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Glenn Ford, Van Heflin, Felicia Farr, Leora Dana, Henry Jones ... see more see more... , Richard Jaeckel , Robert Emhardt , Sheridan Comerate , George Mitchell , Robert Ellenstein , Ford Rainey , Barry Curtis , Jerry Hartleben , Woodrow Chambliss

Desperate for money, frontier rancher Van Heflin holds outlaw Glenn Ford at gunpoint, intending to collect the $200 reward. While both men await the train to Yuma that will escort Ford to prison, the ... read more read more...cagey outlaw offers Heflin $10,000 if he'll set Ford free. The rest of the film is a sweat-inducing cat-and-mouse game between captive and captor, interrupted with bursts of violence from both Ford's gang (commandeered by Richard Jaeckel) and the vacillating townsfolk. 3:10 to Yuma is one of the best of the character-driven "psychological" westerns of the 1950s. Its only flaw is Ford's unconvincing character turnaround towards the end. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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72% liked it

8,341 ratings

Critics

95% liked it

22 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 32 min.

Directed by: Delmer Daves

Release Date: August 7, 1957

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DVD Release Date: April 2, 2002

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Flixster Reviews (603)

  • danperry17
    January 30, 2012
    danperry17
    Much more human than the remake, I thought, and to the good, it's 20 minutes shorter. I say it's a good thing because this is a movie based on an Elmore Leonard story. James Mangold, in his remake, would do well to take the author's advice and "leave out the parts readers [viewer... read mores] tend to skip." I found Van Heflin more intense and more desperate as Evans than Russell Crowe was, and in the role of Ben Wade, Glenn Ford had a bad guy charm that Christian Bale never quite pulled off... as much as I like Bale, he's not really a charmer: as Batman, his Bruce Wayne is off, and in American Psycho, a film I love, you realize rather quickly that Patrick Bateman can't even hope to hide his sociopathic leanings. But back to the film at hand: other than the fact that 2007 was its 50th anniversary, I really don't understand why this one was remade. It's tight and well-acted, and though not a perfect film, it tells a simple story well and is enjoyable because of it.
  • pier007
    August 18, 2009
    pier007
    Near perfect psychological western. Great confrontational scenes between Van Heflin and Glenn Ford, and pure suspense from start to finish.
  • flixsterman
    January 17, 2009
    flixsterman
    Daring for a 1957 western. Off-beat and interesting, worth a watch, even if you're not a fan of the genre.
  • matertenebraum
    January 10, 2009
    matertenebraum
    This is one of the best westerns ever made, a good blend of subtle psychology and action with some taut editing. There isn't one moment of film wasted in this one.

    I also believe that this is Van Heflin's best screen performance. His Dan Evans is an everyman in the west. A ranch... read moreer struggling to get by and support his family, he happens to be a dead shot and together with that and his need for money, he agrees to take outlaw Ben Wade to Yuma Territorial Prison.

    Glenn Ford's Ben Wade is a complex man. He's an outlaw and a killer, the first few minutes of the film establish that. But he's tired. He can easily get away. But the sight of Felicia Farr at that saloon, makes him pause and linger when he should be skedaddling with the rest of his gang. They shouldn't have been stopping at the saloon in the first place. But Ford needed some quiet time and his acting does convince you of his need for a breather.

    Anyway Ford's nabbed and stage line owner Butterfield, played by Robert Emhardt offers a reward and Heflin needs the money. The only other one aiding Heflin is Henry Jones playing Alex Potter the town drunk. He's a comic character, when they stop at Heflin's ranch, Jones inquires of his two sons where Heflin might keep a jug handy. You laugh but Delmar Daves is very subtly setting you up for later heroics.

    Ford and Heflin are together most of the film and they have good chemistry. Ford works on Heflin, he'd just as soon offer a bribe to get out of his fix and Heflin comes close to taking it.

    The best scene in the film is when Heflin's wife Leora Dana comes after Heflin. She finds him hold up in a hotel with Ford handcuffed to the bed just after a shootout in which Henry Jones was killed. They talk, Heflin's not sure he's coming out of this and Dana tries to tell him to give it up. Earlier Robert Emhardt has also told him to give it up. But Heflin's sticking to his duty now. The comical town drunk has just been killed in a very brutal fashion for standing up for law and order and he couldn't look himself in the face if he shirked his responsibility.

    Remember Heflin is no John Wayne type hero. He's your everyman citizen taking on responsibility for his community's safety. He and Dana play this beautifully and if you don't get an emotional response you are made of stone.

