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11 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
Yuma is excellent, 24 March 2006
10/10
Author: bear022013 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Anytime you see Yuma on television,tape it, because great westerns such as this one are not for sale.The magic of Clint Walker even on the small screen is thrilling and Barry Sullivan plays an excellent villain.Edgar Buchanan is involved in a really shocking scene.

Warner Brothers or whomever blew it when "the suits"did not use Mr.Walker on a broader basis in huge westerns.An American superstar is what you would have had in this gentleman.

Yes,i am a fan of good westerns and this film...I give it a 10. The color texture lends imagination to the scenery,splendid as it is filmed in heavenly Tucson,Arizona and possibly the westernly feel of Old Tucson,before it was turned into a tourist trap. You watch a film such as Yuma with real men,Morgan Woodward,Clint Walker and Barry Sullivan becoming their characters,real men of the 1870's,then you fast forward to kind of "girlie men"who are cast today and you just wonder,what happened?

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8 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
Not at all a bad TV Western, 18 July 2004
Author: skoyles from Calgary AB Canada

"Yuma" is hardly great art, nor even a great Western. It is a good TV Western, and a good TV mystery. The cast of stalwart TV regulars, a post-Cheyenne Clint Walker as well as the lovely Kathryn Hays (Gem of the odd Star Trek episode "The Empath" I believe)make for good viewing. Peter Mark Richman brings his unusual screen presence and the writing is rather good. Walker's character has a tragic back-story that supports his gritty determination. Morgan Woodward brings his usual strong Western presence (again a guest star from Star Trek). In many ways a cross between a fifties Western and a sixties mystery, "Yuma" is not at all a bad way to take a break from the challenges of everyday life in the 21st century. The kid is not all that irritating.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
"From what I hear, I'm gonna have to kill you.", 20 January 2008
7/10
Author: classicsoncall from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Here's a neat little TV Western that gets interesting following a fairly standard set up. A new Marshal arrives in town just in time to confront a pair of rowdy brothers and winds up killing one in self defense. Then he hears about how he'll have to pay once big brother hits town along with all of his trail hands. The hotel clerk (Kathryn Hays) even asks for her ten dollar room rent in advance, knowing that the life expectancy of a Yuma town marshal isn't all that great.

What made the story interesting for me was how a number of innovative elements were used that I haven't seen in a Western before. Like Marshal Dave Harmon (Clint Walker) using ketchup to fake a gunshot wound to a murder suspect from earlier in the story, when the perpetrator is already dead! The ruse is used to smoke out the partner who's still at large. And how about Harmon shooting the gun right out of Sanders' holster when he's slow to cooperate in answering the marshal's questions? The best is probably when the real villain masterminding the cattle resale scheme is uncovered by Harmon; how many times do you get to see Edgar Buchanan as the bad guy?!

Here's another one, and I thought I was hearing things, but when Harmon is surprised and surrounded by the Indian tribe the first time, the chief calls him 'Star Man' in deference to his marshal's badge. That just made perfect sense.

All in all, a quickly paced story with a good supporting cast including Barry Sullivan (bad guy), Morgan Woodward (bad guy), Robert Phillips (bad guy), and Peter Mark Richman as an Army major (thought he'd be a bad guy, but another twist to prevent the clichéd outcome). I'll also give the picture credit for not stereotyping the expected romantic angle to play out between Harmon and Julie Williams. There was a hint of that at the finale, but you can draw your own conclusions.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Clint cleans up the town., 13 July 2007
Author: Poseidon-3 from Cincinnati, OH

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Following his lengthy run on "Cheyenne", Walker found fairly steady work in a series of TV movies, usually of a western variety. In this one, he's a no-nonsense US marshal, fresh into the town of Yuma with instructions to sustain order. The previous marshals only lasted about a week apiece, but Walker is so confident that he pays his hotel bill in advance for a month. This is after, of course, he's already shot down one troublemaker mere moments after entering the town! Unfortunately, the man he shot is the younger brother of fat cat rancher Woodward who is ready to blow Walker away for it, especially after his other brother is mysteriously killed as well. However, there's much more going on towards complicating things. Someone is cheating the local Indians, led by chief Diaz, out of their treaty-arranged beef and this ties into Yuma's deep-seeded corruption. Walker, a towering hunk of a man whose voice alone would make anyone feel safe and warm, has a decent role to play here with several stand-offs in which he shows his determination and some more tender moments with spunky Mexican orphan Alejandro and pretty hotel owner Hays. The cast includes several well-known faces such as Sullivan as the owner of a freight carrier, Buchanan as the local porch-sitting gossip, Kerr as an Army lieutenant and Richman as his superior. Produced by Aaron Spelling, who was always quick to use pals from old Hollywood and directed with assurance by Post, it's a decent little western with a mild twist ending. Spelling crony Nolan Miller designed Hays' dresses. She would, soon after this, join the cast of "As the World Turns" and stay there until the present. The music is by Charles Duning who composed the theme for "The Big Valley" and that series' house servant, Whiting, appears here in a brief, but amusing cameo.

