3:10 to Yuma Review

3:10 to Yuma (1957)

I’m a classic movie fan who learned to like movies watching Bill Kennedy on Detroit TV. Bill was a retired actor and one of the early commentators who could give you background and lore on the picture during the breaks. His material was often fascinating and always informative.   I’m sure many of the current commentators got their start listening to Bill or another like him.  This is the original 3:10 to Yuma with Glenn Ford and Van Heflin as the bad guy and good guy, respectively.

A cattleman (Van Heflin), witnesses a robbery where a stage driver was killed then the gang vamooses.  Heflin is going broke and he was heading into Bisbee to ask for a loan to buy water rights to get his cattle through the drought.  So he continues into town after the robbery and runs into gang leader Glenn Ford, whom he saw robbing the stage.  He distracts Ford while the sheriff gets the drop on him. Now that they have him, what do they do with him?  They know the gang will be back to get their leader once he is missed.

The sheriff comes up with a plan to take him on the stage and to switch him at a lonely farmhouse where they will take him secretively to the railroad station for the 3:10 to Yuma. With luck, they will fool the gang and save their town. Heflin only gets involved in the plan because the lender turns him down and the stage line owner offers $200 for volunteers to undertake the job. At this point, the film gets into its story  and keeps the viewer glued to the screen.

The story is by Elmore Leonard and Delmar Daves directed the film using camera and lighting techniques in film noir style. The cinematography, by Charles Lawton, Jr, is dramatic and wonderfully preserved with many interesting camera angles you probably haven’t seen often in westerns. The music, by George Dunning, is well matched to the visuals and the theme song is sung by Frankie Laine.

Knowing that the cattleman is trying to save his ranch and had been turned down for the loan, prisoner Ford first tries bribing him with $400 - double the amount he asked for, but Heflin is not dealing.  Ford gradually ups the ante all the way to $10,000, but the cattleman is not buying it. He keeps the prisoner quiet, covering him with a 12 gauge shotgun. Ford’s gang is searching the vast deserts for their leader when they find Ford is a prisoner, all of the townsmen drop out of the posse, except Heflin who determines to carry out his deal. How everything works out I will leave to your viewing pleasure.

The original 3:10 to Yuma contains a similar critique on civilization to the renowned picture High Noon, but is a better film.  Clocks are often shown in each film; but instead of focusing on the faceless evil of the coming gang, like High Noon, 3:10 to Yuma has a continuous dialog between the ingratiating bandit and the upright cattleman. Like listening to the devil tempting Jesus, pretty much.  Both Glenn Ford and Van Heflin shine in their parts and the psychological maneuvering between the two is remarkable. The supporting cast is well chosen and professional.

3:10 to Yuma is head and shoulders above the stndard western made during the classical era, demonstrating psychological depth and many layers of meaning. The ending is a little bit lighthearted compared to the rest of the film, but that's the only con.

The black and white DVD is from Columbia Tri Star, in 1.85:1 theatrical format and runs 88 minutes.  There are no extras other than the trailer and subtitles.