Production

In June 2003, Columbia Pictures announced a negotiation with Mangold to helm a remake of the 1957 Western film 3:10 to Yuma, based on a script written by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas. After being apart from the project for several years, Mangold resumed his role as director in February 2006. Production was slated to begin in summer 2006. In the same month, Tom Cruise expressed an interest in starring as the villain in the film. Eric Bana also briefly sought a role in the film.

In summer 2006, Columbia placed the film on turnaround, and the project was acquired by Relativity Media. Crowe and Bale were cast as the main characters, and Relativity began seeking a distributor for the film. By September, Lions Gate Entertainment signed on to distribute the film. Later in the month, Peter Fonda, Gretchen Mol, Dallas Roberts, Ben Foster, and Vinessa Shaw were cast. Filming was slated to begin on October 23, 2006 in New Mexico. On the first day of filming, a rider and his horse were seriously injured in a scene when the horse ran directly into a camera-carrying vehicle instead of veering off as planned. The rider was hospitalized, and the horse had to be euthanized on the set. The animal’s death prompted an investigation from the American Humane Association. By November, the AHA concluded its investigation, finding that the horse did not respond accordingly due to having received a dual training approach and the rider not being familiar with the mount. The organization recommended no charges against the producers. Principal photography took place in and around Santa Fe, Abiquiú, and Galisteo. The Bonanza Creek Ranch represented the film’s town of Bisbee as a “kinder, gentler frontier town” while Galisteo was set up to be Contention (now a ghost town), a “much rougher, bawdier, kind of sin city”. Filming concluded on January 20, 2007.

After filming concluded, the owners of the Cerro Pelon Ranch petitioned to keep a $2 million expansion to the movie set on their property, which was supposed to be dismantled within 90 days. The set of 3:10 to Yuma made up 75% of the overall sets on the ranch. In April 2007, the request was met by the county’s development review committee to keep the expansion, which would potentially generate revenue in the future.

Cast

• Russell Crowe as Ben Wade
• Christian Bale as Dan Evans
• Logan Lerman as William Evans
• Ben Foster as Charlie Prince
• Peter Fonda as Byron McElroy
• Dallas Roberts as Grayson Butterfield
• Alan Tudyk as Doc Potter
• Vinessa Shaw as Emmy
• Kevin Durand as Tucker
• Luce Rains as Marshal Weathers
• Gretchen Mol as Alice Evans
• Luke Wilson as Zeke

After the head of a band of outlaws is captured, he engages in a battle of wills with a rancher who is hired to take him to stand trial, while the gang also does its best to free its leader.

The title song, “The 3:10 to Yuma”, was sung by Frankie Laine.

Reception

When first released in the summer of 1957, the film became popular among audiences and critics alike for its suspenseful nature and sharp black-and-white cinematography. Ford received particular notice for his against-type villainous performance. The following year, 3:10 to Yuma was nominated for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts award for Best Film.

Since its release, the film has become a staple of cable television and has gained an audience of several generations. A critically successful remake was released in 2007.

The film caused “Yuma” to enter the lexicon of Cuban slang: Yumas is a term for American visitors, while La Yuma is the United States.

Cast

• Glenn Ford     Ben Wade
• Van Heflin     Dan Evans
• Felicia Farr     Emmy
• Leora Dana     Alice Evans
• Robert Emhardt     Mr. Butterfield
• Henry Jones     Alex Potter
• Richard Jaeckel     Charlie Prince
• Ford Rainey     Marshal of Bisbee
• George Mitchell     Mac