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2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Above average Western TV movie series pilot., 25 June 2007
Author: rixrex from United States

This was an obvious series pilot TV movie that wasn't picked up, most likely due to the fact that there were already Western series on TV and this one did not stand out as particularly unique in comparison. Plus TV westerns were on the way down, being replaced by cops and robbers action series, and such. As a TV movie, this is slightly above average than most, and entirely enjoyable and fairly fast-paced, especially if you like Clint Walker. The other actors are more than adequate for their parts, nothing awe-inspiring, and that's how it's supposed to be in these projects. Nobody shows up the lead. There is little on screen violence, as should be expected for a TV movie from 1971, and the "Indians" are once again pretty stereotypical, and reduced to welfare status as they wait for their dole of cattle from the Army. This part was probably pretty true. One thing that's nice is to see Edgar Buchanan as a weasel get taken down, like I wished he had been on the series Petticoat Junction, where he also played a weasel.

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Okay TV Western/Cop Movie, 30 August 2009
6/10
Author: FightingWesterner from The Lonesome Prairie

Yuma is passable enough entertainment but something directed by Ted Post (Hang 'Em High) and produced by Aaron Spelling (who made some of the best low budget TV movies of the seventies) should have been a bit better. This seems like a television pilot that never materialized into a series.

Clint Walker, the new Marshall of Yuma is forced to deal with the two brothers of a powerful cattleman, shooting one in self defense and jailing the other. Later, two mystery men break him out and shoot him in the back, framing Walker for the death and leading to a confrontation with the cattleman and the uncovering of a larger conspiracy.

Some familiar stars and a good bit of intrigue make this worth watching if not a must-see.

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Slightly Above-Average Clint Walker, Made-For-Television Western Showdown, 27 December 2007
6/10
Author: Van Roberts (zardoz@bellsouth.net) from Columbus, Ms

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Former "Rawhide" TV director Ted Post helmed the ABC Made-For-TV movie "Yuma" with Clint Walker between the time that he called the shots for Clint Eastwood in "Hang'em High" (1967) and the second "Dirty Harry" thriller "Magnum Force" (1973). Aaron Spelling of "Charlie's Angels" fame produced this standard-issue, law & order oater about a tough, deep-spoken lawman who tames the town. Undoubtedly, this movie was a pilot for a series that failed, despite its slick production values, good acting, and occasional bloodletting.

Dutiful David Harmon (Clint Walker of the "Cheyenne" TV series) finds his hands full the first sun-scorched day that he arrives in bustling Yuma, Arizona. The free-wheeling King Brothers steal an empty stagecoach from the depot, careen it onto Main Street, and turn it over, creating a nuisance and a hazard that Harmon refuses to tolerate. When our hero demands that Rol King (Bing Russell of "The Magnificent Seven") and Sam King (Bruce Glover of "Diamonds Are Forever") surrender their firearms in a local bar, Rol ignores Harmon's orders and starts shooting. Harmon lets Sam have both loads and the impact knocks the villain off the bar, down behind it and kills him. Rol survives the shoot-out, and Harmon lodges him in a cell in the marshal's office.

