Summary
One of the most critically acclaimed Western movie remakes is coming to Netflix on September 1. Directed by James Mangold and based on a 1953 Elmore Leonard story –the first movie adaptation of which, in 1957, drew comparisons to Western classicHigh Noon- this 2007 remake assembled a stunning cast.
Russell Crowe and Christian Bale play men on opposite sides of the moral divide, with Bale’s former military man Dan Evans charged with escorting Crowe’s murderous gang leader Ben Wade to a train to Yuma Territorial Prison. What follows is a tense 122-minute Western drama, surpassed only byTrue Gritas the most critically lauded remake of a Western movie.3:10 To Yuma’s arrival on Netflix on September 1makes it an essential watch for all Western fans.
Did You Know: Tom Cruise reportedly expressed interest in playing Ben Wade when Russell Crowe was initially unavailable.
Why You Should Watch 3:10 To Yuma On Netflix
Crowe and Bale’s Electrifying Dynamic Elevates To a Masterpiece
Manygreat Western moviesdepend on the central dynamic of the lead characters, with often very defined concepts of morality. The Old West is a plain where good and evil seemingly endlessly battle on the silver screen, andCrowe and Bale’s performances perfectly capture that. Crowe is both charismatic and imposing, while Bale’s devoted father dragged into the situation by financial desperation and duty to his son (Logan Lerman) is his equal and opposite in every way.
The supporting cast is excellent, with Lerman, Peter Fonda, Alan Tudyk, and Kevin Durand on strong form.The pick of the bunch is Ben Foster, who plays Wade’s volatile right-hand man Charlie Prince, in a performance that should once again remind everyone that Foster is one of Hollywood’s most overlooked genius talents.
At two hours,3:10 To Yumahas more than enough room for several impressive set-pieces, butit’s the Bale/Crowe scenes and Foster’s scene-stealing presence that really shine most. It’s a Western that demands viewing from every fan.
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What ScreenRant has said about3:10 To Yuma:
Mangold’s film is a great example how a classic movie can lead to an equally great remake. Based upon a short story by Elmore Leonard, the original 3:10 to Yuma was made in 1957 with veteran actor Glenn Ford as Ben Wade and Van Heflin as Dan Evans. Directed by Delmer Daves, it was quite popular at the time of its release and in 2012 was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. -12 Best Movie Remakes of All Time
How 3:10 To Yuma Fared Compared To Other Western Remakes
The Movie Was A Critical, If Not A Commercial Success
When it was originally released,3:10 to Yumawas not exactly a commercial hit. While its $71.2 million worldwide gross was more than enough to outpace other major releases from the year including28 Weeks Later,Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium,Lust, Caution,The Brave One, andThe Mist, the movie’s budget, which is estimated between $48 and $55 million, means thatit likely did not turn a profit in theaters.
A theatrical movie typically needs to earn between two and two-and-a-half times its production budget in theaters, likely placing3:10 to Yuma’s break-even point somewhere between $96 and $137.5 million.
However, the movie’s performance isreasonably comparable to other modern Western remakes, of which there have not been too many in the past few decades. The most comparable major titles are the 1994 Mel Gibson movieMaverick, adapting the 1957-1962 television show of the same name, the 2010 Matt Damon and Jeff Bridges movieTrue Grit, adapting the 1969 John Wayne movie, and the 2016 Denzel Washington movieThe Magnificent Seven, adapting the 1960 movie of the same name which was itself aWestern adaptation ofSeven Samurai. Below, see a breakdown of all four movies' critical and commercial performance:
3:10 to Yuma(2007)
~$50 million
$71.2 million
89%
86%
$75 million
$183 million
68%
71%
~$35 million
$252.3 million
95%
85%
~$100 million
$162.4 million
64%
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True Gritis by far the movie on the list that outranks the rest, having gone on to be nominated for 10 Oscars in addition to making an enormous profit and earning the best Rotten Tomatoes scores from both critics and audiences. However, among the other titles,3:10 to Yumahada comparable commercial performance in terms of its budget level and far outranks them in terms of its critical reception. This could be why the movie enjoys an enduring reputation in spite of the fact that it is the lowest-grossing release in terms of the raw numbers.
Major Awards
Academy Awards for Best Original Score (Nominated), Best Sound Mixing (Nominated). Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Cast (Nominated).
3:10 to Yuma
Cast
A struggling rancher volunteers to escort a notorious outlaw to the train that will take him to prison. As the journey unfolds, both men engage in a psychological battle of wills, testing their morals and resolve while facing relentless danger from the outlaw’s gang and the harsh frontier.
