The original b/w film, based on Elmore Leonard's short story, from a screenplay by Halsted Welles; Frankie Laine sings the theme song.

Ben Wade (Glenn Ford) and his gang hold up the Butterfield Stagecoach, with Mr Butterfield (Robert Emhardt) aboard, shoot dead the driver, and take the gold. Dan Evans (Van Heflin), a poor rancher, and his two sons, Matthew and Mark, come upon the scene where their cattle have been used to block the stagecoach. The boys demand of their father: "Aren't you gonna do something?" After Ben Wade relieves them of their horses, Dan and his boys round up the cattle on foot. Back at the ranch Dan's wife, Alice (Leora Dana), says sadly of the outlaws and the long drought: "All anybody can do is stand by and watch."

Meanwhile Ben Wade and his gang ride into Bisbee, enter the saloon, and report the robbery and killing as if they'd only been passing witnesses. As the marshal, whose office is in the saloon, gets together a posse, Ben disperses his men before going back to woo Emmy (Felicia Farr), the bar girl. After the posse comes upon Dan and Mr Butterfield, who inform the marshal that Ben Wade's gang rode into Bisbee, they return to town; Dan finds Ben still in the saloon and distracts him long enough for the marshal and the others to capture the outlaw.

In need of money, Dan volunteers for $200 along with Alex Potter, the town drunk, to escort Ben to Contention City after they use a decoy at Dan's ranch to misdirect Ben's gang. Dan and Alex arrive with Ben without incident in the late morning and settle into the hotel unnoticed, with Dan guarding Ben in the bridal suite, to wait for the 3:10 train to Yuma.

Cool and cocky Ben toys with Dan and tries to bribe him with an offer of $400, raising it to $7000. In the street a funeral procession for Bill Moons, the dead stagecoach driver, passes below; but when Bill's angry brother Bob finds out that Ben Wade is being held upstairs, he interferes, nearly allowing Ben to escape and causing a gunshot that tips off Charlie Prince (Richard Jaeckel) of his boss's presence.

Butterfield rounds up five additional men, but they all defect when Ben's gang arrives. Charlie kills Alex and hangs his body up in the hotel. Scared of the sudden turn of events, Butterfield releases Dan from his obligation, but Dan won't renege on his pledge to get Ben to Yuma. Then Alice arrives, having driven a buckboard from the ranch. Dan turns aside her plea as well, saying, "I've got to, is all," explaining that if the town drunk could give his life, he can't very well walk away: "Maybe this'll be something worth remembering."

Filmed on the Warner Brothers Ranch in Burbank, CA; and in Old Tucson and Sedona, AZ.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in video and/or DVD format, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2007 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

Patrick Ivers can be reached via e-mail at .