The script of this film is really excellent. I think I won't forget this film. The length is also good for this film. I didn't feel too long or too short. This is a story about a man who is subject to capital punishment. The man is standing at the bridge. many policemen are watching him with a gun. I know he is a criminal, but I find myself wanting him to survive somehow while watching him. I was surprised that the short film which has only thirty minutes and no dialog wins the hearts of people. I think this is a film everyone has ever seen something similar, but feels like a first time. I want to recommend watching this film to everyone who likes movies.
66 Reviews
Amazing film for what it is...
FrozenShark13 May 2004
I viewed this movie, along with many, as the last episode of the highly praised show, The Twilight Zone. Originally though, it was shown at Cannes. It has won Emmys, Oscars, and BAFTA awards, and trust me, this is one film that deserves it all.
The story is about a man who is going to be hung from a bridge, and his accidental escape. For the most part, for those who don't know what's coming up, it's an escape movie with amazing heavy atmoshpere. It's suspenceful, with music (or lack off) at the right moments. The lack of dialoge only hightens the suspence.
However, when you think you got this movie down, it throws you for a loop with a very good, suprise ending (which was what made this story work for the Twilight Zone). I don't want to give it away, but it'll make you think.
The only problem is that the original story is rather short, and there was a bit of stretching to make this movie longer, mainly extended running scenes. If you haven't read the story, it won't bug you, but it might tick at you a bit if you had. It's a small problem, though.
TOTAL SCORE: 8/10
The story is about a man who is going to be hung from a bridge, and his accidental escape. For the most part, for those who don't know what's coming up, it's an escape movie with amazing heavy atmoshpere. It's suspenceful, with music (or lack off) at the right moments. The lack of dialoge only hightens the suspence.
However, when you think you got this movie down, it throws you for a loop with a very good, suprise ending (which was what made this story work for the Twilight Zone). I don't want to give it away, but it'll make you think.
The only problem is that the original story is rather short, and there was a bit of stretching to make this movie longer, mainly extended running scenes. If you haven't read the story, it won't bug you, but it might tick at you a bit if you had. It's a small problem, though.
TOTAL SCORE: 8/10
Quite Memorable
gavin694223 December 2015
During the Civil War, a Southern civilian is about to be hanged for attempting to sabotage a railway bridge. When the execution takes place from the bridge, the rope breaks and he begins his escape toward home.
This short film has become somewhat legendary. It rocked Cannes and the Oscars, and then was aired on American TV as part of "The Twilight Zone". That had to be unprecedented -- taking a big movie (albeit a short one), and then passing it off as a television episode.
But it really is a great story, expertly told and visually striking. I am not familiar enough with French cinema to know if anyone involved with this ever went on to do anything else notable, but even if they did not, this is gold.
This short film has become somewhat legendary. It rocked Cannes and the Oscars, and then was aired on American TV as part of "The Twilight Zone". That had to be unprecedented -- taking a big movie (albeit a short one), and then passing it off as a television episode.
But it really is a great story, expertly told and visually striking. I am not familiar enough with French cinema to know if anyone involved with this ever went on to do anything else notable, but even if they did not, this is gold.
Relating how this film started my love of the cinema
losnova29 September 2004
I cannot believe that this film is remembered by more than myself! I was a young teenager waiting for the main picture to start when this small black and white movie was shown as a filler. Forty years later, I can still remember the impact this film had on me. It was stunning! It reached me in such a way, that I have never forgotten it, and it was this film that started my love of cinema..Real cinema!
Over the years, I have mentioned this movie to many people, none of whom have even heard of it, I thought I'd imagined it all..! It was also the film that had me wishing I could work in the movies.... Forty years on, I still have that same dream! Silly isn't it?
Over the years, I have mentioned this movie to many people, none of whom have even heard of it, I thought I'd imagined it all..! It was also the film that had me wishing I could work in the movies.... Forty years on, I still have that same dream! Silly isn't it?
