Johnny Guitar is one I haven't and should make attempts to see, and, hopefully will.
3:10 to Yuma's 2007 remake made my list at #14:
3:10 To Yuma
"Even bad men love their mama."
A true western in it's very essence and a definitive must see for Western fans looking to venture into movies made within the past decade or so. The story is originally written by Elmore Leonard, a favorite writer of mine, and a remake of the 1957 version with Glenn Ford and Van Heflin (and at the time of this review from the 16th HoF, I had only a very vague memory of possibly seeing this as a very young pup with zero recollection of the film itself) so I was unable to confirm how close to the novel or original movie it came, but I did know, on it's own merits, I rate it very highly.
Leonard's characters are rarely, strictly good OR evil. They are human. And we see this and, in any good Western, we see a deeper message of honor, and doing what needs to be done, to the very end.
Ben Wade, played with roguish style by Russell Crowe is caught after committing a violent stagecoach robbery of Railroad funds.
To get him to the town of Contention and the train to jail in Yuma, Dan Evans, a nearly broken rancher/farmer, played with a believable mixture of humility and nobility (which ain't easy) of a simple man trying to provide for his family against odds determined to make him fail; is willing to come along for the price of paying off past debts to make it happen.
Along with some minor roles done wonderfully by Peter Fonda and Alan Tudyk, who also go to make sure that Crowe's character makes his train, a favorite scene-stealer, for me, is---
Ben Foster playing Crowe's #2 man, Charlie Prince with such a dangerous serenity in a VERY sharp coat. I simply f@ckin love his character.
As previously stated, this is reminiscent of the Old School Westerns and the Codes that rang true for them, sans any naivety, along with some great shoot outs and action scenes, there are some truly excellent dialogue throughout this film. As I say, a must see for Western fans and a very worthwhile film for those that are not, so much.
Of course, now, having finally watched the original, I wrote a small
comparison of the two when reviewing the original in this Countdown. Posing the question: Which of these two WOULD I have put on my List IF I saw both beforehand.
And I gotta tell ya, I am utterly split. Which is a bit of a rarity when it comes to originals and remakes. Finding one or the other superior, or, by how entertained I was overall by a given version.
None of that works, since I find them of equal merit with the original being a more "meat and potatoes" when it comes to the story, the remake a more grander/flashier extended version of the story. So that doesn't work.
And when it comes to entertaining, well, I can easily sit and watch either version now, and enjoy THAT version for its own merit and be satisfied. Shooting that criteria down the pooper.
Knowing full well I couldn't put both with countless others being pushed aside, in the end, I would have gone with assisting the one I would have guessed had lesser votes, (the original) since no other avenue allowed me to distinguish which of the two was a preference for me. With the likelihood of it staying in the exact same position of #14. Bringing the original up 3 positions with the additional 12 points in the countdown while keeping the remake in the same position. The loss of the 12 points making no difference in its position.
Movies Watched 48 out of 72 (66.67%)
John Wayne Films: Two
Clint Eastwood Films: One
MY LIST
1.
2. Open Range (#2)
3.
4.
5.
6. Ride The High Country (#63)
7. The Proposition (#46)
8.
9.
10. The Cowboys (#50)
11. The Grey Fox (#66)
12. The Great Silence (#34)
13. The Gunfighter (#40)
14. 3:10 To Yuma '07 (#29)
15.
16.
17.
18.
19. The Quick & The Dead (#42)
20. High Plains Drifter (#31)
21.
22.
23.
24. Red River (#56)
25.
Rectification List (for my own old decrepit noodle)
1. Warlock (#94)
2. Naked Spur (#86)
3. The Great Train Robbery (#60)
4. Winchester '73 (#53)
5. 3:10 To Yuma ['57] (#48)
6. Jeremiah Johnson (#37)
Reply to Topic
), Ben Foster was the one who blew me away. Crowe and the others, including Christian Bale who I normally can’t stand, are all very good, but Foster is nothing short of amazing as Crowe’s second in command, Charlie Prince. 
