3:10 to Yuma

Thoughts and perceptions…

THE PLACE: parched, an ochre color in men, horses and the land – Claustrophobic, confined, even when riding in the open plain. There were always mountains before and behind – following the humans. Humans Ben Wade called red ants at one point.

And there were so few choices for anyone. The towns of Bisbee and Contention were poor, and squalid. Contention was building, so It was an up and coming place, I guess. It even had a Marshall, though a poor one he turned out to be. I think that is why Ben’s description of the town across the border had an El Dorado quality to it…. Something to yearn for, but almost impossible to get to. Each character in the film was trapped in his or her own prison one way or another, in this place they had all had come to call home..

BEN WADE: We were introduced to him in a little homage to Gladiator. Still despite the little bird, the sketching and the bible reading, he was deadly to those who crossed him. Kindness and empathy were there, however. It took Dan Evans and his family to bring that out. One of the most telling scenes about Wade was his account of how he was left at the train station by his mother. There he sat for three days, reading the whole bible, and is it so poignent that he probably expected her to appear at any minute. it was a devastating, cruel thing to do to a child, and it help mold him into the person he became. At the end, He and Dan formed a kinship, and I think his heart was as touched by Dan as only his scarred heart could be. Then there was the devil may care charm. It was almost repellent considering the way he used it and the people he used it on. Every second he was calculating, using people for his own ends - testing them. He was The Watcher of the movie. That he made it look so easy is a tribute to Russell. You should have flat out hated his character, but there was something there – a glint in his eyes, a roguishness, and an assurance that enthralled. The final cheerful whistle to Ribbon to follow the train was a perfect coda for Ben - He knew, and his horse knew, that he would be free again before long to form a new gang - to build on the myth.  His costume was inspired as well - waiscoat, bowler hat, a slight paunch, the "hand of God" on his hip. I consider this one of Russell best roles. I would put Ben Wade next to Wigand in my personal Crowe film pantheon.

DAN EVANS: Some reviewers talked about the buttoned up dourness of Bale’s character, but I saw him more as a man angry as hell at what life had dealt him. His best scene was, I thought, with his wife in their bedroom, when he told how tired he was of the way people treated him, including her. When he is tempted over the money Ben offered , you can read in his face all the hope and longing he was feeling. It would be so easy to accept the bribe, but then the practical Dan saw what people would think of a free Wade and a lot of money available to Evans. There was no way his conscience would allow such a thing to happen. He was a fatalist, and you saw something like relief as he lay dying. He had brought Wade to the train. He had done his duty. He had redeemed himself in the eyes of his son. He didn’t have to worry any more. His son would be a fine man, the farm would survive. And he did bring that expression of respect - finally - to Ben Wade’s face. Evans promised himself he would do this, and by God he did, even if it finished him! In Empire of the Sun a young Bale bent his principles to live. In Yuma he refused to give them up, even if it meant dying for them.

CHARLIE PRINCE: Ben Foster was indeed a monster – except for one thing – his love for his leader – for Ben. When he died at Ben’s hand, you coulld see the disbelief as the light left his eyes. The man he most loved and respected had looked at him with disgust, and then shot Charlie down like a dog. What a great sure shot he was though - and smart. It was fun, in a ghoulish way, to watch him shoot up the town. Young Foster was a force and a presence indeed, and central to the feeling of dread that surrounded the story.

THE REST OF THE CREW: All the characters were exceptional. From the barmaid, to the evil wordless bartender, to the railroad man, to the doctor, to Mrs. Evans, to Evan’s boys, especially the brave mature William, to Fonda’s grizzly bounty hunter, all became the characters they were portraying, and helped fill in the tapestry the two main protagonists wove.

THE WORDS: In a Western so full of violence and noise, the words still mattered, and they were a joy to listen to. I look forward to reading the script and seeing the film again, so I can bring them back to mind.

THE MUSIC: Perfecly fit the film. I loved listening to the CD of the soundtrack, but during the actual film, it became a part of that tapestry and I really didn't hear the music until the final scene as the train pulls into the station. By the way, the train puffing and the whistle blowing were other almost musical sounds, fillling in the final musical theme.

THE DIRECTION: Kudos to James Mangold for giving us an old fashioned film, a loving look at a way that ended long ago, while still avoiding sentimentality and familiarity. He took a classic and updated it, but the spirit of the older version stilled lived in this one.