EXcellent
I_KODA19 July 2005
Incident at Owl Creek Bridge is an excellent movie. My Mom saw this movie years ago when it was first shown on t.v. and it left an indelible mark on her. I remember how spellbound us kids were as she told the story to us...My hair stood on end. Mom has been wanting to find it and I just looked here, hoping... and voilà, here it was listed. Although it may be an old movie, the acting and the subject matter would appeal to a broad range of ages. There was so much suspense within us kids as Mom recounted the movie that we were totally silent and still, listening raptly, wide eyed and tense.We felt as though we were right there watching it. Years later, I finally saw it and it was just as my Mom had described.I highly recommend this one and so does my family.
Haunting
moochypoochy13 August 2002
This film is chilling, yet absolutely wonderful. One cannot help but to have sympathy for the convicted man. The beauty of nature is displayed quite perfectly in his cute musical number; the sunlight plays wonders with the camera despite the film being in black and white. There is hardly any dialogue to clutter up the message, only one man's struggle to live. The ending is amazing and will leave the viewer's jaw agape. This film is even better than the original short story. Recommended viewing for anyone who craves a short movie that is long on depth.
Flawless...
poe4262 September 2007
Warning: Spoilers
When one comes across a short like AN OCCURRENCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE, the tendency is to want to climb to the top of the nearest mountain and scream your discovery to the world. Ambrose Bierce himself would've been proud of this one. There are scenes of consummate craftsmanship whose focus is so acute that to even to attempt to better them would be pointless. The underwater scenes alone are breathtaking. Not to mention the tracking shots through the woods as the hero attempts to escape his fate. Every single shot, every sequence, seems to be timed to perfection: the camera never lingers one single second longer than necessary to convey the full extent of his plight. The music merely underscores his mind-set to perfection. We're talking about flawless film-making, here. Do what must be done to see this one. Post haste.
A classic film from a classic writer.
wjreagin30 March 2004
The original writer of the story was a civil war reporter. He covered many such events as outlined in the film. I like this film for many reasons. First, it is a black and white film to capture the feeling of the story. Next, the story was very realistic for the time in which the story takes place. Also, there are very few spoken lines. Finally, the twist at the end is worth the wait. I am not going to spoil the ending, but please be patient to the end. I promise that you will not be disappointed. When I was in college my class studied this film for all of the above points. It is short, only about 30 minutes, but the time is not wasted. It is a moving piece and I recommend it to anyone!
Wasn't as bad after i thought about it for awhile
TheDoors441415 May 2006
I had to watch this movie for English class, we were learning about Realism & Naturalism. At first i thought that this movie was a giant waste of time, but after thinking about it for almost 3 hours i realized that it was actually a very brilliant film. Viewers might not enjoy it because it doesn't exactly capture your interest at first, but i assure you that it is very worth your time.
The story begins as a man is about to be hung from a railroad bridge overlooking a river. The hanging crew prepares him for the end, the man thinks of his wife back home, then suddenly they remove the plank holding him up, and down he goes... thankfully the noose breaks and he plummits into the waters below. He then swims to his safety far far away from those dastardly villains trying to take his life.
Finally, the man reaches the shore and embraces all things that we take for granted. He then starts running, with a drumroll in the background.
Watch it for the rest... beautiful
The story begins as a man is about to be hung from a railroad bridge overlooking a river. The hanging crew prepares him for the end, the man thinks of his wife back home, then suddenly they remove the plank holding him up, and down he goes... thankfully the noose breaks and he plummits into the waters below. He then swims to his safety far far away from those dastardly villains trying to take his life.
Finally, the man reaches the shore and embraces all things that we take for granted. He then starts running, with a drumroll in the background.
Watch it for the rest... beautiful
One of my favourite films
colin-kropach9 March 2012
I remember seeing this very late on Friday night early Saturday morning at the UFO club in Tottenham Court Road in London in 1967.
The film left me spellbound and has remained with me all these years.
