Hollywood Movies

Peter Fonda Interview - 3:10 to Yuma

with Rebecca Murray

Lionsgate Films brought footage from the Western drama 3:10 to Yuma to the 2007 San Diego Comic Con as well as two of the film's stars: Peter Fonda & Ben Foster. Fonda never made it to San Diego for Ghost Rider, but he was happy to be there for 3:10.

Peter Fonda Photo - 3:10 to Yuma Movie Premiere Peter Fonda Photo Peter Fonda and James Mangold Photo - 3:10 to Yuma Movie Premiere Peter Fonda and James Mangold Photo Ben Foster, Peter Fonda Talk 3:10 to Yuma - Peter Fonda and Ben Foster on 3:10 to Yuma Movie Spider-Man 3 Comic Book Movie Review Director James Mangold Talks 3:10 to Yuma - James Mangold on 3:10 to Yuma and His Cast

Transcript: Peter Fonda Interview - 3:10 to Yuma

Rebecca Murray from About.com Hollywood Movies at the 2007 San Diego Comic Con.

Peter Fonda – 'Byron McElroy' in 3:10 to Yuma

What's the appeal of working on a Western and why are they back in vogue?

Peter Fonda: "Because they're such a great way of talking about us today, to couch it in historical terms or in science fiction terms. You can get away with so much more. And it's the mythology of America – the Western. And those who said, 'There's no more new frontiers,' I think Jim Mangold will tell you that's not true. And what he delivers in this film… Somebody said, 'Well, it's a remake.' I beg to differ. It's not a remake of 3:10 to Yuma. I think what happens is that Jim Mangold read Elmore Leonard's original story and saw, 'Yeah,' because the first one was bland. The story that Elmore wrote had full characters. So Jim takes this and makes a character-driven action film where the characters are very dynamic, extraordinarily dynamic."

So you can just toss the original film and go back to the original material if you're looking at this movie?

Peter Fonda: "You bet. Absolutely."

You said it's a very American thing, this Western, and yet we have Russell Crowe and Christian Bale as two of the lead actors. Does it matter?

Peter Fonda: "No, not at all. Good actors are good actors. In fact, we were talking about Westerns that are being shot out of Taiwan and China with people who aren't Western characters, but they're still making Westerns. So obviously other people see this as a great way to tell a story. It's a fabulous way. It's more interesting. It's more dynamic than just to try and capture it on the street because you get to take it to another level. And within that level you get to expand and look at characters under a microscope that wouldn't normally be available. It's like doing science fiction but science fiction goes ahead, [Westerns] make you look back. With a Western you get that same microscope looking back at the characters of today."

Who do you play?

Peter Fonda: "I play a bounty hunter that's been hired by the Pinkerton agency to protect their stagecoach deliveries of payrolls. And as a bounty hunter, I obviously had a history of chasing down Ben Wade – the Russell Crowe character – because we know each other. That has its own dynamics which is great."

Is it weird to be here for 3:10 to Yuma, at a Comic Con?

Peter Fonda: "Until I walked on that stage and felt that 6,000 people out there I felt, well, yeah, because they love movies. To me what's weird, why wasn't I here for Ghost Rider?"

Exactly. Why weren't you?

Peter Fonda: "I don't know."

Did they ask you?

Peter Fonda: "Nope. I went to New York and did the whole press tour there. But I should have come here."

You absolutely should have come here.

Peter Fonda: "I should have come here when Sleazy Rider - Easy Rider - made the cover of Mad Magazine. Now there's a comic book. Why wasn't I here for that one?"

Are you going to do another comic book movie?

Peter Fonda: "I don't know. Enough money, you bet. A good character and enough dough."