3:10 TO YUMA

US, 2007, 117 minutes, Colour.
Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Ben Foster, Gretchen Mol, Alan Tudyk, Logan Lerman, Peter Fonda, Vinessa Shaw, Dallas Roberts.
Directed by James Mangold.

This is a very fine western, especially at a time when the studios do not make many westerns at all.

Many will have seen the original film, made fifty years earlier, with Glenn Ford and Van Heflin. It was based on a short story by crime writer, Elmore Leonard, and has elements of the crime thriller as well as the western. This version has amplified aspects of the plot and some of the characters.

The two stars, Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, are excellent. Russell Crowe, as the ruthless gunfighter, seems natural in his role. But Christian Bale, who has shown such versatility in recent films like Batman Begins and Harsh Times, stands out as the rancher who is coming to the end of his tether.

The crime background of the film is fairly straightforward. Ben Wade (Crowe) and his gang have robbed stagecoaches 21 times. Despite a Pinkerton agent and a gatling gun, Wade ambushes a 22nd. Dan Evans (Bale) and his two sons come upon the robbery and their horses are taken for an escape. Later, Evans is instrumental in the arrest of Wade. The challenge is to evade his gang and a rescue as they travel to the rail head through the desert and mountains so that Wade can be put on the 3:10 to Yuma train for prison.

Dan Evans is an upright man, a Massachusetts guard who lost his leg during the Civil War and the defence of Washington. He owes money and a greedy creditor who sees the coming railroad making land more valuable wants to get rid of Evans and his family. The film opens with the burning of their barn.

One of the amplifications from the original which makes this film very interesting is the character of the older son, William, a fourteen year old boy who despises his father as weak and submissive and who is attracted by the often suave manner of Ben Wade. The boy is instrumental in the journey to the rail head and has to re-evaluate his father.

Evans is a man of principle. Van Heflin stood out fifty years ago as the embodiment of a good man, a decent man. In fact, the word decent is often used in this version as well as conscience. Christian Bale brings a seriousness and commitment to this man of decency.

This means that the film, which does have action, quite violent, especially the desperate climactic shootout as Evans tries to get Wade from the hotel to the station, under fire from the gang and the townspeople, is more of a psychological western, a battle of conscience and wits between the two men. And the film does not opt for easy answers, leaving the audience pondering the moral dilemmas they have seen and their consequences.

The Arizona scenery is impressively photographed, especially during the trek. The fine supporting cast includes Peter Fonda as the Pinkerton agent and Ben Foster, really sinister, even creepy, as Wade’s second in command.

3:10 to Yuma is a cinema parable about conscience and moral choices.

1.An impressive western? Of ranches, the railways, outlaws, law, disorder, justice, violence, heroism and decency?

2.The original film? The story by Elmore Leonard? The classic status of the film and its cast? Fifty years later?

3.The Arizona settings, the ranches, the towns, the mountains? The Panavision photography? The musical score?

4.The classic themes of law and lawlessness, individuals and communities, gangs and townspeople, the individual, ideals, conscience and decency?

5.The introduction, the boys waking up, the burning of the barn, Dan and his wife, saving the horses, William and his daring, the men burning down the ranch and their threats? Dan’s reaction? William’s anger?

6.The portrait of the Evans family, on the land, Alice and Dan and their relationship, talking, the meals, William thinking his father a coward, his swearing? The roundup of the cattle? Seeing the attack by Ben Wade? Wade taking the horses, William and his admiring of Wade as a fast gun, carrying Mc Elroy, meeting the posse?

7.Ben Wade, leadership, the gang, twenty-two robberies, the wagon with the Gatling gun, the attack, the sharpshooters, the deaths – and Ben Wade killing his own man for weakness? Mc Elroy and letting him live? Wanting him to pursue? Taking the Evans horses, going to town, Charlie Prince and his diversion for the sheriff? Going to the bar, the drinks, splitting the money, the girl, the memories, the sexual encounter, Wade drawing her? The prospect of a future?

8.Charlie Prince, part of the gang, his leadership, harsh, his disguise and trick in the town, the return? Ben and his being caught in the bar, with Dan, giving him the money for the horses? The arrest?

9.Mr Butterfield, his anxiety, Mc Elroy and the bullet, the vet, the taking of the bullet? The plan, the wagon going to the fort, going through the terrain, the confrontation and the officer being burnt after giving the information?

10.Going to the house, the wagon wheel and the diversion, the disguise? Wade in the house, the meal, the young boy, the praying of Grace? Wade and his small talk, flattering Alice? Her eyes? Ingratiating himself? The two boys and their responses? Dan and his decision to accompany Wade to the train, the two hundred dollars, the prospects for paying his debts, rebuilding the barn? The clash with Hollander, the stopping of the water, the railway and the value of property?

11.Alice, her life, relationship with her husband, love for her boys, the interaction with Wade, Dan and his decision to go, her concern?

12.The trek, the terrain, the mountains, the desert? Their talk, camping for the night, Tucker and his singing, Wade killing him? Getting the guns? William and his leaving the house, following? Putting the gun to Wade’s head? The renegade Apaches, the shooting? The clashes, the confrontation with Mc Elroy, Wade pushing him over the cliff?

13.Mc Elroy as a bounty hunter, receiving the bullet, his tough stances? The plan, the short cut through the renegade Apache territory, the discussions about his massacre of the women and children, his death?

14.Doctor Potter, genial, with the gun, the incident in the tunnel, the confrontation with the miners – and his death?

15.Wade, escaping with the horses, kicking Dan, going through the mine and the tunnel, the workmen taking him, torturing him? Dan confronting them? The doctor and his quick move, the chase and the escape?

16.Wade, the ambiguity of his character, saying that he was rotten, not liking Dan’s conscience? Yet a spark of humanity? The talk about his life, quoting proverbs and the bible, his mother not coming home, breaking the law, his cruelty?

17.Dan, his life, Massachusetts, enlisted to defend Washington, the wound in his leg, from his own men? His determination? Wanting to be a model for his son? Wade tempting him with the money, his decency, conscience, staying, and Wade drawing him?

18.Butterfield, the railways, the money, getting the marshal in contention, the other helpers? Charlie Prince paying the people in the town to shoot them down, their wanting to leave, their being shot?

19.Butterfield and the commission to save William, ensuring the future of the farm? William and his leaving Butterfield, chasing the group, stampeding the cattle?

20.The time, going to the station, the shootout, the escape, running through the town, through the building? The deaths? Charlie Prince and the cattle? Shooting Dan? Wade and his reaction, agreeing to go to the train, shooting Charlie and his men? Getting in the train – a point of honour? Yet whistling the horse and the background of his escapes from Yuma prison?

21.Dan, a man of principles, his death, his son looking up to him, his heritage?

22.The two western traditions – of the outlaws as well as the individual with principle?