Review

The 1950s may have been politically and socially repressive, but the era saw a rebirth in the American western thanks to the likes of such stars as James Stewart and Glenn Ford and directors such as Anthony Mann and Delmer Daves. Daves, in fact, in 1957 directed Ford in a now-little known film based on an Elmore Leonard novel, 3:10 to Yuma, which at the time was a critical and commercial hit. For decades it’s been one of the best kept secrets of that time… that is until now.

James Mangold, whose last film Walk the Line put the director on the A-list, brings this terrific story of heroism and villainy – but not always about heroes and villains – to the screen for a new generation who will revel in the film’s gritty dramatics, high adventure and cutthroat action. Add to that a great cast and a challenging, intelligent story line, and 3:10 to Yuma is possibly the best reinterpretation of an American film to hit theaters since Philip Kaufman’s incredible update of another ‘50s classic, Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Christian Bale, whose year is already in high gear with his dynamic portrayal of a POW during the Vietnam War in Rescue Dawn, stars as Dan Evans, an idealistic Arizona rancher and Civil War vet who is in danger of losing his ranch. He owes money on the land and is being targeted by a local landowner who is not beyond using violence to obtain Dan’s property. In his own eyes, and possibly those of his eldest son as well, Dan’s self-image as a provider and protector for his family is in disrepair, and there doesn’t seem to be any quick fix for self-redemption or answers for their financial worries.

That is until the notorious gunfighter Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) arrives in town. Ben’s gang, including his loyal right arm Charlie Prince (Ben Foster), have been robbing the Southern Railroad with great regularity and success, and a determined marshal (Peter Fonda) is hot on Wade’s trail. When they finally catch Wade, with a little help from Evans, Dan is offered the dangerous mission to help escort Wade across a hostile terrain to catch the 3:10 train to Yuma and eventual justice. Knowing that Wade’s vicious gang will be in hot pursuit, Dan accepts the mission whose reward should solve his financial problems.

Thus begins a perilous journey that takes its place among the best chase films westerns have to offer. On the trek, Ben and Sam, two opposites morally and often pitted against each other, come to learn to respect the other, each ultimately offering a sacrifice that comes with a price. There are good guys and bad guys here, to be sure, but like Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven, it’s the gray areas that really make the characters and the story soar.

Mangold has assembled a first-rate ensemble, with Bale and Crowe firmly in their element. Bale in constant search for redemption through acts of bravery; Crowe certainly enjoying his bit of villainy that is shaded with just the right tinge of civility and equal parts brio and malevolence. But the performance of the film is given by Ben Foster, who shatters any and all expectations as Charlie Prince, Wade’s ruthless but loyal henchman. Never over the top, Foster brings a startling absence of morality to Prince, whose acts of vengeance and violence are merely part of the job rather than a sociopath seeking pleasure in his actions. It’s at once brutal, subtle and revelatory.

3:10 to Yuma is that rarity, a western of the highest order. Clint Eastwood is second to none among contemporary directors in the genre, and Kevin Costner has demonstrated a serviceable knowledge as well. Director Mangold, whose eye and ear for atmosphere and pacing and whose ability to exploit maximum tension gives the film its remarkable punch, now joins a select group that – like Ben Wade and Dan Evans and their respective posses – is good company indeed.

 -- David Bleiler