High Noon (1952)

Directed by Fred Zimmerman

Based on the magazine story “The Tin Star” by John W. Cunningham

Adapted by Carl Foreman

Starring Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, Lloyd Bridges, and… Lee Van Cleef!!!

Plot:  A recently married Marshall can’t help but give in to the call of duty when three thugs come to town with their fearless leader en route, newly released from prison and out for revenge on the Marshall.

Review:  Knowing someone who holds this film dear to his heart (his top film of ALL time, or just the last 113-136 years), I’ve been meaning to watch this film for quite a while.  I’ve also been fairly excited for it; Gary Cooper stars, it’s a classic western, and it’s touted to be in real time.  With decently modest anticipation building, and a challenge from the ultimate fan that I would never watch it, I finally started the streaming process.

Right from the get-go, it wasn’t exactly what I expected.  The opening credits start with friendly enough western images of what appear to be friends gathering in the desert and riding off to some distant location.  All normal, except for the song (“The Ballad of High Noon”) which provides the true, ominous nature of the scene: these characters have no good intentions (Lee Van Cleef of The Good The Bad & The Ugly fame should be a clear giveaway).   We proceed to the wedding of Marshall Will Kane (Cooper), and the receiving end of news given about Frank Miller, a released convict the Marshall previously arrested, coming back to take back the town and ostensibly Kane’s life. 

From this moment on it is literally a race against the clock (an instrument we see displayed often) before the eponymous time when Miller returns to town.  We see this race in the form of Kane trying to gather other lawmen and townspeople together to defend the town, only finding apathy from most except for his new wife (who is against her husband because he is defending the town).  All other characters he has previous in-depth history with seem to either not care, or actually appear excited at his possible demise.

DRAW!

Everything leading up to the final (see: only) battle make this movie an excellent alternative to westerns, even in this modern age.  I can see how it is regarded as a “Western for people who don’t like Westerns”.  While it takes place in that familiar setting with basic archetypes present, it holds a uniquely tense atmosphere, not presenting any real action until the end (albeit a slightly anticlimactic end).  It also gives plenty of room for character development in its tight runtime (decent acting from all parties, including Grace Kelly in an early role), showing friends and enemies revealing true feelings and much more in the subtext, not only towards the Marshall but also each other during this trying time.  All of this takes place with the opening song peeking throughout its core, and with the beautifully stark cinematography matching the feelings of real heat and dire consequences in store for our protagonist. 

After reading it was meant to mirror Gary Cooper’s own battle with Hollywood and the House Un-American Activities Committee, my opinion slightly lifted (I always appreciated solid symbolism and allegory without being blatantly obvious).  However, I don’t need this knowledge to appreciate a film; most aspects except for the slightly abrupt ending make for a well-acted piece of western cinema that is taut, tense, and terrific.

"Even I know about the Pendleton Roundup "

Drink of choice: Pendelton's Whisky (even though its Canadian, the name Pendelton makes me think of rodeos due to the Pendelton Rodeo...making me think of Westerns...so there).