Today’s quick review: High Noon. On the day of his wedding, Marshal Will Kane (Gary Cooper), the man who cleaned up a lawless Western town, learns that Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald), the man he sent away for murder, has been pardoned and is coming back for revenge. Leaving his bride Amy (Grace Kelly) behind, he tries to recruit a posse from the citizens of the town, only to find himself abandoned and left to face Frank on his own.
High Noon is a classic Western drama about the last stand of an honest marshal. Will Kane has under two hours to get help before Frank Miller arrives on the noon train and meets up with three of his fellow killers, effectively signing Kane’s death sentence. With the clock ticking, Kane visits every friend, ex-marshal, and able-bodied man in town. But one by one they turn him down, unwilling to go up against Miller and his gang.
High Noon has an excellent sense of anticipation. The noon deadline is as simple as it is effective. Kane’s life is on a timer, and every refusal from the townsfolk wastes precious minutes and diminishes his chance of survival. The film has a knack for knowing when to use dialogue and when to remain silent. Every scene has a sense of impending doom, but High Noon never lays its tension on too thick or allows itself to become monotonous.
The premise allows High Noon to explore one of the darker sides of human nature. Marshal Will Kane is one of the most respected men in town and the sole reason it is safe to walk the streets. But in his hour of need, his friends and allies abandon him, whether due to cowardice, ambition, or old grievances. High Noon flays apart Kane’s accomplishments and shows just how ephemeral they are due when faced with other people’s weakness.
The lynchpin of the story is Kane himself. Gary Cooper delivers a subtle performance as a man too honorable for his own good. Rather than flee town with his wife, he chooses to make a stand. As his support evaporates and his relationships crumble, Kane quietly steels himself for the hour of his death. Kane is not an ostentatious hero. He is a calm and dependable man. But he faces the one thing he cannot fight: indifference.
High Noon is a classic of the genre that is well worth a watch for any of its fan. From a straightforward premise, High Noon spins an insightful tale about the quieter failings of human nature and bravery in the face of death. Its skillful storytelling and rich themes make it an excellent pick for a wide range of audiences, even those who are jaded by the Western formula. Give it a watch.
For another classic Western with themes of civic duty, check out The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. For a classic Western about a lawman and his few allies facing a superior force, try Rio Bravo or El Dorado. For a classic legal drama that has similar insight into human nature, try 12 Angry Men.
[8.0 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044706/). I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for carefully managed tension and conflict that goes deeper than the surface level.