High Noon

Will Kane (Gary Cooper), the longtime marshal of Hadleyville, New Mexico Territory, has just married pacifist Quaker Amy (Grace Kelly) and turned in his badge. Suddenly, the town learns that Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald) -- a criminal Kane brought to justice -- is due to arrive on the noon train. The townspeople refuse to back the sheriff up.

Apparently, this film was intended as an allegory in Hollywood for the failure of Hollywood people to stand up to the House Un-American Activities Committee during the Sen. Joseph McCarthy Red-baiting era. John Wayne actually called the film "un-American", and was still trashing it twenty years later, which is pretty much the highest honor you can receive.

It must have also bothered Howard Hawks, because the "chicken" sheriff led Hawks to make "Rio Bravo", which, surprise, had John Wayne. As an interesting side note, Cooper was conservative, too, but I guess not as much as Wayne or at least not as emotional about it.

The film is called "a western for people who don't like westerns". I can see the point on that, but I do not know how accurate it is. I liked it, and I do not normally like westerns, so I probably should not argue. But I think some westerns are enjoyable by non-western fans, such as "Unforgiven". So "High Noon" is certainly not alone.

I love that the film is in "real time", that its running time is the same length as the actual plot. The only way this could have been better would be to do it with one, continuous shot. However, I suspect they did not have the technology for this, and it would ruin the cinematography. (Hitchkock basically did this with "Rope" with some key edits, but it is much easier when the film happens in a single room.)

Oh, and there is Lloyd Bridges, so young here...

High Noon is for me one of the two finest Westerns ever made (the other is Shane). It is an elemental commentary on the best and worst of America, the best and worst of mankind. It is Greek tragedy and Shakespeare brought to the Old West in a grandly simple form. Gary Cooper is superb and the supporting cast is outstanding as well (although I wish Grace Kelley would have spoken without the artificial sounding school-girl accent, something which marred so many of her otherwise fine performances). I do not read into the film a commentary on events of the 1950s, specifically the ongoing investigations by Congress of left-wing activities. High Noon transcends such specifics as this. I know John Wayne called the film un-American but I must disagree. I have great respect for the Duke but think he got this one wrong. Weak, timid people are everywhere and the strong are often few and far between. Goodness and right often prevail because a small minority insure that they do. All benefit from the courage of the lonely hero whether they realize it or not. Hign Noon is a testimony to this truth.

This is the definitive Western. There are other excellent Westerns of course ("The Unforgiven," "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid," "The Searchers," "My Darling Clementine," and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" come immediately to mind), but none tops this one. Even though the difference in age between Gary Cooper and Grace Kelley makes the thought of their marriage seem a little kinky, it's easy to buy into the story. Katy Jurado is sexy, Lloyd Bridges is callow, and the townspeople mean well, but when push comes to shove, they reveal their cowardice. (If you remember the scene in "Blazing Saddles" in which Van Johnson says, "Howard Johnson is right," you'll almost certainly laugh at an inappropriate moment in "High Noon." ) "High Noon" is a textbook example of the storyteller's art. The drama begins with the opening credits and doesn't let up until everyone's true character has been laid bare. This one is suspenseful and thrilling, and I find more to admire with every viewing.

High Noon is one of the most loved films of all times thanks to the elements that came together to make it the classic that it is. The movie owes a lot to Fred Zinnemann for his tight account of this story by Carl Foreman. The film benefits from Dimitri Tiomkin's great score and the great cinematography by Floyd Crosby.

This is a film that packs a lot of symbolism because of the times when it was done. Those were the days of the communist hysteria where many people in the industry were accused, tried and lost jobs because when they faced the HUAC and Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Gary Cooper plays a man who is decent enough to return to the town where he just has gotten married and has finished his tour of duty. His conscience doesn't let him leave his post as he delays his plans and goes back to defend the town from the bandit who's been freed by Northern judges, and is coming back to seek revenge from Marshal Kane and the town.

Gary Cooper embodied the all Amercian hero. He was an actor who could do no wrong, as he proves in his take of Marshal Kane. We see him as the clock is ticking away toward noon time when the train will arrive in Hadleyville. We see him perspire as he goes around trying to get people help him deal with the problem, to no avail; he will have to do it himself. In the process, he clearly disappoints his new bride, who is horrified at the prospect of losing the man she clearly loves.

Grace Kelly was such an elegant figure that it's hard to imagine she would be in Hadleyville at all! Katy Jurado was also excellent as the jaded Helen Ramirez, the woman who owned a lot of businesses in town. Also effective, Thomas Mitchell, as the mayor of the town and Lloyd Bridges, as Harvey.

This is a film to treasure.

This Legendary , Simple , Powerful , Unforgettable picture tells the known story of Will Kane (Cooper) sheriff of a town standing against impossible odds , he has just married a young fiancée (Kelly) promising to leave his risked job and settle down for a peaceful existence . Just when they are about to leave , comes a vengeful gunman called Frank Miller (Ian McDonald) and henchmen (Lee Van Cleef) who Will Kane had sent to jail years earlier . Miller has sworn revenge and he will arrive in the solitary town at high noon. There Is Nothing Under The Sun Like The High Adventure Of "High Noon"! The story of a man who was too proud to run . When these hands point straight up...the excitement starts!

This classic western is plenty of suspense as the dreaded noon hour approaches and the protagonist realizes he must stand alone but his fellow town people for help , nobody is willing to help him . The narration is adjusted in real time , from the beginning , the wedding , until the final showdown and being approximately developed in ninety minutes as the many on-screen ticks clocks will check . While the filming the producer Carl Foreman is appointed for the Anti-US committee , being accused by communist activities and he then left the country as the starring Will Kane left Hadleyville . The motion picture contains an excellent cinematography by Floyd Crosby (Roger Corman's usual photographer) , though there is a horrible computer-colored version . The movie won Oscar , Academy Award , for the best actor Gary Cooper (his second Academy Award), Edition (Elmo Williams) and song (Ned Washington , Dimitri Tiomkin) , the famous : ¨Do not forsake me, Oh my darling¨ sung by singer Tex Ritter . Followed by a remake (1980) by Jerry Jameson with Lee Majors and David Carradine and another reboot (2000) by Rod Hardy with Tom Skerrit.