High Noon stands as tall today as it did a half a century ago.
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"Do not forsake me, Oh my darlin', On this our weddin' day-ee, ...." Tex Ritter, 1952.
The song became as popular as the movie. "High Noon" is one of those landmark films that stand out in memory for a whole lot of things, not the least of which is its hit theme song, the start of a trend that continues to this day. The film is done in almost documentary style in close to real time; it plays on the psychology of its characters and situations; it's an oater with insight and introspection; and it emphasizes thought over action. It is, in short, among Hollywood's first so-called "adult" Westerns, a winner of four Academy Awards (Best Actor, Editing, Music, and Song), and a classic in its field. To understate the subject, the movie makes a worthy and welcome addition to any DVD collection.
I don't suppose I need to tell you much about what happens leading up to the most famous showdown in movie history. The story begins at 10:35 on a Sunday morning. Gary Cooper plays marshal Will Kane, who is getting married and retiring his badge the same day. His wife, played by Grace Kelly in her first starring role, is a Quaker and making him give up his gun. But things aren't always so easy, because coming into town on the noon train is a convicted murderer, Frank Miller, just released from prison and sworn to get even with Kane, the man who put him away. Miller is joined by his brother and two old cronies, also bent on revenge. The marshal tries but cannot find anyone in town to help him out, including his own deputy. They're all afraid. So he must face Miller and his gang alone.
Cooper is superb as the closemouthed lawman. But the marshal is no hero. He readily admits he's afraid. He just has to do what a man has to do. He knows his responsibility is to stay and fight these evildoers. Besides, he knows if he runs, the villains will follow him. No one else understands his motives for sticking around, not even his new wife, who deserts him along with the others. It's the ultimate test of the mythic Code of the West: One man stands up for right against all odds, because it's the right thing to do.
Unforgettable images abound: The clocks, of course; the railroad tracks running straight into town; the cloudless sky and deserted streets; the stark black-and-white photography highlighting the ultimate fight between good and evil.
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