High Noon

Made at a time when sprawling landscaped Technicolor shoot-em-up westerns were the norm, High Noon was filmed in high contrast black and white.

Much of the film`s tension and excitement is due to the fact that each desperate minute that passes on screen is virtually equal to real time heightened by ever closening shots of clocks as noon approaches.

Marshall Will Kane is played faultlessly by Gary Cooper in probably his finest role. Kane, afraid, yet courageous and dutiful to his friends and townsfolk finds that, in his hour of need, they turn their backs on him. Kane`s anguished face was not all acting because Gary Cooper was suffering from a bleeding ulcer during filming and was concerned over the fight scene with Lloyd Bridges because of back problems.

A film of loyalty and of betrayal in which Kane is torn between his new wife, Amy (Grace Kelly) and his duty when he tells her

Kane:They`re making me run. I`ve never run from anybody before.
Amy: I don`t understand any of this.
Kane: (looking at his vest watch) Well, I haven`t got time to tell ya.

Crucially, as time passes and tension builds, she speaks to Kane`s old flame, Helen Ramirez (played by Katy Jurado)

Helen: If Kane was my man, I`d never leave him like this. I`d get a gun. I`d fight.
Amy: Why don`t you?
Helen: He is not my man. He`s yours.

When Kane does win through, with, finally, Amy`s help, his so-called friends then rally round to congratulate him. With contempt he throws his star in the dust and drives off with Amy.

1952 was also `McCarthy` time. To some, unfortunately very influential people, High Noon was seen as `un-American`. Not long after writing the script, Carl Foreman was blacklisted. Listed too was Lloyd Bridges who didn`t work for a few years after and of course Floyd Crosby (after all he had filmed it!).

High Noon is not only one of the best westerns ever made but one of the finest films ever created. Beautiful photography, outstanding minimalistic direction and taught editing with a screenplay magnificently performed by a superb cast.

There can be few people who have not seen High Noon and even fewer who can recall the outstanding original theatrical print having viewed it only on VHS or as a tv broadcast.

This DVD has transferred the sparkling high contrast images seen on the original 35mm negative. The image and sound quality of this DVD breathes new life into a classic making it as fresh and thrilling as it ever was.

Robert C Graham (UK)


What to Do?   July 21, 2003
Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas)
15 out of 18 found this review helpful

In The Divine Comedy, Dante reserves the last and worst ring in hell for those who, in a moral crisis, preserve their neutrality. I thought about that when recently seeing this film again. In brief, here's the situation. Marshall Will Kane (Cooper) learns that Frank Miller has been released from prison and will arrive on the noon train when it stops in Hadleyville. Joined by others, Miller then intends to locate the marshall and kill him. For various reasons, everyone in town abandons Kane...including his newlywed wife Amy (Kelly) and his deputy Harvey Pell (Lloyd Bridges). Of course, Kane is tempted to leave with his new bride before noon and avoid Miller...but he doesn't. As high noon approaches, he finds himself alone and facing almost certain death. Cooper received and deserved his Academy Award for best actor. His performance in this film may well have been the best in his entire career. Especially effective use is made of the theme song "Do Not Forsake Me [The Ballad of High Noon]" co-written by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington (sung off-camera by Tex Ritter), the key component of Tiomkin's music score which received an Academy Award. The supporting cast is outstanding, notably Bridges, Katy Jurado (Helen Ramirez), and Lon Chaney, Jr. (Martin Howe). Working with Carl Foreman's screenplay, director Fred Zinnemann focuses on what was (more than 50 years ago) a very controversial idea: that otherwise good people would refuse to support their marshal when he and their town are threatened by cold-blooded killers. John Wayne was among those who called this film "Un-American." Several of the townspeople can be accused of cowardice but that is not true of Amy Kane, a pacifist whose principles require her to oppose her husband's decision to remain. The final scene in the street is unforgettable. Whatever we may think, today, of Kane's decision and of those who oppose it or who remain neutral, we can nonetheless agree that this film still attracts and then sustains our interest; also, that our sense of dramatic tension increases with each passing moment.


