3:10 to Yuma

Don't read this if you want to watch the movie.This remake has an AFC theme. Christian Bale just takes it when the local railroad guy bullies him. Desperate for $100 to pay for his pitiful lifestyle, he agrees to transport Russell Crowe, the baddie, to the train station.

Later when he is deserted by everyone else he makes a pact with the Pinkerton's man to proceed with the job without any help against a whole town of gunman. (He knows that he won't make it, but he wants to leave some money for his family and is too embarrassed that his son might find out that his leg which is crippled, got shot by friendly fire, not open combat, in the Civil war.

Russell Crowe the DJ takes pity on him by actually cooperating to go to the train station under a hail of lead, so that he can get the reward money. After his gang members shoot Bale , he proceeds to shoot them, even though they rescued him. Crowe is polite to everyone, though he murders several people who irritate him.

Bale embraces the full AFC belief system, that getting money for your wife and kids is more important than remaining alive for them, and getting killed is an appropriate career path for a man. And that the best way to raise a kid is to get killed for money and to show him that you are not a "coward".

it's been a since i've seen it but
i think the movie went a little over your head.

1) $100 in those days was HUGE!!!!
2) Men in those days supported their family - because women and children ware helpless in those days. Women would end up in a whoooore house before she would be able to work the fields. In another words, if you couldn't take care of your family - you might as well die and take them all with you. You have to consider the times they ware living in.
3) it takes currage to stand up for what you belive in....He didn't do it just for money, he wanted to teach his son about something he never did before. Even if he was a coward in the war, he stud up and changed that.

Personaly i wouldn't choose that actor for the part of dan, but i think the movie was good.

They could have taken the money and left their property, but Dan Evan's younger asthmatic child needed the dry air to survive. So they were faced with a choice of money (modestly rich as oppose to poor) or their youngest son.

I interpreted it as sticking by your guns (pun not intended) and not caving in. Yea Dan was a insecure weak guy, but I think that was the point. He was slowly developing and rebuilding his confidence and honor. In turn, by rebuilding himself, he was trying to inspire something out of his older son. Sticking by what he said he would do, and not giving into self pity.

Dan knew Ben escaped from Yuma twice. Dan knew Ben would pay him the same reward money (and more) if he let him go, despite the odds being against him. But he didn't relent.

Both characters had their flaws and were trying to take something they admired from each other. Ben for a better code of ethics, and to be a more honorable guy. And Dan to be a more honest and confident in his own skin. Yea Ben was considered a "bad guy" but he didn't try to hide it, he wore it on his sleeves, and Dan admired Ben for being so genuine, instead of hiding in shame like himself. With Ben, he did not have a father figure, and sort of saw Dan as the father figure he didn't have - one who didn't abandon his son, and one who maintains a strong internal code to live by.

That's why Wade got pissed when his posse shot and killed Dan.