MovieChat Forums > The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) Discussion > What did Jane Darwell's character have t...

What did Jane Darwell's character have to prove?

posted 13 years ago by beevee-1
6 replies | jump to latest

I've seen this movie several times and list it as one of the great western classics.
Each time, I've wondered about the callousness and cruelty of Darwell's character.
Sure, life on the frontier would harden a woman, but she seemed to have an ax to grind, even volunteering to whip the horses out from under the victims when no men spoke up.

[–] lovely6 13 years ago

To be honest, I couldn't stand that big hag and her cold, callous laughter throughout the film. What a b·tch. She struck me as someone who thoroughly enjoys bathing in their own stupidity - truly a shame. Notice the expression on her face at the end, after the revelation, as if she no longer could tell left from right.

EDIT: Her presence annoyed me to the bone, but I hold no hatred towards her. She's obviously a lost, confused soul. Can only be pitied.

[–] prettynoose69 13 years ago

I couldn't stand her sadistic twisted character, blood thirsty old B...!
Which goes to show Miss Darwell was one heck of an actress. As Ma Joad she was kindness, strength and sacrifice, in Ox Bow a bitter old battle ax that you despised totally.

[–] Dog112 13 years ago

She was accepted by the men because she was masculine. Women were weak. The things that women thought about and talked about were of no consequence to strong, masculine men. But Jenny Grier was more of a man than some of the men were, and she aimed to stay that way.

.

[–] vyson69 11 years ago

I don't know what her character had to prove...but Jane Darwell's performance here rates her as a first rate actress!

to think that this was just a couple years after her heart rending performance as ma joad with Henry Fonda in the grapes of wrath

and she turns around and plays a character COMPLETELY different in this movie

ma joad you had pity for this br0ad you HATED...great performances by a GREAT ACTRESS

so was her character here a thinly veiled lesb0 from the old west

and good to see a confident Anthony Quinn and probably one of Dana Andrews' best performances....good movie

[–] amikelhenry 9 years ago

I agree with you about her talent..and both movies, The Grapes of Wrath and this film showcase her ability in a way I can not imagine others doing with the contrast of roles..her laugh alone was so irritating...and her presence on the screen was exceptional..

[–] mdonln 9 years ago

beevee-1 says > Each time, I've wondered about the callousness and cruelty of Darwell's character. Sure, life on the frontier would harden a woman, but she seemed to have an ax to grind, even volunteering to whip the horses out from under the victims when no men spoke up.

The movie is portraying a very ugly side of human nature. It shows how easily any of us, if we're not careful, can get swept into a situation in which we behave more like a pack of wild dogs than the rational, intelligent people we're supposed to be.

It would hardly make sense to have the posse consist of only men when women are just as prone to this kind of irrational, impulsive behavior. In fact, in many ways, because these situations typically start and spread through rumors and gossip and are fueled by emotions, women may be more likely to be involved; though the outcome may not be murder, as it was in this case.

Ma, like many of the others in the posse, are acting to keep their town and their families safe. Like a surgeon removes a cancerous tumor from an otherwise healthy body, they want to quickly cut out and eliminate the bad elements in the community. The irony is while trying to maintain law and order, and avenge the death of someone who was well-respected they're actually committing crimes and destroying the order and the system of laws. As they see it, theft is one thing but, they agree, murder cannot be tolerated. In the end, they're so sure they did a good thing, they proudly report it to the sheriff.

Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]