RT "3:10 to Yuma"

The original film, 3:10 to Yuma, was produced in 1957 and later redone in 2007. The films have the same plot and include many of the same lines, however there are some key distinctions between them. It is interesting to see how the changing culture affects films and when a film is redone, it serves as a prime example for exploring this idea.

Within the opening scene of the films a clear distinction is shown. In the 2007 remake the alpha male's barn is burned down because he is unable to pay off his debt, while in the original there is no burning and the alpha male is asking for money to borrow. Additionally, the alpha male has a leg injury that we later learn is from friendly fire during the civil war while in the original no leg injury exists. Several other differences are shown including the source of the man paying the alpha male the 200 dollars to escort Ben to the train. In the remake the man paying works in town for the railroad, while in the original the man was actually on the stagecoach that was held up.

Perhaps the most noticeable difference is within the closing scene of the films. In the original, Dan's wife shows up before he takes Ben to the train and both Dan and Ben hop on to the train. In the remake Dan's son shows up and helps Ben get Dan to the train. However, Dan is killed by Ben's men just as Ben gets on to the train. Next, Ben kills his own men and gets on to the train as Dan's son kneels over Dan's lifeless body. In both ending scenes Ben gets on the train willing, however in the remake Ben actually kills his men and then calls his horse to follow the train, leaving the possibly of him later escaping the prison. Another key difference is in the original it begins to rain as they ride off on the train, meaning Dan no longer needs the 200 dollars for water, while in the remake they see rain clouds coming towards them almost halfway through the film, long before the violence and danger grows too serious.

The alpha male character himself shows a large difference between the two films. In the remake the leg injury exists and the alpha male states that he has never been a hero before and now is his chance. Additionally, the alpha male is not known as a good shot in the remake and has to boast himself while in the original his reputation is known. Also, in the remake the alpha male character dies in the closing scene of the film, while in the original he lives. It is interesting to consider how much more violence seems to surround the alpha male character in the remake: the burning of his house, the leg injury, and ultimately his fate. This could be attributed to the fixation on violence in society and the increase in violent acts. In addition to the violence in the remake, it also ends with no happy endings for any of the main characters. The father dies, Ben is on his way to jail, and the son no longer has a father. The stronger relationship between the alpha male and his son in the remake is also an important point, considering that the son was necessary to help take Ben to the train multiple times.