In the 1950s, westerns were churned out by the studios to fill those Saturday matinée seats and sell that popcorn. Most followed one of the set patterns of American mythology: Bad Man Turns Good, Returning Civil War Soldier Re-Establishes Himself With Town and Wife, etc."3:10 To Yuma" uses the familiar "Lone Man Not Especially Courageous Against Overwhelming Odds" story to great effect. Glenn Ford is the "bad guy," but not an especially evil one, and Van Heflin is the over-worked, hardscrabble farmer whom life has just passed by. He sees the possibility of financial redemption when a volunteer is needed to take the stagecoach robber Glenn Ford to the train (guess what time the train arrives).Although low-budget, there are several factors which raise this film above B-movie level: the acting is of course very good, the direction weaves a simple narrative, the photography is unobtrusive yet manages to heighten the tension with angles and close-ups, and the script converts a good story into a edge-of-the-chair thriller.One need not be a fan of "westerns" to enjoy this thoroughly engrossing encounter with the genre. In my mind, it lies with "Searchers," "Rio Bravo," "Stagecoach," "High Noon," and the under- appreciated "Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" in the troposphere of cowboy-and-horse films.

I picked up the Criterion Bluray of 3:10 to Yuma. Man, this film has some of the best black and white imagery ever put on film. Some of the shots are just so beautiful to look at. It is a film that is worth watching for the imagery alone. Those picturesque wide open American landscapes untouched by human beings and taverns with unused beer mugs and whiskey glasses are beautifully evoked.Glen Ford is in top form as the smooth talking villain. I have never rooted for the villain more than in this film. I guess it helped that his good adversary is the impotent looking Van Helfin. The so called good guys are all depicted as a bunch of bumbling traitorous fools.Two blots on this otherwise fine western - the hotel at the end where they are cooped up together waiting for the train was an eyesore. It had some gaudy set pieces. And the finale was a real let down. It was too hard to believe.(8/10)

He may not carry himself or show the authority Gary Cooper does in High Noon but Van Heflin as a desperate farmer in need of rain displays the same steel in 3:10 to Yuma, a suspenseful western with a similar dynamic including a theme song.Ben Wade and his gang of outlaws botch a stage job that results in the death of the shotgun and his capture. The problem is there is no law around to bring Wade to the authorities in Yuma. Ranch farmer Dan Evans facing the loss of his crop and property assumes the responsibility of doing it with the promise of a pay day. The problem is Wade's boys are still around trying to spring him. After sneaking him to another town with a train station he holds up with Wade in a hotel saloon hoping to enlist some support from town folk. Solidly edited director Delmer Daves and cameraman Charles Lawton Jr. achieve a very claustrophobic atmosphere for a western by keeping it off the streets and opting to shrink the drama down to the hotel bar and a room with a view in which Lawton capitalizes on with disconcerting angles and fractured imagery and establish a disorienting tension. Catching the train in the film's climax offers up some other outstanding craftsmanship on those mentioned above.As in Shane, Heflin's unassuming looks and demeanor work superbly to his advantage as a Joe nondescript filled with incertitude but with a determination to dig down and see it through. Wade is a charming snake coolly underplayed by Ford who has an excellent chemistry with Heflin sharing a convincing rapport. Beyond its obvious theme 3:10 to Yuma is an interesting looking original.

It's late 19th century in the dusty Arizona Territory. Struggling rancher Dan Evans (Van Heflin) and his sons encounter Ben Wade (Glenn Ford) and his gang in a stagecoach holdup. Dan refuses to intervene. Later, Ben is captured. Desperate for money, Dan takes the job to guard the criminal destined for the the 3:10 train to Yuma.This is one of the first based on a Elmore Leonard short story. I watched the 2007 remake first. I found it gritty, morally murky, and quite frankly confused without the black and white characters. After watching the 1957 original, I can appreciate more of what the filmmakers are trying to do. I especially like the kid nagging at his father, almost taunting him as a coward. Dan's motivation is varied and complicated. In a sense, he's very human. Glenn Ford is brilliant playing against type as a villain. His motivation is also complicated. He seems like a mannered honorable man one minute and a cold-hearted killer the next. The ending is a little bit too happy ending which seemed ill fitting. Other than that, there is a lot to recommend in this movie.