harry's widow Olive?

[movieman1957]

Nancy:

There is one.

http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/vie ... ?f=3&t=457

[movieman1957]

In addition to the many listed I'll add -

The Naked Spur
The Tin Star
Jubal
The Tall T
Silverado
Shane
The Big Country
Westward The Women
The Man From Laramie
Will Penny
Red River
and on and on and on....

[Western Guy]

'Nother one just came to mind: "The Tin Star" with ol' Hank, Tony Perkins and Neville Brand.

And darn: "Once Upon A Time in The West".

[MissGoddess]

WG,
Four books published...very impressive!

I hope you enjoy your first foray with The Searchers. Do let us know your impressions.

Mature was an excellent foil for Fonda in My Darling Clementine. I always enjoy watching him, except maybe the musicals.

The Horse Soldiers is a personal favorite, not a perfect movie or one of Ford's best (and I guess technically a Civil War movie, not a "western" per se).

How could I have have left off: Shane, Rio Grande, The Big Country and The Wonderful Country; they are all great favorites of mine. The list goes on and on.