Fred Zinnemann's High Noon

Some classic films you watch them and you think something along the lines of "wow that must have been great in 1954". This film is not in that category, it's a timeless classic that has not lost a bit of its sheen in 52 years.

High Noon is the story of sheriff Will Kane, played with style by Gary Cooper, and his struggle against the cold blooded Frank Miller. We enter upon his marriage a lovely young quaker girl Amy(Grace Kelly). Sheriff Kane is giving up his old life of violence to go open a store with his blushing bride. Just after sheriff Kane ceremoniously turns in his gun an badge a telegram arrives. Frank Miller, someone Sheriff Kane busted in the past is coming back to town on the noon train. Yikes trouble is a foot.

Its such an Archetype story you would expect this film to be generic and a little dim witted. But that is just the beginning. When the first act is over the film really takes off. It feels so unique and original, its rare in a western to see a story quite so hopeless as this one. Most older films you go in the confidence that the hero will win the day and everyone will be fine. But in this film all bets are off because it hasn't been playing by the rules for the last 40 minutes. I guess thats why John Wayne hated it so much.

Well he also hated it because he was a die hard conservative. This film functions as a brilliant parable about the era of McCarthyism(which John Wayne supported). Its writer Carl Foreman was blacklisted and never allowed back into Hollywood again. Here are two interesting facts; This is the favorite film of ex president Bill Clinton, and its the one film that has been screened the most times at the white house. This film has great technical execution, great characters, and a great message to boot! What more can you ask for?

This film can be summarized in one brilliant scene. Sheriff Kane walks out of his office with a pained, alone look on his face. He looks around at the empty streets as the camera rises up behind him to show just how alone in this battle he really is.

5/5 "A powerful classic with a message"