“3:10 to Yuma,” 29 September 2007, theater. The Hollywood Western is returning with a vengeance. Men die by the wagonload in this new take on an old Western starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, with fine performances by such warhorses as Peter Fonda. Bale, as Dan Evans, a rancher in financial trouble due to nefarious dealings by a local developer/rancher, agrees to help bring bank robber/murderer Ben Wade from Bisbee, Arizona to Yuma Prison for trial and, all assume, hanging. But the trek is not as easy as it seems for the charming, fast-gun, artistic Wade (he passes the times sketching) has a loyal gang of brutes and sociopaths (especially Ben Foster, brilliant as the total wacko Charlie Prince) who set out free their leader Gripping and well acted by all. A modern film that focuses on the similarities and differences between two men who, seemingly, share nothing in common. It’s not that simple, of course. Based originally on an Elmore Leonard short story. Leonard wrote the original screenplay for the 1957 film. See this one