For Clint Eastwood, this western – in which he did not play and that he did not make – is one of the greatest films in the world, a film that deeply touched him when he saw him for the first time during his adolescence …
Clint Eastwood may be one of the most emblematic representatives of the western, whether in front or behind the camera, He did not hesitate to share his admiration for other masterpieces of the genre. One of those who deeply marked her dates back to his adolescence: the strange incident (or The Ox-Bow Incident In the original version), directed by William A. Wellman in 1943.
In 2003, The American Film Institute had invited Eastwood to present this favorite film. That day, he praised this singular work which he considers one of the most powerful in the history of the western.
A stretched narrative loaded with moral dilemmas
The intrigue of The strange incident takes place in a small town in the west, shaken by the murder of the farmer Kinkaid. In the absence of the sheriff, the inhabitants decide to form an improvised militia. Among them are two foreigners and passing travelers, Gil Carter and Art Croft. The group is soon to discover three men in possession of Kinkaid's herd. But instead of putting them back to justice, they choose to hang them immediately. However, the accused claims their innocence. Who says true? And above all, at what price?
20th Century Fox
The striking memory of Eastwood
Clint Eastwood remembered his first viewing of the film he will always remember: “When I saw Henry Fonda And Dana Andrews With their hats, I thought it would be a violent film. It was in the early 1940s, and […] It was above all a depressing story [rires].»
He also mentioned the themes addressed with emotion: “It was not really a comedy, but it really talked to me, because for the time, he approached certain moral values on the violence of the crowd, but also many other things like racism, pseudo-machism, the father-son relationship, and even being a kid, I really liked all this.»
“” “I have often thought about it, I have seen it two or three times since, but I had forgotten how effective it is, and it contains so many magnificent 'character actors' that it is difficult not to have a good time in front“He added.
20th Century Fox
A unique work in the world of western
While in that time the westerns were mostly synonymous with spectacle, The strange incident was cut by his sobriety and intensity.
»At that time when the genre was very popular, when you saw a western, we expected a certain level of action, of entertainment, but with [L’Étrange incident]there was something different in the way it had been done, in the way Wellman frames his story where it all starts and everything ends up in saloon, with the dog crossing the street … and the fights were not the usual fights of the westerns, they were ragwriters.»
20th Century Fox
Despite its limited means – studio sets, a few cardboard rocks, a sometimes resonant sound – the film captivates by its narrative force.
“” “We can see that it is a film without much budget, with a lot of interiors, we can hear the echo of the reverberation of the plateau sound, there are plastic rocks in the background, but [le film] You lead you so much in its history that you don't care.»
A classic to rediscover
With its duration of only 1h15, The strange incident says more than many 10-hour feature films. Clint Eastwood He himself continues to recommend it. However, it remains difficult to see today. To find out, you will surely have to turn to DVD and Blu-ray editions.
But for lovers of deep westerns, human stories and committed cinema, the film is widely worth the detour.
