The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
Henry Fonda leads an all star cast in this terrific conscience provoking western about three men taken for murdering cattle thieves by a local posse intent that justice will be done.
Although the star of the film, Fonda doesn't actually do an awful lot except watch proceedings unravel as Dana Andrews and Anthony Quinn are tried by street justice. The film is delightfully acted with a script and dialogue Tarantino would kill to have written. The way it plays with people's blind prejudices leading to what amounts to the cold blooded murder of innocents is a subject no less poignant today.
Andrews is excellent, it's clear to the viewer he's innocent all along yet the posse's blinkered viewpoint never flinches. Whilst watching i did feel
The Ox-Bow Incident would make an excellent companion piece for 1957's Fonda starrer
12 Angry Men in the way it deals with hatred and prejudice.
Highly recommended.