3:10 To Yuma (1957), 3:10 To Yuma (2007)

Years ago a friend of mine suggested that I should do a joint review of these two movies, and for whatever reason I kept putting off viewing them, well that was my mistake as both films turned out to be very strong. Both are based on Elmore Leonard's 1953 short story Three-Ten to Yuma, this was back during the period in which the author specialized in westerns, though today he's better known for his crime fiction. Like other movies and TV series I could name based on Leonard's work, these two film adaptions of Three-Ten are dramatically juicy, action packed yet cerebral, and contain some of the best dammed dialogue produced by anybody.

The plot of Three-Ten is a simple one, and iconically western, but its thoroughly thought through and has unusual depth for the genera. I find this particularly true of the original cinematic rendering, which I think compares favorably with High Noon, one of the most iconic westerns of all time. This 1957 version stars Glenn Ford and Van Heflin as the two leads, well known actors both but not generally considered A list stars, and certainly past their prime at the time this picture was made. This works for the film because the audience isn't distracted by star power, and makes their performances all the more unexpectedly revelatory. Ford plays Ben Wade, a notorious outlaw and gang leader in post civil war Arizona, at the start of the film he is in the midst of  holding up  a stage containing passengers and a good chunk of money belonging to a railroad company his group has been targeting lately (it's not expressly stated in this film, though it is in the later, that much of the railroad in Arizona is still being built at this point, hence the use of the stage). Van Heflin is Dan Evans, a struggling cattle ranch in immediate danger of losing his land (the immediacy of this is much more expressly conveyed in the 2007 remake). Evans cattle have gotten away from him and were obstructing passage of the stage at the point that Wade and his men overtook it. Evans and his boys watch from a distance as the stage is robbed, in no practical position to do anything to stop it (this lack of action none the less annoys his older (roughly 12 year old) son, which again is a much bigger plot point in the remake).

Evans and his children as spotted by the gang, Wade speaks to them and decides to leave them alone once he determines that all they want is to retrieve their cattle, he does take the Evans's horses however, so they won't run to town and shout a warning too soon, though he promises to leave them tied up nearby, which he does. The stage coaches horses have either been scattered or killed by Wades gang so the Evans, once determining most everyone from the wagon is okay, save on man that was murdered, take the railroads representative Mr. Butterfield (Robert Ernhardt) to has ranch, and from there to town to get help for the stranded passengers etc.

Meanwhile Wade and his men (there's probably about 8 or so of them) make for the nearby town of Bisbee. They pretend to be a team on its way to a cattle round up and even inform the local authorities they saw a stage being robbed on their way into town, so the sheriff quickly rounds up a posse to go out and help the survivors and see if they can catch the culprits, unaware of course that the culprits themselves are the ones who reported the crime. Wade's group has some beer, then decide to split up for safety and reconvene later, Wade stays behind to seduce the comely bar made (Felica Farr), there is some really, though tastefully done sensuality to this, and its very clearly conveyed that the two end up having sex, nothings shown of course, but I felt that this was handled in an unusually straight forward way for a movie of this time. Because he stays in town for so long Wade is eventually captured, though his right hand man Charles Prince (Richard Jaeckel), who I guess had come back for Wade, see's this happen and hightails it out to gather the gang to effect their leaders rescue.

Mr. Butterfiled, the Sherriff, etc. determine the best course of action is to take Wade to Contention City and get him on the titular train to Yuma due the next day. The risk involved in this transaction make most of the townsfolk reluctant to get involved, but when Mr. Butterfield offers $200 to anyone who will assist, Evans volunteers and that amount of money should be enough to see his ranch through until the rains come and save his property from being reposed.

Due to the shear amount of plot I'm going to have to switch to Wikiepdia for the summery (major spoilers):

"Wade is placed on a stagecoach, which then stops (in view of some of the gang) for a faked repair; the outlaw is secretly taken off while the stage continues on with an imposter, in the hopes that by the time the outlaws figure out what has happened, it will be too late. Wade is taken to Dan's ranch, where Dan's devoted wife Alice (Leora Dana) serves supper to the family and their "guest".

