3:10 TO YUMA was a difficult film for me to watch because it's one of those rare times that I've seen the remake, starring Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, before the original. The two films have plots that follow one another closely, so they're virtually indistinguishable, although the remake adds in extra action sequences that weren't in this '50s western.
This original turns out to be a surprisingly decent little fable with strong black and white cinematography and good performances from the two leads. Glenn Ford is a likable ne'er-do-well and Van Heflin puts in a commendable turn as a man of principle. The plot is quite straightforward, but it lends itself well to an undercurrent of tension that runs throughout and you're never quite sure what the outcome will be.
I suppose you could argue that this version of the story is a little slow in paces (that scene in the hotel room seems to go on forever) but it's still above average and well made by genre standards and a film that's difficult to criticise too much.
This original turns out to be a surprisingly decent little fable with strong black and white cinematography and good performances from the two leads. Glenn Ford is a likable ne'er-do-well and Van Heflin puts in a commendable turn as a man of principle. The plot is quite straightforward, but it lends itself well to an undercurrent of tension that runs throughout and you're never quite sure what the outcome will be.
I suppose you could argue that this version of the story is a little slow in paces (that scene in the hotel room seems to go on forever) but it's still above average and well made by genre standards and a film that's difficult to criticise too much.