• Criticized by many as essentially a stage-bound play but with horses but it has as strong screenplay and excellent performances from Henry Fonda and Dana Andrews
  • One of Fonda’s favorite of his movies
  • Anti-lynching social film—political and moral
  • Filmed on a sound stage
  • Jane Darwell isn’t given much to do here but she’s good in her few scenes
  • Although he evens out over the course of the film it’s great to see Fonda as a hot head with a temper for a while sort of against type for him
  • The Mr. Davies character (Harry Davenport) who is against the hanging is, is too on the nose with the film’s messaging and thesis. “We don’t want to act like a lawless mob”
  • Formally sound- reoccurring shot of rows of horses
  • It’s only a 3 segment interlude but the Fonda lost love side story was great
  • The frame is absolutely peppered with bodies
  • Dana Andrews is damn good here
  • It’s a vignette essentially—75 minutes but there’s nuance and complex characters
  • The ending does turn into a sermon the with posthumously letter read aloud but few can read a letter like Fonda
  • HR- top 10 of the year quality