Even though the film is short it is perfect, there was intense emotion throughout the film and the end scene comes as a real shock. A truly amazing film.
I also remember seeing a similar film about a prison escapee who escapes over a wall - very similar storyline. Don't know which came first.
Last saw the film on TV in England in the late 60's.
Great film and well recommended to everyone.
The film left me spellbound and has remained with me all these years.
Even though the film is short it is perfect, there was intense emotion throughout the film and the end scene comes as a real shock. A truly amazing film.
I also remember seeing a similar film about a prison escapee who escapes over a wall - very similar storyline. Don't know which came first.
Last saw the film on TV in England in the late 60's.
Great film and well recommended to everyone.
Decent film with a great twist
Horst_In_Translation4 October 2013
Warning: Spoilers
This black-and-white 28-minute short film, which had his 50th anniversary not too long ago,is probably more known under its English title "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". It's a fine piece of work by Robert Enrico and Ambrose Bierce which also won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film that year. Basically, it tells us the story of a military prisoner who's sentenced to death by hanging and what he experiences on his flight from the forces back to his wife. The makers managed to make it incredibly atmospheric. The music is appropriate and the constant shooting, shouting and drumming conveys a truly scary ambiance when the black-haired, bearded man runs and swims for his life. You could easily feel his relief when he reaches the shore and lies there laughing ,seemingly in safety, and, not much later, gets to his beloved wife.
I recommend this short film. It's half an hour of fine filmmaking and the plot twist near the end, in the same dimension as The Usual Suspects, may make you watch it once again right afterward to pay attention to details you didn't look so closely before. The haunting final shot was probably the best thing about the film.
I recommend this short film. It's half an hour of fine filmmaking and the plot twist near the end, in the same dimension as The Usual Suspects, may make you watch it once again right afterward to pay attention to details you didn't look so closely before. The haunting final shot was probably the best thing about the film.
Unforgettable
tcavin22 January 2000
I remember seeing this film in a freshman English class in high school (1966). More than 30 years later, the images in the film, the emotions and especially the ending, are vivid in my memory. I was totally absorbed by the film. I have not seen it since, which is an indication of its impact.
"Oui Oui", said General Lee.
qormi15 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I would recommend this film. It had a very interesting premise and it was very thought-provoking. It was engrossing, and it held your interest. It had suspense. It had danger. It had action. One thing was wrong - it was about a Civil War soldier from the American Civil War - circa 1863. But the main character seemed way too French!!! He moved like a European, looked like a European - he just wasn't convincing as an American! This fact wrecked the film. Im well aware that most Americans are of European descent, but there was just an intangible fact that this guy was very unconvincing as an American. Subtle cultural movements of the body - the way he ran, the facial expressions, the hand gestures when he sees the woman....all very European! French, Spanish, Italian...just not American.
Had me in tears....
elitheos12 August 2005
Yes, its true. This film had me in tears, from laughing so hard. Started to get a bit bored about half way thru, then put the DVD on fast forward. I must have fast forwarded about 5 min of this guy just running thru forests and started to laugh pretty hard. At the point of the reunion with his wife I had completely lost it and was on the floor in hysterics. Imagine a scene of a man running towards his wife and throwing his arms wide open...now imagine the same footage played 3 times in a row inter cut by his wife with the goofiest looking expression and you have some serious MST3K material here.
If your having a hard time finding this film I'll give you a quick recap: 5 min of them getting him ready to be hung, 5 min of a close up of him swimming. 5 min or more of him running thru the woods and then 2 min (yes 2 min) of he and his wife running towards each other.
The song was pretty funny too...."this living maaaan...the splashing fiiiish..."
If your having a hard time finding this film I'll give you a quick recap: 5 min of them getting him ready to be hung, 5 min of a close up of him swimming. 5 min or more of him running thru the woods and then 2 min (yes 2 min) of he and his wife running towards each other.
