Elmore Leonard, the immensely prolific and successful author of crime fiction, left an indelible mark on popular culture with his many novels serving as the basis for numerous renowned films and television shows. He, however, started his career predominantly in the western genre, and one of his early works that stands out is the 1952 short story ‘Three-Ten to Yuma’. This tale was adapted for the big screen twice, with the first version directed by Delmer Daves in 1957. This rendition is considered a classic of the Golden Age of Westerns.
The plot unfolds in the dusty expanse of Arizona Territory during the late 1800s. The protagonist, Dan Evans, played by Van Heflin, is an ordinary rancher whose life has been plagued by a prolonged drought that leaves him struggling to feed his wife and two sons. Averse to trouble, he tries to steer clear of notorious outlaw Ben Wade (played by Glenn Ford) and his gang. However, when Wade is captured by local authorities, Dan volunteers to escort him to the train station where he is to board a train bound for Yuma's territorial prison. Motivated solely by the $200 reward offered by Mr. Butterfield (played by Richard Emhart), owner of the stagecoaches that had fallen victim to Wade's criminal exploits, Dan must somehow evade the rest of Wade’s gang, led by his loyal lieutenant Charlie Prince (played by Richard Jaeckel), while at the same time resisting Wade’s eloquent and seemingly well-reasoned suggestions to let him go.
Delmer Daves' deliberate decision to make 3:10 to Yuma in black-and-white has led many critics and film scholars to describe his work as "noirish," underscoring the moral ambiguity as the film's main theme. The relative simplicity of the plot and focus on the seemingly basic moral choices of the protagonists, along with the various moral tests that people around them fail, makes 3:10 to Yuma very similar to High Noon, another classic black-and-white western made five years earlier.
Although 3:10 to Yuma does include a few action scenes, including the obligatory showdown at the end, it works more as a drama. Daves cleverly builds suspense and raises the stakes through dialogue and interplay between numerous characters. He also demonstrates great talent for pacing, with the film neatly wrapping up after an hour and a half of running time.
One of the assets of this grand western is its music, composed by George Duning, which includes a catchy song energetically performed by Frankie Laine. However, the biggest asset is undoubtedly the cast. Van Heflin, who often played second fiddle in films, including his famous role in Shane, shines in the starring role. His performance is very good and convincing, clearly indicating that the protagonist doesn't want to be burdened with the dangerous task and constantly struggles with the inclination to take the path of least resistance.
Glenn Ford, who was usually cast as a protagonist, excels in the role of the film's villain, or rather the character who would be a villain in a more conventional western. Ford portrays him as an intelligent, no-nonsense leader of men, but also gives him roguish charm and the ability to easily seduce women, such as the barmaid played by Felicia Farr. By the end of the film, he even manages to seduce the audience who might initially have wanted to see Wade escape; the film saves viewers from this possibly embarrassing scenario by having Wade retain some traces of basic honour and decency.
Upon its release, 3:10 to Yuma was greeted with praise from both audiences and critics alike and became one of the most renowned westerns of its time. This honour was confirmed half a century later with James Mangold's remake starring Christian Bale and Russell Crowe.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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