Nick F
On first acquaintance, the movie Yuma appears to be a standard 1950s Western with a strong cast of experienced Western actors, fronted by Clint Walker. In fact, it was made as late as 1971 as a pilot episode for a possible TV series.
Even so, this stands up well as a traditional Western, with a fairly standard plot, a few twists and turns, and plenty of gun-play. Walker, already a star of the TV series Cheyenne, is a US marshal sent to clean up the unruly town of Yuma but within minutes of riding in, has to kill a gunman who has outlaw brothers who inevitably come looking for revenge.
However, there are also complications with a crooked army officer and a devious local businessman, so taciturn Walker is kept busy, helped by a young Mexican boy he has befriended. The film is well directed by reliable Theodore ‘Ted’ Post who three years earlier had directed the Clint Eastwood movie Hang ’Em High. Yuma isn’t in the same class, and Walker doesn’t have Eastwood’s charisma, but this is still a good traditional Western which should please most fans of the genre. Reviewed by NICK FLETCHER
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/02/25
Full Review
J S
The US like the UK were getting into the a new era with very popular US Western and UK British type Detective series, on both sides of the pond they found fame fortune and large audiences.
Yuma was is a good stock movie but certainly not two smoking barrels.
It's well worth the watch and imagine if you arrived home to find an new uncle called Clint sitting there you'd feel very happy and safe and know what respect is, just like the folk in this movie. Adds some great mini plots twists but wasn't going to BBO's or TC but is a good all round movie on it's own.
Ultimately which never gets a mention this genre gave so much to those who needed work a good living and for those actors who did same didn't break into the big time but then there's an odd one who pops up while using these vehicles on their paths to succeed.
Breaking Box Office...
Timeless Classic...
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/08/25
Full Review
Audience Member
Really good western here recommended James Welch, Henderson, Arkansas September 3, 2023
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
09/04/23
Full Review
Charles T
Aaron Spelling produced this made for television western that gets awfully plotty for a seventy three minute film. It plays like a probable failed series pilot.
Clint Walker is U.S. Marshal Dave Harmon, who wanders into Yuma, Arizona Territory in time to kill one of the brothers of the local bigwig rancher who is out on a trail drive. Harmon takes another brother to jail, and meets "cute" homeless kid Andres (Miguel Alejandro), who sleeps at the jailhouse. One night, Andres is snoozing when a villain and another man dressed in Army blue take the remaining brother into the street and kill him, pinning the murder on Harmon. Not good for your first twenty four hours on the job. Harmon visits the local Army fort, and rankles the chains of the commander. The bigwig hears of his brothers' deaths, and rides back to town in time to get his chains rankled as well. The local native population, who get short-changed by the Army on their beef, also get rankled in the chains area. With all these chains getting rankled, Harmon still has time to woo the local hotel owner. The Army guy involved in the murder ends up dead, the local cattle buyer is implicated, the Indians do a lot of hesitant speechifying, and the climax brings about an unlikely showdown as Harmon must prove to the town that the villainous cattle buyer had a boss, someone we have suspected as being too helpful all along.
There is a semi-subplot involving the death of Walker's family at the hands of Army raiders, and I think this would have been the force behind the series, had it been picked up. Instead, the film ends abruptly, and I kept waiting for scenes from next week's exciting episode. Because of the fade-outs for nonexistent commercial breaks, the pacing is off and its story jumps in fits.
Walker is handsome, rugged, and has a voice deeper than a well. The rest of the cast is full of television actors you have probably seen before. Much of the action is pretty lame, and the violence is tepid. The first brother killed gets a shotgun blast mid-torso, and falls without a scratch on him. I did not expect a Tarantino movie, but this is the wrong film to use to teach children about the evil of guns. Speaking of children, the Mexican kid here goes from "cute" to "aneurysm-inducing annoyance" very quickly. If you dislike westerns, then you will dislike "Yuma." If you like westerns, then you will still dislike "Yuma." I cannot recommend it.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
07/15/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Interesting, good old time Western movie
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/14/23
Full Review
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