Remakes of films offer some of the best opportunities to see revisionist work in action. The 1957 film 3:10 to Yuma, and its 2007 remake follow the exact same plot line, use the exact same character names and even share quite a few lines. However, that is where the similarities stop. Actions in the two films show clear differences between the culture of America in 1957 and again 50 years later. The difference in the amount of gratuitous violence in the films is substantial. Also, there is a huge difference in the portrayal of Dan Evans as the alpha male cowboy.
The opening sequence of both films is the best way to showcase the difference in the amounts of violence. In the 2007 remake, Dan wakes up to see his barn being burnt down and cattle driven off by the men from whom he purchased his land. When he goes to round the cows up in the morning, he and his two sons witness the bloody robbery of the stagecoach carrying money for the Southern Pacific Railroad. In this scene, four of Wade’s men are killed in the effort, and only one man from the stage survives. The gratuitous amount of violent in this scene shows how Americans have become immune to violence throughout the years. Witnessing events like 9/11, the Columbine shootings and the increased press coverage of war efforts have made violence in America seem like just another part of any usual day. This was not the case in 1957. People were outraged by the violence and atrocities of wars. It is reflected in the original film as well. In the opening scene, only two men die. The fight is nowhere near as bloody because Wade and his men do not intend to kill anyone; instead they kill out of “necessity.” The 2007 version of the film also adds violent scenes that some could argue do not add to the overall story. The fight scenes in the mountains and with the Apaches are noticeably missing from the 1957 film, as they do little more than showcase how violent man can be.
The primary revisionist aspect of the film, however, is the change in viewpoints on the alpha male cowboy. In the 1957 film, both of Dan’s sons adore him, and he is known throughout town as the best shot. He takes up the mission of delivering Wade to the train because he needs money for his family, but quickly realizes that it is his duty to get Wade to Yuma so the people who gave their lives capturing him do not die in vain. This is by and large the description of a typical alpha male cowboy. However, in the 2007 remake, Dan is not a typical alpha male cowboy at all. Dan’s oldest son has no respect for his father because he thinks that the man is a pushover. Dan has to tell the men of the town that he is the best shot around so he can get himself the job of escorting Wade to the train. Dan is clearly a flawed alpha male cowboy. He is not really looked upon as the model citizen. He takes Wade to the train because he needs to get money to keep his family’s ranch from being seized and sold to the very railroad paying him to guard Wade. However, when everything falls apart around Dan, and all the people helping him to escort Wade abandon him one learns the true motivation behind Dan Evans. Dan’s limp throughout the film is presumably a result of his fighting in the Civil War. However, at the very end, it is discovered that he was injured by his own men in a retreat. Dan cannot tell this story to his children because they would not be proud of him. He feels that he needs to get Wade on the train so his children will have something to remember him by. Ultimately, he has something to prove. The notion of proving oneself has become huge in America as of late. People no longer take things at face value or simply believe what one says he or she can do. Proving oneself through action is the only way to gain respect, and that is all that Dan is after.
Remakes of films offer some of the best opportunities to see revisionist work in action. The 1957 film 3:10 to Yuma, and its 2007 remake follow the exact same plot line, use the exact same character names and even share quite a few lines. However, that is where the similarities stop. Actions in the two films show clear differences between the culture of America in 1957 and again 50 years later. The difference in the amount of gratuitous violence in the films is substantial. Also, there is a huge difference in the portrayal of Dan Evans as the alpha male cowboy.
ReplyDeleteThe opening sequence of both films is the best way to showcase the difference in the amounts of violence. In the 2007 remake, Dan wakes up to see his barn being burnt down and cattle driven off by the men from whom he purchased his land. When he goes to round the cows up in the morning, he and his two sons witness the bloody robbery of the stagecoach carrying money for the Southern Pacific Railroad. In this scene, four of Wade’s men are killed in the effort, and only one man from the stage survives. The gratuitous amount of violent in this scene shows how Americans have become immune to violence throughout the years. Witnessing events like 9/11, the Columbine shootings and the increased press coverage of war efforts have made violence in America seem like just another part of any usual day. This was not the case in 1957. People were outraged by the violence and atrocities of wars. It is reflected in the original film as well. In the opening scene, only two men die. The fight is nowhere near as bloody because Wade and his men do not intend to kill anyone; instead they kill out of “necessity.” The 2007 version of the film also adds violent scenes that some could argue do not add to the overall story. The fight scenes in the mountains and with the Apaches are noticeably missing from the 1957 film, as they do little more than showcase how violent man can be.
The primary revisionist aspect of the film, however, is the change in viewpoints on the alpha male cowboy. In the 1957 film, both of Dan’s sons adore him, and he is known throughout town as the best shot. He takes up the mission of delivering Wade to the train because he needs money for his family, but quickly realizes that it is his duty to get Wade to Yuma so the people who gave their lives capturing him do not die in vain. This is by and large the description of a typical alpha male cowboy. However, in the 2007 remake, Dan is not a typical alpha male cowboy at all. Dan’s oldest son has no respect for his father because he thinks that the man is a pushover. Dan has to tell the men of the town that he is the best shot around so he can get himself the job of escorting Wade to the train. Dan is clearly a flawed alpha male cowboy. He is not really looked upon as the model citizen. He takes Wade to the train because he needs to get money to keep his family’s ranch from being seized and sold to the very railroad paying him to guard Wade. However, when everything falls apart around Dan, and all the people helping him to escort Wade abandon him one learns the true motivation behind Dan Evans. Dan’s limp throughout the film is presumably a result of his fighting in the Civil War. However, at the very end, it is discovered that he was injured by his own men in a retreat. Dan cannot tell this story to his children because they would not be proud of him. He feels that he needs to get Wade on the train so his children will have something to remember him by. Ultimately, he has something to prove. The notion of proving oneself has become huge in America as of late. People no longer take things at face value or simply believe what one says he or she can do. Proving oneself through action is the only way to gain respect, and that is all that Dan is after.
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