Andrew Goodman 3:10 to Yuma

When comparing 3:10 to Yuma (1957) with 3:10 to Yuma (2007), several important differences are apparent. In the original, both of Dan Evans’ sons idolize him, despite the fact that the family ranch is functioning poorly. In the remake, Dan’s eldest son, William, is clearly disappointed in his father’s inability to provide for the family as the ranch is about to be seized in order to make room for the railway. This aspect is revisionist as it reflects, in a cultural studies sense, the idea that today’s teenagers are typically rebellious and critical of their parents. In the 1950s, however, such sentiment was unheard of as children were always expected to be respectful and obedient. In the original, the stagecoach robbery is a relative non-violent affair as Ben Wade only kills one of his men and the driver who pulled a gun on that man. The gang did not intend to kill anyone. In the remake, however, the stagecoach robbery is very violent as the stagecoach serves as an armored car. It carries several armed men, including two who use a Gatling gun. Wade’s men attack the stagecoach by firing upon it and, ultimately, four of Wade’s men are killed. Wade’s men use dynamite in order to break open the stagecoach and steal the Southern Pacific Railroad’s money. Wade reveals his sadistic nature as he does not kill McElroy, but leaves him to suffer from his gunshot wound to the stomach. This scene is revisionist as it demonstrates that the old West was by no means an ideal place. It contained violent men who conducted themselves in a ruthless manner as society was essentially lawless. This scene, occurring near the beginning of the film, is utilized in order to dispel the myth of the old West.
Continuing, in the original, Dan’s wife ultimately follows him to Contention as he prepares to deliver Wade to the train. In the remake, however, Dan’s son, William, follows the group transporting Wade to Contention. After Wade has killed Tucker and has thrown McElroy off of a cliff, William arrives and points his gun at Wade in order to subdue him. As the group continues to travel through Apache country, Wade saves the lives of his captors when he kills the three Apache sharpshooters. After this, Wade makes his way to a railroad encampment, where he is tortured until Dan and William rescue him. This turn of events is revisionist as it adds additional violence to the story, thus further portraying the West as a brutal place.
Later, in the remake, while hold-up in the hotel room in Contention, William tells Ben Wade that he doesn’t think that he is “all bad.” Wade explains that he is “all bad.” This is significant as in the original, this sort of discussion does not happen. Thus, some of the moral ambiguity that the Ben Wade of 1957 possessed is discarded. This serves to further demonstrate that Ben Wade, and all like him, were not heroes as they were simply calculating murderers. In the original, Dan escorts Ben to the train under fire from the gang. Then, both of them jump aboard the train and avoid the gang as Ben owed Dan for saving his life. As the film concludes, rain begins to fall, Ben and Dan ride the train, and Dan’s wife and Mr. Butterfield are seen smiling and waving. In the remake, however, Ben and Dan only proceed to the train after Ben explains that he was abandoned as a child and Dan explains that he lost his foot through friendly fire during the Civil War. Then, after killing several men, Dan is killed by the gang before his son’s eyes. Wade then proceeds to execute the loyal members of his gang. He then voluntarily boards the train and is placed into a cell. As the train heads for Yuma, Wade’s whistle summons his black horse to run alongside the train. This concluding scene is revisionist as it demonstrates that the joyful conclusion to the end of the original film is, quite frankly, ridiculous. In embarking upon such a quest, the only possible outcome that Dan could experience is death. The death must be graphic and painful, as it is in the remake. Thus, the remake explains that in the old West, there were no happy endings. Life was miserable, cruel, and painful. The remake dispels the notion that the old West should be idolized. Instead, the remake portrays the old West as an incredibly violent and unforgiving place in which the innocent and guilty alike suffered before dying terrible deaths. Thus, while the alpha male cowboys of the original ride off together, in the remake, only Ben Wade faces a potentially bright future as he can escape from Yuma prison. Dan, however, dies in order to prove himself to his son. In sum, while the original features an impossible conclusion, the remake features a somewhat more plausible conclusion in which none of the characters are better off after the events of the film have occurred.