3:10 to Yuma

When the charming outlaw Ben Wade (Glenn Ford) is captured after the heist of a stagecoach, the stage line owner Mr. Butterfield (Robert Emhardt) offers US$ 200,00 to the man that escorts the bandit to the city of Contention to take the 3:10 PM train to Yuma to be sent to trial. The rancher Dan Evans (Van Heflin) is broken and needs the money to save his cattle and support his family and accepts the assignment. During their journey, Dan saves the life of Ben when a vigilante tries to execute the criminal. Meanwhile Ben's gang split to find where Ben is and then rescues their boss. When they find that Ben is trapped in a hotel room, they put the place under siege and Dan can not find any man to help him.

"3:10 to Yuma" is a classic western from a wonderful time when honor was an important value in a film and even outlaws could have a code of honor. In the present days, it would be hard to believe why Dan Evans is incorruptible and does not accept Ben's bribe. Glenn Ford performs a charismatic outlaw and the moral duel with Van Heflin's character is fantastic. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Galante e Sanguinário" ("Gallant and Bloodthirsty")

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.

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).

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.

I've liked this movie for a long time. Watching it last night, though, it finally occurred to me to wonder about the character played by Glenn Ford. I don't really understand what motivates him, or his gang.

Some people have commented that the closing scene is unbelievable, but I think that's only true because we never get a fix on Glenn Ford's character. Is he a psychotic killer, or is he a gentleman thief?

The psychotic killer label is supported by his actions in the opening scene of the stage coach robbery. He didn't even try to talk himself out of that situation, even though the driver was one against twelve and couldn't carry out his threat without being gunned down instantly. It's also supported by the fear that his name strikes into the hearts of all the townspeople. A man doesn't generate that kind of fear by simply robbing stage coaches. Obviously, he and his gang have done a lot of killing.

The gentleman thief label is supported by his complete lack of bullying characteristics. In every other situation of the movie except that opening scene, he uses his charm to try to get around people. He doesn't attempt to run roughshod over them. That completely contradicts the image of a guy who shoots first and asks questions later.

As for his gang, they show an extraordinary amount of loyalty to him and each other, which makes the shooting during the stage coach robbery that much more unconvincing. Why would they be loyal to a leader who didn't even try to save one of his own? Maybe that was just an anomaly. Ford tells us later in the movie that his gang will always go to extraordinary lengths to save one of their own, and they do just that to try to free him. Yet, at the end, he chooses to save the life of Van Heflin rather than go with his gang. Okay, so he decided that Van Heflin was a good guy worth saving, even if it did get his second in command killed. I don't mind that. What bothers me is, why is he so confident that, having turned his back on his gang, they are going to try to rescue him again in Yuma??? If I'm in that gang, he's made his choice and he can swing for it.