Dan, Alex (the town drunk and the other volunteer to transport Wade) and Wade leave under cover of darkness, reaching Contention City at daybreak. Butterfield has reserved the bridal suite at the hotel. While they wait for the train, Wade tries several times to bribe Dan into letting him go, his interest in Dan seeming to go beyond a simple exchange of freedom for cash. Dan is greatly tempted. The local sheriff is out of town, but Butterfield hires five men to help escort the prisoner to the train.

Things go awry when Bob Moons (Sheridan Comerate) barges in unexpectedly and threatens to shoot his brother's killer. Dan wrestles his gun away from him, but in the struggle, it goes off. Downstairs, Charlie Prince (Richard Jaeckel), who has also come to Contention City, hears the gunshot, and spots Wade in a window. Charlie is seen riding off to fetch the rest of the gang.

The men Butterfield recruited watch as seven riders enter the town. Not liking the odds, they retreat, leaving only Dan, Alex and Butterfield. When Alex goes out to reconnoiter, he spots one of Wade's men on a rooftop opposite the hotel. Alex calls out, warning Dan, but is shot in the back by Prince. The gang hangs the wounded Alex from the lobby chandelier, killing him. Butterfield decides that maintaining Wade as a prisoner is not worth the risk, and releases Dan from his obligation. Alice arrives and also tries to change her husband's mind, but he is committed: "The town drunk gave his life because he believed that people should be able to live in decency and peace together. You think I can do less?"

When the clock strikes three, Dan escorts Wade out the back door. Gang members take shots whenever they can without endangering Wade, but despite their best efforts, they cannot stop the pair from reaching the platform, where the train is waiting. Finally, the outlaws emerge to confront Dan as the train starts to leave. Charlie shouts for Wade to drop to allow them a clear shot at Dan. Instead, Wade unexpectedly tells Dan to jump into the passing baggage car. They jump together. The gang starts to run after the train, but Dan shoots Charlie and the rest then let it go. Wade explains himself, saying he felt he owed Dan for protecting him from Bob Moons in the hotel room, and confidently claiming he has broken out of the Yuma jail before (implying he can do so again), but whether these statements reflect his true motivations and prospects is not clear. Alice sees Dan safe on the train as rain pours down on her, breaking the long drought."

This is all presented in a crisp black and white, in a barren background, the tension between these two central characters as they feel each other out, take a measure of one another's characters, is amazingly done. How Wade comes to have such deep respect for Evans that in the end he will even risk his own life to help the man bring him to jail, where they are going to want to hang him, its such a powerful thing and so very well executed. Ford and Heflin give two of their finest performances, and director Delmer Davis is at top form. This movie deserves to be considered part of the top rank of western films for its period and beyond.

It's all just such great stuff that no wonder it was remade. The 2007 remake directed by James Mangold is strong in its own right, but for me, and this could all just be because I saw this version second, it lakes the subtle awe that dawned on me as I watch the original. Mangold takes the basic story of the original and expands it some, as I've not read the original short story both films are based on I don't know how much of these additions come from the original text, and how many are unique to the latter screenplay. There is more backstory presented in this remake, a couple additional characters, and an entire new acts worth of material in the middle as they take Wade to Contention City, also the endings different. The leads this time are Russell Crowe as Wade and Christian Bale as Evans, interestingly both non-American actors, and both much bigger stars then there predecessors in these parts, these two do bring star power to the proceedings, but as both are known for there ability to act, not just shout catch phrases, this actually works in the films favor. Grittier then the original this film does a fine job of drawing out the way Wade and Evans feel each other out through the proceedings, and Russell Crowe's Wade is more of a basterd then Glenn Ford's Wade, but they both work.

It's a gritty, rough, contemporary felling western, though it still has one foot strongly rooted in the mythic realm. The latter 3:10 to Yuma is still great filmmaking, and my only reservation being that seeing this version first might make modern audiences less appreciative to the exquisite subtleties of its predecessors. So I strongly recommend seeing both films in order, they are both worth your time.

1957 version: ****
2007 version: ***1/2