FILMBRATS - REVIEWS

Dan Evans is a poor farmer struggling to keep his family afloat when he loses two cattle in the midst of a stagecoach robbery. Notorious criminal Ben Wade was the leader of the operation. Well, when Wade celebrates in the nearest town a little too long, he gets captured. Since Wade was caught in a town with very little law enforcement, the robbed banker offers a much needed $200 to anyone able to assist in transporting the villain to prison. Evans accepts the challenge to help repay for the lost cattle and then some. Now it’s off to Contention City so he can get Wade on the 3:10 train to Yuma and his new jail cell home. Hopefully, Wade’s gang won’t be waiting.

The first thing you’ll notice is how beautifully shot the film is. Right from the start, the picture showcases sprawling old west scenery throughout the dynamic cinematography and creative framing of Charles Lawton Jr. The cameras placed on the carriages - looking down at the horses as they run through the dusty landscapes - add to the immediate excitement before the heart of the story even has a chance to grab you. And it will.

Based on a story by Elmore Leonard, you’ll find this movie packs a big wallop without much action. The movie is more a battle of wills and wits rather than an all-out gun slinging shoot ‘em up. That doesn’t mean it’s any less tense. In fact, it’s probably more so because the characterization is so strong and the situations are so easily relatable. Not the whole escorting a prisoner to a train while avoiding his deadly gang thing, but rather the situations posed in Wade’s manipulative attempts to be set free. You’ll often find yourself asking what you would do in that situation. Of course the great acting helps. Van Helfin as Evans shows a drastic character arc while continuously keeping his performance low-key and contemplative. Ben Wade could have been more evil, but I guess that’s the price you pay for having Glenn Ford play him. Still, the charm he exudes makes him even more dangerous - even if he isn’t sinister.

Honestly, the only real weak point is the music. I found it to be a tiny bit over the top and overabundant. It’s okay to take a break from scoring every once in a while. The dialogue is extremely strong and doesn’t always need the music trying to hone in and take over the scene. I also thought the title song was relatively poor. But, it’s easy to look (or listen) past the music to find an intelligent, gripping film with an incredibly thrilling climax. Who needs tons of gunplay? All you need is a taut story like this that’s equally thrilling.

respond to jon@filmbrats.com