One of the Best Westerns ever. Gary Cooper wins 2nd Oscar!   July 10, 2001
forrie (Nashua, NH United States)
12 out of 14 found this review helpful

This Western is told in a real time, nail biting, how does it feel to be alone scenario. Digitally remastered the picture & sound are extrodinary to the story telling. Oscar winning opening song "Don't Forsake Me" sung by Tex Ritter sets the stage for the "Miller Gangs" return.

Will Cain (Cooper) on this his happiest day of his life having a wedding and retirement ceremony (from being the town Marshall) has his past suddenly become the challenge of a lifetime. Vengeful returning outlaws are seeking Cain.

Everyone wants him to go on his honeymoon and leave town immediately. His sense of loyalty & duty is to stay until the new Marshall arrives. Problem no one stands beside him to defend the town. Will Cain must do it alone.

What is so wonderful about this classic black & white western is the real-time scenario from about 10:40 am until 12:00pm "High Noon". Clocks & railroad tracks are the major ingredients to the suspense. These desparados are coming on the noon train.

This is a great movie and "The Making of High Noon" with Leonard Maltin is wonderful. You'll be watching this movie more than once. This is a western to have in your DVD library now!


Fantastic Cooper performance (spoiler warning)   February 22, 2002
Craig Clarke (New England)
11 out of 13 found this review helpful

Gary Cooper is terrific in this story of a man alone with his courage. Right after his marriage to his new wife, news comes that an old enemy of Will Kaneys (Cooper) is coming to town to settle an old score. So, instead of going on his honeymoon, Kane decides to stay in town, intending on getting help to defend against the man and his three goons.

But everyone turns him down, and the more people back out, the harder it is to get help. Even a man who had volunteered, upon finding there was no one else to assist, crawls back home to his wife and kids. Kane is left to defend the town alone against four men who mean for him to die. Not that you ever wonder if heyll triumph, but the film is very suspenseful when it comes time for the showdown.

This is presented in yreal timey and there are clocks all over town to let you know how long until yhigh noon.y The suspense builds as the minutes tick away.

Another problem Will has is that his new wife (Grace Kelly) is a converted Quaker, and is therefore against violence in any form; so she does not support his decision to stay and fight, hoping he will at last choose to leave with her.

Cooper is wonderful and deserved his Academy Award for this role, as he shows us the myriad emotions that a man deserted by his friends and faced with his imminent death experiences. In a probable first for a western, he even lays his head down and cries at one point in despair. And throughout the film he wears a mixed expression of worry, anger, and defiance.

My one beef with this film is the ending. There is all this drawn-out suspense building throughout the film and after the gunfight is over, the film ends too quickly. There is no chance for us to assimilate what has happened or to be relieved at its outcome. I felt jarred and wanted a bit of a tie-up with the events. We should have at least been able to see him ride off in the coach for a while before the yThe Endy jumped up at us.

So, I remove one star for the ending, but then add it back for Gary Cooperys amazing performance of a real human being, not a caricature of a western hero. A really excellent experience on the whole.


Do not forsake me, oh my Darling.   August 5, 2002
Timothy A. Womac (Calhoun, TN United States)
10 out of 13 found this review helpful

This a good western, but an even better movie.This movie is different from a John Wayne movie. The heroe admits he's afraid. There's no Elmer Bernstein orchestra blaring the credit, just Merle Travis playing the guitar, Cliffie Stone on bass, while Tex Ritters sings. There's none of the John Ford's great scenery. The west looks desolate in this movie. And little action. That's a warning to all teens who think that something has to blow up every few minutes.
This a Frank Capra western, except unlike "It's A Wonderful Life" where the friends come to rescue to hero, everyone forgets the heroe. The emphasis is placed on building suspense and great characterization. Sure they talk about what a good man he is, but noone wants to help except... It has a short documentary as an extra. It's a shame that an audio commentary couldn't be provided by the some living character actors. Also I wish they could have shown two scenes that were deleted from the film. Overall, the number #1 reason to buy this DVD, is for the movie itself with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly in her first major role. The score, the acting, the black and white color, the good vs. evil theme, the ticking clock, and the long shots of a lonely marshall by himself makes this a classic.