Harmon checks into a hotel room and flirts with the apparent owner, Julie Williams (pretty Kathryn Hays of "Ride Beyond Vengeance"), when he gives her a month's rent in advance. She points out that the last two marshals didn't last a week. Meanwhile, Harmon makes friends with a young, homeless Hispanic teenager, Andres (Miguel Alejandro of "Badge 373"), gives him money for new clothes, and allows him to sleep at the marshal's office. Two men awaken Andres—Captain White (John Kerr of "Tea & Sympathy) and Saunders (Robert Phillips of "Hour of the Gun")—spring Rol from captivity and then let him escape, only to drop him with a shotgun blast on the street where he dies. They flee the scene, and Harmon shows up too late to catch them. Local cattle buyer Nels Decker (Barry Sullivan of "Forty Guns") finds Harmon holding the shotgun that killed Rol and accuses the new lawman of the crime. As it turns out, Andres clears Harmon of any wrongdoing. All Andres can remember is that one of the men wore shiny boots. Harmon deduces that the 'shiny boots' belonged to a U.S. Cavalry officer. He rides out to the fort and demands to see fort commandant Major Lucas (Peter Mark Richman of "Pool Hal Junkies"), but Lucas' orderly explains that the commander has retired for the evening. Nonplussed, Harmon draws his revolver and fires enough shots in the air to rouse every soldier on the premises. Harmon gets his interview with Lucas about Captain White. Later, Harmon learns from the local reservation Indians that they are being cheated in regard to the amount of meat that the Indians require. Eventually, Sanders and Harmon cross paths again when the lawman catches the killer sneaking into his office. Harmon literally shoots the six-gun out of Sander's holster when the villain tries to double-talk his way out of an arrest charge.

Ted Post directs with competence and assurance. "Yuma" emerges as a neatly-made, but formulaic little western with enough twists and turns as well as a surprise ending that it ranks a notch above the usual "Gunsmoke" clone that it clearly was. The point of view shots during the opening scene when our hero rides into town are excellent. Clint Walker could walk sleep walk through this role. He gives his usual strong performance and his David Harmon differs significantly from the aimlessly drifting hero in "Cheyenne." Unlike Cheyenne who wore his six-shooter on his right hip, Harmon wears his Colt's .45 with the plow-handle turned backwards in a holster wore for an across-the-waist draw. Not surprisingly, violence is held to a minimum, since it was made for television. Harmon guns down Sam King in the opening scene and later he takes out both Sanders and Nels Decker. Barry Sullivan is adequate as scheming cattle buyer Nels Decker who cares not a whit what happens to the reservation Indians that he is cheating. Morgan Woodward is good as the elder King who wants vengeance. Edgar Buchanan is—as always—superb. Meantime, John Kerr is shamefully squandered in an inconsequential role as a corrupt cavalry officer.

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1 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Mediocre television Western regularly directed by Ted Post, 3 March 2009
5/10
Author: ma-cortes from Santander Spain

A sheriff named Harmon(Clint Walker) goes into a small town to impose peace and order .The picture deals an intrigue concerning livestock smuggling.Harmon confronts against corrupt owners,Indians and gunfighters.At the ending contains a little action and plot twists.

This mediocre and old-style TV western produced by Aaron Spelling is redeemed by its great stars and supporting cast. Good casting formed by Clint Walker(Dirty dozen), Western usual(Bounty man,None but the brave,Pancho Villa,White Buffalo),Barry Sullivan as mean proprietary of Decker's freighter company, Kathryn Hays as hotel's receptionist, Peter Mark Richman as colonel of cavalry, John Kerr as a captain, and Edgar Buchanan as deputy,he's an eternal secondary of uncountable Western.The movie was a pilot episode but its little success caused cancellation of series. Passable and some dull direction by Ted Post. He's a Western expert, in fact his best movie is still a Western called ¨The legend of Tom Rooley¨. Besides, he has directed Clint Eastwood many times , starting working on Eastwood's television Western series, ¨Rawhide¨. When Eastwood returned to America after his successful Sergio Leone movies , he called for Post who directed him in Western ¨Hang'Em high¨ and the second entry Dirty Harry pictures, ¨Magnum Force¨.Ted Post also directed acceptable Sci Fi(Beneath of the planet of apes,Harrard experiment) and horror movies(The Baby,Dr Cook's garden).

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2 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Ted Post's Yuma, 12 June 2002
3/10
Author: Charles Tatum

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.

Handsome 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.

Walker takes the other brother to jail. Walker also meets a "cute" homeless Mexican kid 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 Walker. Not good for your first twenty four hours on the job. Walker 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, Walker 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 Walker 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 all off on this 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 in other television movies. Much of the action is pretty lame, and the violence is tepid. The first brother killed gets a shotgun blast midtorso, and falls without a scratch on him. I did not expect "Reservoir Dogs," 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.

This is unrated, but contains physical violence and gun violence.

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