The song was pretty funny too...."this living maaaan...the splashing fiiiish..."
Where is the rest of this film?
benoit-317 November 2004
BUYER BEWARE!
This short film is only one part of a three-story anthology film by Robert Enrico called "Au coeur de la vie" (1962) (please see elsewhere in IMDb). All three stories are inspired by Ambrose Bierce short stories about the American Civil War.
Something very strange happened to this particular episode of "Au coeur de la vie" (whose title is the translation of Ambrose Bierce's collection of short stories "In the Midst of Life"). First of all, it was proposed as Best Short Subject at the Oscars in 1962 and won, even though it had probably never been shown commercially that way in the US or anywhere else. Second, it was chosen as the very last episode of Rod Serling's TV series "The Twilight Zone", in a cost-cutting gesture.
It is this truncated version that is generally available on VHS and DVD today. It is unfortunately not the way its director wanted it and the two other episodes of that film ("L'oiseau moqueur" and "Chickamauga", a.k.a. "La Bataille de Chickamauga") have totally disappeared from everyone's consciousness.
That is really sad as I remember seeing the whole film in a cine-club in 1963 and going through a thoroughly gut-wrenching emotional experience because of the cumulative effect of these three stories. For the record, "L'Oiseau moqueur" ("The Mockingbird") tells of the terrifying confrontation of two brothers on a battlefield and "Chickamauga" relates the famous battle from the point of view of a six-year-old deaf and mute child living on a plantation.
Some producer somewhere probably decided that the entire film would be too intense to be shown in its entirety to an American audience and it has since sunk under the waters of forgetfulness, except for that maimed "Twilight Zone" episode, edited for the inclusion of commercials.
Let us all pray that somebody, somewhere will rescue it from the ravages of time before it is too late and make the whole thing available on DVD, in its original, uncut, uncompromised form, very, very soon
This short film is only one part of a three-story anthology film by Robert Enrico called "Au coeur de la vie" (1962) (please see elsewhere in IMDb). All three stories are inspired by Ambrose Bierce short stories about the American Civil War.
Something very strange happened to this particular episode of "Au coeur de la vie" (whose title is the translation of Ambrose Bierce's collection of short stories "In the Midst of Life"). First of all, it was proposed as Best Short Subject at the Oscars in 1962 and won, even though it had probably never been shown commercially that way in the US or anywhere else. Second, it was chosen as the very last episode of Rod Serling's TV series "The Twilight Zone", in a cost-cutting gesture.
It is this truncated version that is generally available on VHS and DVD today. It is unfortunately not the way its director wanted it and the two other episodes of that film ("L'oiseau moqueur" and "Chickamauga", a.k.a. "La Bataille de Chickamauga") have totally disappeared from everyone's consciousness.
That is really sad as I remember seeing the whole film in a cine-club in 1963 and going through a thoroughly gut-wrenching emotional experience because of the cumulative effect of these three stories. For the record, "L'Oiseau moqueur" ("The Mockingbird") tells of the terrifying confrontation of two brothers on a battlefield and "Chickamauga" relates the famous battle from the point of view of a six-year-old deaf and mute child living on a plantation.
Some producer somewhere probably decided that the entire film would be too intense to be shown in its entirety to an American audience and it has since sunk under the waters of forgetfulness, except for that maimed "Twilight Zone" episode, edited for the inclusion of commercials.
Let us all pray that somebody, somewhere will rescue it from the ravages of time before it is too late and make the whole thing available on DVD, in its original, uncut, uncompromised form, very, very soon
Although only a 'short', this is my all time favourite film.
FredDobbin4 September 2003
Everything about this film is just right. Camera work, direction and acting are all in harmony. Since I first saw this film, as a fill-in to 'The Birds', it has been unquestionably my favourite film of all time, beating even 'Potemkin'.
