American Myth - 3:10 to Yuma (2007)

"We're going to Contention!"

The western lived in its own shadow in the seventies. It wallowed in the eighties. The early nineties saw it come back, raging against the dying light. But then it was quiet, again. It never really died, mind, it just went into hibernation. That was, until 2007, when director James Mangold dropped his remake of the 1957 classic of the same name, 3:10 to Yuma. Yuma would bring the western blazing back to American screens. I remember seeing it in theaters, with college friends, and loving it. So, does it still pack a punch?

Summary:

Ben Wade (Russel Crowe) is a deadly outlaw, with a team of equally brutal fellows at his beck and call. After robbing the latest railroad cash delivery, Wade is captured by the law in a small town. A desperate rancher (Christian Bale) will pin his future on escorting Wade to the train in Contention, to deliver him to Yuma prison. But it won't be easy.

Pros:

The Cast: Bale and Crowe anchor the majority of the film's drama in fine fashion, but this film is stuffed to the gills with an excellent ensemble. Alan Tudyk does his thing as the town vet-cum-doctor; Ben Foster is a villainous revelation as Charlie Prince; Peter Fonda is deliciously gruff as a Pinkerton bent on getting Wade to justice; Logan Lerman is great as Bale's let-down, over-eager son looking for a real role model; Dallas Roberts is excellent as the railway man desperate to get justice for Wade's theft. Bale, as Dan Evans, proves why he is one of the singular talents of his age as a former soldier missing a leg, and over his head in debt. He is a desperate man: he sees the way his kids look at him, and the way his wife doesn't. Everyone knows Dan is a failure. As one point he says, in whispered quiet to his wife, so that no one will overhear, "No one can think less of me." But that does not distract him from doing what he needs to do to provide for his family. He keeps on, despite his leg, despite his debt, despite the pity and frustration of everyone around him. He keeps trying. It is, by turns, tragic and heroic.

The Devil Himself: Crowe's Ben Wade is nothing short of the devil himself: he uses his wits and words to worm his way into the ears of his captors, never not playing some form of con. He stands in the back while his crew robs the wagon, and ruthlessly executes one of his own boys when they get taken hostage by a surviving Pinkerton operative. Wade spouts bible verses, flirts shamelessly, pokes holes in characters' moral walls, and, ultimately, always has the upper hand. Perhaps because he is bold enough to take it, in a world of illusory honor and flimsy rules. We never get to see what Wade did for his band of thieves that elicits such loyalty, but we see the bond in Ben Foster's eyes. We understand its depth in the lengths that Charlie Prince will go to to save his boss. We see it in the absolute betrayal and confusion that stains his face when Ben Wade shoots him with his own guns outside the titular train. Some men follow Wade out of fear, others out of respect, but Prince seems to follow Wade like a son. I love that Mangold lets that story be a mystery.

Indictment of Heroism: Upon my initial viewing, so many years ago, I thought that Wade offering to help Dan get him on the train, so he could fulfill his duty, and impress his son, was a celebration of enduring honor. On second viewing, I can't help but think about how it plays into the film's grander indictment of heroism. Wade gets on the train knowing that he's been to Yuma twice, and escaped as many times. The film ends with the train pulling away, and Wade summoning his horse to run along side, hinting that he doesn't even plan to play the game long enough to make it to Yuma. Dan lies dying in the dirt. Ultimately, Dan's heroism costs him his life, the lives of countless townspeople in Contention, most of the posse tasked with escorting Wade to the train, all of Wade's crew (ironically), and even the local Marshals who are gunned down after they try to bail on the mission. Dan wants to save his farm. It's on land owned by a man who is going to sell it to the railroad. Dan doesn't seem to realize that the land isn't his, never was, and never will be. This money will temporarily dismiss his creditors, but it won't solve his greater problem. Mr. Butterfield (Roberts) even offers Dan an out: in holed up in the hotel room, he all but quits, encouraging Dan to let Wade go and escape with his life. Nevertheless, Dan persists. What we get, at the train platform, by the end of the movie, is a man whose only real possession is his honor. He dies with that honor, for whatever it is worth, knowing even that Wade has no intentions of staying in prison. Wisely, I think, Mangold doesn't specifically take one side or the other as to whether that honor was worth the cost: he lets the events play out, and allows the audience to read what they will.

Music: Marco Beltrami's score pays homage to Ennio Morricone's revolutionary spaghetti western sound, without ripping it off. The brass is there, and the twangy guitar, and it swells with adventure when our heroes make their last mad dash to the train. Beltrami's score plays all of the tones of the movie very well: western action adventure, the eeriness and tension of trying to pen the devil himself, and the agony of a man on his last leg (pun intended). The music never overpowers the film; it aids its storytelling, and that is the mark of a great score.

A Simple Story Told Well: This is not a difficult set up. There is little in the way of complicating side plots. Everyone has character beats, established history, and motivations, but Mangold doesn't crowd his movie with too much ephemera. This movie is fast-paced, even at its 122 minute runtime, and never overstays its welcome. It's about good guys and bad guys, and how, sometimes, the line between the two aint so damn clear. It's about bringing a man to justice, and how very difficult that can really be.

Cons:

I don't want to say that this film is perfect: it isn't. I'm sure it isn't. But I also really liked it, and am having trouble finding fault with it. The acting is brilliant; the shot comp is gorgeous; the story is straightforward; the themes are powerful and thought-provoking; the film isn't overlong. Is it the best western I've ever seen? No, not really. Is it trailblazing and absolutely unlike anything I've ever seen before? No. But it does what it does VERY well, and that is something to be celebrated.

In Conclusion:

I liked this movie in 2007, and am happy to say that I liked it in 2018. It stands up, as an excellent western and an excellent movie.

Should You Watch It?

Yes, you should. This is one of the best westerns made in the last twenty years.

Miscellany:

- Crowe was Mangold's first choice for Ben Wade. It was Crowe's official signing that saved the production after Tom Cruise (originally cast as Wade with Eric Bana vying for the role of Dan Evans) dropped out of the project.

- The film sports an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- The film was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Sound Mixing and Best Original Score.