Ritt zum Ox-Bow (1942)

Ritt zum Ox-Bow: Directed by William A. Wellman. With Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews, Mary Beth Hughes, Anthony Quinn. When a posse captures three men suspected of killing a local farmer, they become strongly divided over whether or not to lynch the men.

“Wellman touches on so many social concepts in this film, that it is necessary to view it multiple times to understand all the complex interactions between the characters. Whether it is racial, generational, or the examination of peer pressure and mob mentality, this film covers the entire spectrum of bestial, vs. human behavior in people from widely different points of view and reference. As a father, I felt terrible pain for the character portrayed by Dana Andrews. His poignant portrayal of someone in the wrong place, at the wrong time, is heart-wrenching. I was also touched by the brief appearances of the sole black character in the film, who knew better than any of the protagonistu0026#39;s what the real significance of lynching forebode.”