High Noon (1952)

High Noon (1952) **

United Artists
Director: Fred Zinnemann

This film is not exactly a western in the traditional sense. In fact, the first gun shot isn't fired until 8 minutes prior to the end. Gary Cooper plays marshal Will Kane who just hung up his guns to marry his Quaker wife (Grace Kelly). Immediately after though, he finds out that a local ruffian Frank Miller got pardoned from his murder sentence and is coming back to town to take his revenge on Kane. Miller's brother and two others (one played by a young Lee Van Cleef) show up to help Miller when his train pulls in. The bulk of the film involves Kane trying to get some help from the locals who are unwilling. Everyone thinks Kane should just leave and that will be the end of it but Kane thinks Miller's return will ruin all the progress the town has made to settle down. High Noon has become a very famous film (I suppose because of the line up) but I just don't see it. The basic premise could have been set in any time and place and lacks the true "spirit of the west" felt in so many of the westerns of this time. Many presidents apparently like to screen this film at the White House because of Kane's devotion to duty blah blah blah. Clinton screened it 17 times while in office. John Wayne called it "the most un-American thing I've ever seen in my whole life." Well I wouldn't go that far but if the Duke didn't like it I don't know what else there is to say... If you haven't seen Rio Bravo then watch that to see a true western sheriff movie but if you are looking for something different this may be for you!