What a great movie!
doppelganger363 June 2001
I first saw this film when released but of course at that time audiences were not as sophisticated as they are now. The scene where the two lovers were running towards each other in slow motion was an absolute novelty and was rewarded with guffaws of laughter until the moment came at the climax when we were rewarded with an astonished total silence. One of those few moments in the movies which stand out in ones memory forever. I recently found a copy on video in one of the Twilight Zone series but the quality was disgraceful and totally distracted us from the quality of the production. What a great movie even though it was very short but as with "The stranger Left No Card" length does not matter
Shows how much can be told in so short a time
Ranjith12 March 1999
One of my all-time favorites, Occurrence at Owl Creek goes on to highlight the art of conveying a lot in as short a time as possible. It's a must watch for all film enthusiasts, even those for whom time is at a premium, since although the movie is just a few minutes long, it can be the experience of a lifetime. Cannot comment on the movie itself here, as that will spoil the entire fun. A masterly treatment of a short story with a nice pace and excellent camera work.
Incredible film
mongolike10 September 2003
The first time I saw this movie was in second grade. I am not sure what the teachers were trying to make us learn but I remember it very well and that was 1971. We saw it several more times in school right up to 10 grade English. I have seen it as an adult and it still made an impression on me. One of the best short films I have ever seen and everybody should see it at least once in their lifetime.
Not As Impressive as Some People Claim
Theo Robertson14 August 2013
First of all let me make it clear that this short film isn't bad . That said I feel I should also point out that it's not as brilliant as some people are claiming and I wonder if some of the hyperbole is down to them not knowing anything whatsoever about the source story by Ambrose Bierce ? I'm afraid I knew the ending long before I saw the film and it was actually the original 19th Century story that made me want to catch the film version
The cinematography is suitably gloomy and in some scenes such as those filmed underwater it's breathtaking . However just before the denouement we see the protagonist staggering in to the grounds of his home gasping " Abi Abi Abi " and this scene since it is supposed to be groundbreaking is nowhere as good as it should have been
It's also a French film . Nothing wrong with that per se but even if you knew nothing about this production it's painfully obvious that despite being American characters none of them are played by Americans , unless of course you think they might be Americans playing foreigners rather than the other way round . The strange song played doesn't help matters either and contributes to this being somewhat patchy film
The cinematography is suitably gloomy and in some scenes such as those filmed underwater it's breathtaking . However just before the denouement we see the protagonist staggering in to the grounds of his home gasping " Abi Abi Abi " and this scene since it is supposed to be groundbreaking is nowhere as good as it should have been
It's also a French film . Nothing wrong with that per se but even if you knew nothing about this production it's painfully obvious that despite being American characters none of them are played by Americans , unless of course you think they might be Americans playing foreigners rather than the other way round . The strange song played doesn't help matters either and contributes to this being somewhat patchy film
One of the best short films ever!!!!
TOMNEL10 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This is such an ingenious idea! It's about an innocent man about to be hung, when the rope breaks and he falls in the river. He swims away from the bullets and makes it out alive. He's safe, but he won't rest until he makes it back to his wife. He goes through a long journey until he finally makes it to his beloved wife and hugs her. Just as he hugs her, he falls to his death by being hung. I was actually shocked at the end. It's all a dream about what he'd liked to have happened and this entire film takes place over a few seconds. I highly recommend you see it!!! It's hard to find in it's original 28 minute form, but you can find the Twilight Zone edited for time version thats 4 minutes shorter.
Not rated. 28 mins. 4/4 stars.
Not rated. 28 mins. 4/4 stars.
Desire
teozabeth16 June 2015
On a bridge, an execution of a man is concluded. He feels more and more fear of death as time passes. However the execution fortunately fails, therefore he desperately escapes from the people who try to kill him. He thinks of his wife while swimming and running away, and he dreams to reunite with her. The film's theme I think is gladness of living because it has some messages in itself. One of them is the sound of birds. We can hear the voice of a variety of birds when we watch the movie. In addition to this, some animals appear, such as a spider and a snake. All of them stand for living contrasted with the dying man, I believe. Moreover, when he finally arrives on land from river, he grabs the sand strongly. This scene may show us the gladness of living. The good point of this film is to show the man's feeling with non-verbal message. Because of the feature there is an opportunity ti think over and the film itself becomes attractive. Therefore I like this film very much.
