3:10 to Yuma

by James Mangold (Director), Gretchen Mol (starring) Mangold, James (director); Elmore Leonard (short story), Halsted Welles, Mic, Elmore Leonard

One of the best know short stories of all time. Three-Ten to Yuma by Elmore Leonard was first published in 1953 in Dime Western Magazine.

Deputy Marshal Paul Scallen is escorting a dangerous criminal, Jim Kidd, first to a hotel in the town of Contention, and then to the station to catch the train to Yuma, Arizona where he will begin a prison sentence for murder. Scallen has tried every kind of ruse to minimize the chances that Kidd's friends will be able to help him escape. But his efforts don't work and now Scallen must face them.

The story has twice been made into a movie - in 1957 and 2007.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1953

About the author

James Mangold is an acclaimed American film director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his versatility across genres. He made his directorial debut with Heavy in 1995 and quickly gained recognition with Cop Land (1997) and Girl, Interrupted (1999). His work often blends strong character development with rich storytelling, as seen in later films like Identity (2003), the Oscar-winning Walk the Line (2005), and the Western 3:10 to Yuma (2007).
Born in New York City, Mangold grew up in Washingtonville, New York, and is the son of artists Robert Mangold and Sylvia Plimack Mangold. He studied at the California Institute of the Arts, where he was mentored by Alexander Mackendrick, and later earned his MFA in film at Columbia University under Miloš Forman’s guidance. Early in his career, he worked at Disney, co-writing Oliver & Company.
Mangold’s success continued with Walk the Line, which earned five Academy Award nominations, including a Best Actress win for Reese Witherspoon. He later directed The Wolverine (2013) and Logan (2017), both starring Hugh Jackman. Logan became a landmark in the superhero genre, praised for its emotional depth and realism, and earned Mangold his first Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.
In 2019, Mangold directed Ford v Ferrari, starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Mangold’s ability to combine dynamic storytelling with human drama was widely recognized.
In 2023, he directed Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, taking over from Steven Spielberg for the franchise’s final chapter. He also directed and co-wrote A Complete Unknown, a Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet. The film earned Mangold his first nominations for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Director at the Academy Awards.
Looking ahead, Mangold is set to direct a Swamp Thing film for the newly rebooted DC Universe and a Star Wars film exploring the origins of The Force. He has expressed a preference for storytelling grounded in emotional truth, steering away from multiverse narratives and franchise overexpansion, which he believes can dilute storytelling's emotional core.
Mangold's directing style focuses on finding a personal and emotional center in each project, whether adapting a real-life story or a popular franchise. He believes that changing genres keeps his work fresh and allows lessons learned in one style to influence another. His films often feature strong, nuanced characters navigating complex worlds, blending genre conventions with a deeper, emotional resonance.
Throughout his career, Mangold has demonstrated a remarkable ability to move between independent films, large-scale franchises, and biopics without losing his distinctive voice. His ongoing projects and past achievements cement his place as one of the most dynamic and respected filmmakers of his generation.

Reviews

[Jack Heath · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars. Elmore Leonard is one great writer. He wrote the original story. As a reader I felt tense and anxious - more than once wanting to flip to the last page to see if Deputy Marshal Paul Scallen remains alive. I was not just holding a book but was in the hotel with him as he was being shot at. No wonder this has a reputation as one of the greatest short story ever written and Leonard as among the best authors of mysteries and thrillers of all time. Some of his crime and western novels and stories have been adapted for the screen. This one was made twice into a movie. My review is for the short story with Leonard's character names. It opens with Scallen riding into the small town of Contention. He's escorting a prisoner he picked up from an army base; his task is to transport Jim Kidd to jail in Yuma, Arizona. Part on horseback, and the rest on a train leaving town at 3:10pm. He has a shotgun trained on the prisoner's back and, at one point, tells him, "[If I shoot] Jim, I'll cut you in half!" Scallen gets ambushed twice and his survival is very much in doubt. It may take place in the Old West but it's a thriller right out of the 2020s. (De2024/Se2025)

[Cindy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read book and saw movie — book wins! ❤️😊
Don’t remember the time I first read this. Still a worthwhile read.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

An eighteen-page story that could’ve been easily pulled to a 350 page novel. This story almost brings before your eyes the ambiguous nature of the law during the time of the Wild West. Loaded with insinuation and layers of meaning this story reads like a potboiler. And once you’ve finished your read you feel like using an expletive or two for the author, for not having pulled it by 18 pages more. Give it a try.