HIGH NOON (1952)

Country: U.S.A.

Genre(s): Drama / Western

Director: Fred Zinnemann

Cast: Gary Cooper / Grace Kelly / Thomas Mitchell

Plot
Newly married Old West Sheriff Will Kane learns that his long banished rivals, the Miller Gang, are returning to town and intend to kill him and take over the town.  Unable to escape his sense of duty, he decides to confront the gang but finds the townspeople unwilling to support him as time runs out.

What I Liked

More than anyone else, Gary Cooper is responsible for the true greatness of this movie with his captivating performance as Kane, the honor-bound sheriff who refuses to abandon his town only to find they have abandoned him.  The resulting astonishment and perplexity on Cooper's face is convincing.  Indeed, thanks to Cooper's portrayal, it is Kane's emotional turmoil that is the most moving aspect of the movie.

The supporting cast, from gorgeous Grace Kelly, to young Henry Morgan and even younger Lloyd Bridges and Lee Van Cleef, to veterans like Lon Chaney Jr. all also excel in their roles.  The acting overall is natural and often understated, helping to make this film more of a character-driven drama than a standard shoot-'em-up Western.

What I Didn't Like

The reputation of this movie preceded itself and I knew the basic plot years before I ever sat down to watch it.  I expected to feel a real sense of foreboding as noon (the time of the Miller Gang's impending arrival) drew closer but this never happened.  I was left disappointed when that feeling never really set in.

Nor did any real feel for the villains of the story.  Most of the Miller Gang are shown as predominantly silent (if nefarious) figures standing around at a train station, looking appropriately dastardly as they wait on their leader, Frank.  When Frank finally shows, the final action sequence kicks in and the film draws to its predictable conclusion.  I'm left wondering what about this Frank character was so evil that his name alone could keep an entire town hostage.

Most Memorable Scene:

Although it is the human drama which sets this film apart from most westerns of the period, the final minutes of the movie feature some tense action.  My personal favorite occurs when Kane ducks into a barn as two of his rivals wait outside and try to figure a way to catch him.  The cat-and-mouse use of strategy and cunning here is a more intriguing alternative to the standard Western showdown.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5