3:10 to Yuma NC

The differences between the 3:10 to Yuma films do not take away from the basic plot, but in certain ways they seem as if they are almost two different Westerns. The first film follows the common older Western pattern of having scattered moments of violence, having large buildups in plot development beforehand. The newer film follows the common Hollywood trend of today, packing as much violence and special effects as possible. Though the older film uses the scenery of the West in the hardboiled fashion, the colorful update uses similar settings, yet the focus remains on the characters and the action throughout the entire film. In short, the first seems like a common Western, but the new version is updated for the times and lacks certain elements of the older Westerns.

What truly separates them above all else is the idea of revisionism. Though both can be considered great films, the difference in endings shows that the new film breaks the traditional Western pattern. As revisionism deals with reality, Dan's death in the new film does not occur in the first film, giving the audience the shock of violence in the West. Although the action in the new film can be seen as taking away from the old Western mold, the direction and use of town scenery rather than the picturesque scenery of nature allows the conflicts to show the grit of the West in a way that the older films did not. It is arguable that more violence in the new film is more realistic, but the plot structure of the older film appears to be stronger.

In the last scene, with Dan dying and his son by his side, the audience sees in this moment as well as other moments throughout the films the humanity of the alpha male cowboy. The older films make audiences think that the alpha males are a step above the rest, almost superhuman. They do not have superpowers, but their codes, their excellent marksmanship, and their ability to endure and evoke strength in others makes them stand out in their towns. The respect seen between Dan and Wade shows friendship, brotherhood, and emotion; these ideas are not necessarily new but through revisionism they are brought out and emphasized.

The main differences between the alpha male characters between both films is the bond shared between them. The first films shows Dan and Wade as working together at times, but the impression of a bond is never delivered. The newer films portrays the bond they share as guardian and protected shows a developing relationship throughout the course of the film. Dan and Wade could never be considered equals in the first film, but the second film's action allows the audience to see the connection the characters share and their reactions to different hazardous situations. Dan's death brings the full meaning of this relationship to fruition, but the fact that Dan survives in the first film does not allow Wade's colors to show as in the second film, when he actually fires on his own gang. Revisionism, though producing more often than not darker films, produces reality, and the friendship shared by these characters in the second film exemplifies this.