3:10 to Yuma

Formidable Western full of action , violence , fascinating drama, gun-blazing shootouts ,and fabulous performances . This first-rate adult Western draws its riveting tale and power from the interaction of finely drawn roles as well as the noisy action . It concerns about a needy farmer ( Van Heflin ) with wife (Leonora Dana) and family . He's witness as a dangerous gang (Richard Jaeckel, among others) led by notorious gunfighter named Ben Wade ( Glenn Ford) attacks a stagecoach and killing the passengers . Later on , Ben separates from his band and he goes to a Saloon where meets with gorgeous Emma (Felicia Farr). But the sheriff immediately surrounds the parlour and captures Ben . Railroad official (Robert Emhardt) asks for paid volunteers to join a posse to transport Ben Wade towards Yuma and Dan accepts . Meanwhile, other volunteers unite posse (as the drunk Henry Jones) . After that, and numerous dangers Dan Evans must hole up in a Motel while waiting for the train to take them to Yuma prison and overcome the murderer's several ploys to gain his breakout . The brave farmer agrees to hold trapped gunfighter until the train to Yuma prison arrives overcoming several risks and avoiding his freedom .

Good adult Western with exciting battle of wits between an obstinate farmer and an astute killer who begins to psych him out . Stylish, fast paced , solid, meticulous and violent look with several shot'em up. This well acted movie is gripping every step of the way . This classic western is plenty of suspense as the dreaded arrival hour approaches and the protagonist realizes he must stand alone but his fellow town people for help , nobody is willing to help him such as ¨High Noon¨. The narration is almost adjusted in real time , from the beginning, until the final showdown and is approximately developed in ninety and some minutes . Screen-written by Halsted Welles and based on a short story by Elmore Leonard . Elmore is a veteran novelist and screenwriter , specialist on noir plot and Western and working from ¨Tall T¨, ¨Hombre¨, continuing with ¨Rosemary murders¨, ¨Get shorty¨, ¨Jackie Brown¨ until nowadays . Splendid and evocative cinematography in white and black by Charles Lawton Jr . Memorable musical score fitting rightly to action Western by George Duning with sensible song at the main titles and the end by Frankie Laine. The motion picture is stunningly directed by Delmer Daves and results to be one of the best western of the 50s and 60s . It's recently remade by James Mangold with the well-drawn characters played by Russell Crowe , Christian Bale and Gretchen Mol as wife , though contains various changes, as excessive violence and a little bit overlong because the first version runtime is only 92 minutes and recalls much the classic directed by Delmer Daves.

Long before it was re-made, I treasured this modest gem of a western.

From the first notes of its mournful, affecting theme to to the poignant finale it draws you in and keeps you riveted as the tension mounts. It accomplishes this by keeping to the Aristotelian unities: a single theme about a single protagonist on a single day. Yes, there is an obvious parallel to **High Noon**.

Though cast as a villain for the only time in his career, Glen Ford's natural likability shines through in the role of gang boss Ben Wade. Van Heflin's Dan Evans is Everyman--no hero but spurred to heroism by desperate circumstances and devotion to family. In contrast to Heflin's homeliness is the godlike physical perfection of the young Richard Jaeckel as the outlaw gang's second-in-command, smart, dangerous, utterly amoral yet loyal unto death to his boss.

There is not a bad performance anywhere. But I must single out Felicia Farr as the lonely barmaid who gives Ford a last, quick good time, and craggy-faced Ford Rainey as a town Marshal with a plan.

With its mix of deep focus shots and closeups of the actors' faces, the cinematography was the obvious inspiration to Sergio Leone in his spaghetti western series.

I was accidentally given this movie instead of the 2007 re-make! And I am grateful. For modern students of cinematography the 1950s Western genre may initially seem somewhat arcane, but movies like this demonstrate how movies of that era reach for a higher plane, not just in terms of the craft, but philosophy as well. This effort is almost perfectly constructed, and worthy of a student's close analysis. It could have been 10 minutes longer, to develop the characters of Ford and Heflin, emphasise some of the sexual tension, and to develop the relationship between protagonist and antagonist. Perhaps some back story should have been implied, too, between the gang and its leader (civil war loyalty ?) And incidentally, I was amazed and pleased how briefly, intensely and satisfying was the connection between Ford and the barmaid.An amazing scene, of just a few minutes - which surely must have shocked adult audiences of 1957 (and passed over the head of children).

I normally don't comment on movies others have already commented on, but this one's been really bother me because no one really noted just how outstanding the cinematic compositions are. They're eye-poppingly gorgeous and remind me of a western Citizen Kane. In some scenes the Deep Focus technique (lots of hot light so that the background is in sharp focus) is outstanding. The artistry is almost out of place in this exciting but preposterously noirish western. There doesn't seem to be anything else in Lawton's repertoire (maybe parts of Two Rode Together?) as good, but director Daves' respect for good pictorials is evident in most of his efforts. It's a great collaboration, and a pretty good picture that's not as great as the sum of its parts. *** Most of the other comments rightly comment on Glenn Ford's cool acting. Isn't it time for him to get a Lifetime from AFI?

Van Heflin plays rancher Dan Evans whose family and livelihood is at breaking point due to a devastating drought. Needing money fast, Evans gets thrown a financial lifeline when a reward is offered to escort a recently captured outlaw, Ben Wade (Glenn Ford), on to the 3:10 train to Yuma prison. But as Wade's gang closes in to free the shackled outlaw, and the clock starts to tick down, Evans finds himself torn between a sense of social duty and an easy option courtesy of Wade's mind game offer.

Based on a story by Elmore Leonard, this is a tight and tense Western that harks to the wonderful High Noon five years earlier. Directed by Delmer Daves, 3:10 to Yuma sees two of the Western genre's most undervalued performers come together in perfect contrast. Heflin's Evans is honest, almost saintly; but ultimately filling out his life with dullness and too much of a safe approach. Ford's Wade is the other side of the coin, ruthless (the opening sequence sets it up), handsome and very self-confident. This coupling makes for an interesting story-one that thankfully delivers royally on its set-up. As Wade's gang closes in, led by a sleek and mean Richard Jaeckel, Wade toys with Evans, offering him financial gain and gnawing away at him about his abilities as a husband, the tension is palpable in the extreme. Nothing is ever certain until the credits role, and that is something that is never to be sniffed at in the Western genre.

The comparison with High Noon is a fair one because 3:10 to Yuma also deals with the man alone scenario. A man left alone to deal with his adversaries and his own conscience; money or pride indeed. Daves' direction is gritty and suitably claustrophobic, with close ups either being erotically charged {watch out for Felicia Farr's scenes with Ford in the saloon} or tightly wound in room 207 of the hotel; where Heflin & Ford positively excel. His outdoor work, aided by Charles Lawton Jr's photography, also hits the spot, particularly the barren land desperate for water to invigorate it. While the piece also has a tremendous George Duning theme song warbled (and whistled by Ford in the film) by Frankie Laine. Great acting, great direction and a great involving story; essential for fans of character driven Westerns. 8.5/10

Footnote: The film was very well remade in 2007 with two of the modern era's finest leading men, Russell Crowe & Christian Bale, in the dual roles of Ben & Dan respectively. One hopes, and likes to think, that they remade it purely because it was such a great premise to work from. Because Daves' film didn't need improving, it was, and still is, a great film showcasing how great this often maligned genre can sometimes be.