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3+10+to+yuma | Year: 1957 Directed: - Delmer Daves Actors/Actresses: - Glenn Ford - Van Heflin - Felicia Farr From a time when men had to prove they were men. '3:10 To Yuma' is a stark monochrome Western that has been praised for its suspense and high moral tone. Van Heflin, in a darker variant on his role in 'Shane', plays a character who picks up where most Westerns leave off. The genre is usually concerned with taming wild loners or men with pasts. rewarding them with the joys of civilisation. Heflin has seen what civilisation really means. He lives on a drought-dry farm with a wife and two children he often fails to feed. The grind of fruitless labour has worn them all down, and Heflin's identity as a man, having been once the greatest shot in these parts, is now undermined by humiliation in front of his family by outlaws stealing his cattle and horses, or forced to beg money from indifferent acquaintances. His wife can't understand that his inability to 'be' a 'man' is the result of the civilisation she represents. What's a poor honest farmer to do when he sees murderers and thieves throwing money around, drinking their fill, bedding beautiful strangers, and generally living the whooping-it-up life? Glenn Ford is the not-completely-irredeemable leader of a gang of devoted sadists so feared throughout the region that no lawman dares touch him. Such men are usually let down by their sexual desire, and when he leaves his gang to schmooze a barmaid, he is captured by the locals. Knowing that they will be no match for the manpower or ruthlessness of the gang when they return to rescue Ford, the sheriff plans a decoy, which will need two foolishly brave men to take the bandit to the train station at Contention City. The initally reluctant Heflin accepts the job when a farm-saving reward of $200 is offered. In many ways, 'Yuma' works against the conventions of the Western as it seeks, like the hero to avoid action and the inevitable climactic shoot-out for as long as possible. The film's centre-piece is a lengthy, stagy sequence in a hotel room in which Heflin holds Ford prisoner - potential ponderousness is offset by the terrific acting of the two aging actors, one goading and testing the other, tempting with crooked offers that are all too tempting; the other struggling manfully to resist. At first, Heflin's taking the job is strictly economical - he needs the money. Then it becomes ethical, a stand against socially disruptive forces threatening the community. It is also a test of the masculinity that has long been buried by family duties. Finally, it is an existential struggle, with Ford as the man Heflin could easily become (and perhaps once was?), and his men as the instruments of inexorable Fate the farmer must face and outwit on his own, stripped of support, just as Man must eventually face Death. The film's mise-en-scene is suitably austere, the black-and-white cinematography emphasising sharp contrasts, the alienating outlines of buildings and landscapes, and the vulnerable men and women who walk through them - sometimes watching 'Yuma' is like leafing slowly through an album of stark 19th century photographs taken of the West. The 'city' in which the film is mostly played out initially seems like a ghost town, and a surreal funeral sequence interrupting, or accentuating, the tension, gives a quality of dream. Delmer Daves' direction is not self-effacing - every shot is meticulously, often heavily composed, character patterns structured in frames creating a sense of constriction and claustrophobia that serves to turn the plot's screws. What saves the film from being just another superfical 'High Noon' 'allegory' is the sudden bursts of violence rupturing the tense silence, and the ultimate refusal to wholeheartedly embrace doom-and-gloom existentialism. Great pyschological western 3:10 to Yuma is an excellent pyschological western with a similar story to High Noon. The leader of a gang is captured by a posse after a robbery and must be transported to another town so he can be moved on the train. One of the local farmers, who is in desperate need of money, agrees to travel with him and watch him until he can be put on the train, the 3:10 to Yuma. All along the way, the outlaw plays mind games with the farmer trying to manipulate him into letting him go. There is plenty here for western fans. The dialogue between Glenn Ford and Van Heflin is the best part of the movie as they go back and forth between them while Ford plays his mindgames on the unwilling hero, Heflin. Glenn Ford gives one of his best performances ever as Wade, the smooth-talking, calm, but ruthless gang leader. His character is perfect for this role, and could not have been done any better. Van Heflin is just as good as the poor farmer watching over Wade. It is easy to see the anger inside of him as Wade continues to push his buttons as they wait for the train. The rest of the cast includes many western actors, most notably Richard Jaeckel as Charlie, the right hand man of Wade who plays the slimy gunfighter throughout. It is great to see this movie on DVD, which includes the widescreen presentation. Western fans will love this great movie with an even better cast! The Best Glenn Ford Film I have been a fan of "3:10" since I was a kid. Every time it is on I have to watch it. It is compelling, beautiful and fascinating. This is a very powerful film for its time and stands up to today's standards. Glenn Ford is wonderful against type, a truly bad man, but able to charm the pants off the girls (literally) and becomes likable yet despicable. Van Heflin is excellent as well, both men play well off each other and we see without corniness the contrast between the two characters. The supporting cast includes some excellent talent, too, including Richard Jaeckle, Ford Rainey and others. This is a must see and a must own film, especially now that its on DVD, my VHS copy is all worn out...gee, I wonder why. Buy 3 10 To Yuma at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on 3 10 To Yuma Search with the Priority Search Engine on 3 10 To Yuma This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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