Absolutely my all time favourite film.
fred-dobbin10 January 2007
I first saw this unheralded shortish black and white film on the same bill as Hitchcock's 'The Birds'. It was in London 1963. Hitch's film left me unmoved, simply because the preceeding short, 'Incident at Owl Creek', completely overpowered me with its absolute brilliance. With minimal soundtrack dialogue and masterful cinematography and editing technique, it confirmed my intentions, as a 23-year old, to pursue a life in cinematography. It's impact was profound. This is true cinema at its very best. Cinema's language, grammar, syntax, et al, is there for everyone to appreciate. I place it in the same elevated company as 'Battleship Potemkin' and 'Citizen Kane'. Most folk vote 'Citizen Kane' as their number one. For me, Kane must come second to this amazingly crafted, almost silent film. I wonder what Orson Wells made of it. I'm sure he appreciated the pure craftsmanship in every frame. 'Kane' and 'Potemkin" have what it takes, but this simple and almost unheard of film has the top honours, in my humble opinion. Magnificence in simplicity. Somebody please bring it out on DVD.
Pretty good...
planktonrules22 September 2009
Apparently this was shown as one of the later episodes of "The Twilight Zone". I assume this was done less as a tribute to this Oscar-winning short and more of an economizing measure.
The film is a French short that was made with French actors playing American Civil War soldiers. However, this isn't a terrible problem, as there is no real dialog in the film--just some things being shouted out as a man escapes the hangman's knot. What I find particularly interesting, though, is they would choose to set the film in the US. Sure, I know that the original story by Ambrose Bierce was set then, but it would have been relatively easy for the film makers to change this to France or any other country.
The film consists of a man about to be hung--you assume for espionage. As he's about to die, you see the rope break and the man runs to freedom. Almost all the film shows him running barefoot back to his true love. But, in a final twist, you see that the story isn't exactly what you'd expect it to be.
I liked the film but can't compare it to the other Oscar nominees, as very, very few non-animated shorts from this era are available--this is one of the few. My only complaint, and it's very minor, is that I might have done the ending slightly differently. But, I don't really want to say more, as it will spoil the film if you haven't seen it.
The film is a French short that was made with French actors playing American Civil War soldiers. However, this isn't a terrible problem, as there is no real dialog in the film--just some things being shouted out as a man escapes the hangman's knot. What I find particularly interesting, though, is they would choose to set the film in the US. Sure, I know that the original story by Ambrose Bierce was set then, but it would have been relatively easy for the film makers to change this to France or any other country.
The film consists of a man about to be hung--you assume for espionage. As he's about to die, you see the rope break and the man runs to freedom. Almost all the film shows him running barefoot back to his true love. But, in a final twist, you see that the story isn't exactly what you'd expect it to be.
I liked the film but can't compare it to the other Oscar nominees, as very, very few non-animated shorts from this era are available--this is one of the few. My only complaint, and it's very minor, is that I might have done the ending slightly differently. But, I don't really want to say more, as it will spoil the film if you haven't seen it.
Awful
meixnerboy1123 November 2006
If this is the same version I watched in school, then it is one of the worst movies I have ever seen in my entire life. There must have been a total of 15 words in the entire film, five of which were aim and fire when he was being shot at. Half of the movie is some random guy swimming down a creek and running through the woods with terrible music playing in the background. The audience has no idea who this guy is, why he is being hanged, and why he is trying to reach a girl. I could go outside and film a move 10x better than this garbage. There is nothing allowing you to get attached to the movie, and there is no denouement, and no closure to this terrible film. Please for all of you that gave this movie a good rating, was I watching a different version, or am I just crazy.
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