En route to a long-awaited reunion with his fiancée Katherine (Sidney), Joe Wilson (Tracy) is stopped by police in a town where the kidnapping of a girl has taken place. The tiniest of coincidences arouses the suspicion of the law, and Joe is arrested, all the while denying the charge. Unsatisfied with the slow pace of the investigation, the angry townspeople then take justice into their own hands; only later is the enormity of their crime revealed in court. 

Ex-pat German director Lang ("Metropolis") creates a superb showcase for the brilliant Tracy, whose character becomes a random victim of mob violence. In 1936, this bold denunciation of an all-too-common practice (particularly against minorities) was well ahead of its time. This gut-wrenching tale of injustice culminates in a surprise ending you won't soon forget. Norman Krasna took home an Oscar for his original screenplay. Don't miss this early Tracy peak; his blazing intensity carries the whole film. Feel the "Fury."