    Van Heflin had already gotten an Oscar for Johnny Eager. But I think his performance here is even better. Why he was overlooked in the Academy sweepstakes in 1957 is beyond belief. It's Heflin's film and it's a great tribute to a very underrated actor.
  • jjnxn
    May 18, 2008
    jjnxn
    Good character study with two well matched actors, wonderful scene between Van Heflin and Leora Dana, an interesting contrast to the recent remake.
  • mjgildea
    February 12, 2008
    mjgildea
    I started off really liking 3:10 to Yuma a lot and despite the fact this should've been made in color it was the ending that killed it for me. Glenn Ford was great and Van Heflin was pretty much negligible but the last 5 minutes are either leaving me incredibly hopeful for the re... read moremake or quaking in fear at the possibility that they didn't come up with something better. Terrible ending aside, not too shabby.
  • fb6025506
    February 7, 2008
    fb6025506
    Ends abruptly, and there isn't enough backstory and character development, in my opinion, The new one is better, but this one is still decent.
  • fb704730572
    December 21, 2011
    fb704730572
    3:10 to Yuma is an excellent late 50's western in the vein of the phenomenal High Noon. The script and dialogue are all top notch, a very nuanced character study western set within a rather simple and confined story. The acting is also very strong, with an especially strong dynam... read moreic between Glenn Ford and Van Heflin. I would still put the 2007 remake ahead of it, featuring stronger action scenes and a stronger ending, but not by much.
  • crossbladezero
    June 21, 2011
    crossbladezero
    And he's buying a Three-Ten to Yuma. That's probably my most difficult to figure out song reference yet and that's saying a lot considering that people have probably forgotten classic songs like "Stairway to Heaven" by now. Well, I'll go cry over the death of good music some othe... read morer time. Right now let's discuss another classic. This picture translates the compellingness of the concept well, but still suffers from a lack of development and a periodic lack of engagement. In spite of this, it remains a compelling and primarily entertaining film supported by decent cinematography, good dialogue and carried by the solid performances of leads Glenn Ford and Van Heslin.

    Of course the question on everyone's mind is "how does it fair against the remake?" Well, I believe that "re-imagining" is a more appropriate term to describe Mangold's 2007 version. The mood in the original is less consequential, not just because Mangold's version provides a deeper insight into the characters and their adventure, but because leading men and also powerhouse actors of their generation Russell Crowe and Christian Bale are more charismatic and seem more appropriate for the roles than the still respectable acting legends Glenn Ford and Van Heflin. I would say that we shouldn't be comparing, seeing as most classic performances haven't aged gracefully, but that wouldn't be right, because I'm not trying to compare the leading men in relation to acting ability. I'm comparing them in relation to the quality of the film and Mangold's version, being more tense, in-depth and consistent with more charismatic leading men is of higher storytelling quality. Honestly, as much as I've been comparing, Mangold's version remains more of a re-imagining and presents a new mood that seems to radically deviate from the original, almost to the point where I may as well be comparing "Cloverfield" to "Forrest Gump". Still, if we're looking at which film is better, Mangold's version - whether it be because filmmaking limitations have certainly been challenged in the 50-year gap between the versions or because the concept is finer - is superior to the original.

    Still, when we get down to Delmar Daves' classic take on "3:10 to Yuma" on its own, it stands as a well-acted and generally enjoyable adventure that's worth experiencing.
  • wbgoose13
    July 24, 2007
    wbgoose13
    Solid cat-and-mouse Western holds up fine.

View All 3:10 to Yuma Reviews

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
August 17, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

That the climax fizzles must be laid on doorstep of Halsted Welles, who adapts Elmore Leonard's story quite well until that point. Full Review

Bosley Crowther
March 25, 2006
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

This is a first-rate action picture -- a respectable second section to High Noon. Full Review

Pat Graham
January 1, 2000
Pat Graham, Chicago Reader

Despite an abundance of talk, this 1957 film is often considered [Daves'] best. Full Review

Stephen Garrett
May 10, 2011
Stephen Garrett, Time Out New York

A portrait of storytelling made for and by the Silent Generation, an audience all too familiar with the world's spooky, white-knuckled moral twilight. Full Review

Urban Cinefile Critics
January 24, 2008
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile

The film is something of a classic and boasts a terrific ending. Full Review

Steven D. Greydanus
September 21, 2007
Steven D. Greydanus, Decent Films Guide

Although not as nerve-wracking as High Noon, 3:10 to Yuma is even more claustrophobic… and the two-character drama is more intriguing than High Noon's protagonist standing alone. Full Review

Nick Schager
September 9, 2007
Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness

No amount of climactic train smoke can mask the fact that the finale is fancifully optimistic gibberish. Full Review

Bruce Dancis
September 7, 2007
Bruce Dancis, Sacramento Bee

The new 3:10 to Yuma will have to be quite a film to stand up to the original.

Fernando F. Croce
September 7, 2007
Fernando F. Croce, Slant Magazine

A sturdy genre piece. Full Review

Rory L. Aronsky
September 7, 2007
Rory L. Aronsky, Film Threat

The minutes tick toward 3:10, and all we can do is watch and hope that it all turns out ok. That's the best kind of Western, one that allows feelings like that to emerge while watching. Full Review

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