A train to catch

3:10 to Yuma (1957)

This is the first film loosely based on Larry Elmore's short story of the same name. The leader of a gang that robs a stage coach is caught after he stays in town to hit on the local barmaid and has to be transported to prison before his gang catch up with and kill the people who are holding him. A farmer in need of cash takes the job of transporting the outlaw and fending off the gang.

While it takes a little bit to get going this film works on the tension of having a dangerous man captive, the threat of his gang to the lead character and the slow gnawing temptation to let the outlaw go in the face of increasing trouble. There is pressure on the farmer to “do what a man's gotta do” from his family and Glenn Ford's gang leader is excellently charismatic in his attempts to talk himself into freedom.

4/5 a great use of character, tension and atmosphere.