3:10 to Yuma (1957)

Director:

Delmer Daves

Writers:

Elmore Leonard (story)
Halsted Welles (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 August 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Thriller | Western

Tagline:

The Lonesome Whistle of a Train... bringing the gallows closer to a desperado--the showdown nearer to his captor!

Plot:

After outlaw leader Ben Wade is captured in a small town, his gang continue to threaten. Small-time...

Plot Keywords:

Hotel | Outlaw | Rancher | Small Town | Train

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Glenn Ford	...	Ben Wade
Van Heflin	...	Dan Evans
Felicia Farr	...	Emmy
Leora Dana	...	Mrs. Alice Evans
Henry Jones	...	Alex Potter, town drunk
Richard Jaeckel	...	Charlie Prince
Robert Emhardt	...	Mr. Butterfield, Stage Line Owner
Sheridan Comerate	...	Bob Moons (Stagedriver's Brother)
George Mitchell	...	Bartender
Robert Ellenstein	...	Ernie Collins
Ford Rainey	...	Bisbee Marshal

Also Known As:

Three Ten to Yuma (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Netherlands:6 | South Africa:PG | Australia:G (DVD rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | Finland:K-16 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #18496) | West Germany:12 | Argentina:Atp | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Amerind Foundation - 2100 N. Amerind Road, Dragoon, Arizona, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Average Shot Length = ~6.4 seconds. Median Shot Length = ~6.6 seconds.

Goofs:

Continuity: Inside the hotel room, when Wade fights with Dan trying to disarm him, Wade falls with his back on the bed and his hat rolls a little ways from him. When they take a close up shot of Wade, his hat is almost completely on his head. When Dan orders Wade to get up, they cut to a medium shot and once again, his hat is way over on bed again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mr. Butterfield, Stage Line Owner: Let me warn you - I am Mr. Butterfield; this is my line, these are my passengers. You bother any of them, I'll hound you from here to kingdom come.
Ben Wade: Mr. Butterfield, we don't mean to bother anybody - we just mean to get what's under that tarpaulin up there, that's all

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cop Land (1997)

Soundtrack:

3:10 To Yuma

Psychotic killer or gentleman thief?

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.