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High Noon 1952 directed by fred Zinnerman Starring gary cooper, Grace kelly, Lon Cheney jnr, Lloyd bridges
This Western classic opens with the famous cowboy song ‘Don’t Foresake me Oh My Darling’ sung by Tex Ritter
and in many ways it tells the same tale as the movie - how love can overcome anything but this is only a subplot of
a typican goodie and badddie tale set in a sleepy town that is about to be woken up again.
Marshall Kane played by Cooper is due to throw in his badge on the day he gets married but as he and his new wife
(Grace kelly) are about to leave he recieves a message that one Frank Miller has ben released from prison and is
on his way to the town. 3 of his gand are waiting at the railway station on the edge of town and Miller is wanting pay back
for the death sentence he received courtesy of The Judge and Kane. The train is due at Noon. So there we
have it - the rest of the movie builds the tension as time ticks away towards noon - Kane moral sense of justice and stubborness
dictates his staying to confront the impending gunfight and his new wife isn’t that sympathetic.
The film contrasts this goodness in Kane with the other side of human character - the cowardice, the fearful
the do nothings, and then there are the bullies and the macho men.
again I like recalling scenes to help you get a picture in your mind of the movie’s quality.
The first is Kane in the church listening to the congregation discussing the wrongs and rights of handing out justice
Second Kane with Howe ,the previous Marshall played by Lon Cheney Jnr when Howe talks about public apathy
towards law and Order and the politics involved and advises Kane to leave.
and third Kane ex lover describibg what love for a man means to kelly, Kane’s new wife.
Zinnerman directs the final scenes with precision - the music builds tension as the time draws near -
everyone is waiting - in the bar, in the church, at the station and the deserted streets, the empty rail track
Everything is ready for the main event - it’s amagical Hollywood moment
As for the gunfight - no spoilers - Just get to watch it - only 80 minutes but possibly the greatest
western of all time. Winner of 4 Oscars Cooper for Best actor This is No 92 in My Top 100 films of all time
This Western classic opens with the famous cowboy song ‘Don’t Foresake me Oh My Darling’ sung by Tex Ritter
and in many ways it tells the same tale as the movie - how love can overcome anything but this is only a subplot of
a typican goodie and badddie tale set in a sleepy town that is about to be woken up again.
Marshall Kane played by Cooper is due to throw in his badge on the day he gets married but as he and his new wife
(Grace kelly) are about to leave he recieves a message that one Frank Miller has ben released from prison and is
on his way to the town. 3 of his gand are waiting at the railway station on the edge of town and Miller is wanting pay back
for the death sentence he received courtesy of The Judge and Kane. The train is due at Noon. So there we
have it - the rest of the movie builds the tension as time ticks away towards noon - Kane moral sense of justice and stubborness
dictates his staying to confront the impending gunfight and his new wife isn’t that sympathetic.
The film contrasts this goodness in Kane with the other side of human character - the cowardice, the fearful
the do nothings, and then there are the bullies and the macho men.
again I like recalling scenes to help you get a picture in your mind of the movie’s quality.
The first is Kane in the church listening to the congregation discussing the wrongs and rights of handing out justice
Second Kane with Howe ,the previous Marshall played by Lon Cheney Jnr when Howe talks about public apathy
towards law and Order and the politics involved and advises Kane to leave.
and third Kane ex lover describibg what love for a man means to kelly, Kane’s new wife.
Zinnerman directs the final scenes with precision - the music builds tension as the time draws near -
everyone is waiting - in the bar, in the church, at the station and the deserted streets, the empty rail track
Everything is ready for the main event - it’s amagical Hollywood moment
As for the gunfight - no spoilers - Just get to watch it - only 80 minutes but possibly the greatest
western of all time. Winner of 4 Oscars Cooper for Best actor This is No 92 in My Top 100 films of all time
