High Noon

Gary Cooper is Marshal Will Kane, who has just married the woman of his dreams, Grace Kelly, and is hanging up his badge to ride off into the sunset. Word comes through that a dangerous outlaw he put away years before is out, and out for revenge. He's headed to town on the noon train, and he'll have his murderous gang with him. But the new marshal hasn't arrived yet! Kane annoys his new wife by deciding to keep the badge one more day, face the outlaws and protect the town.

Suspense builds as the film unfolds in near real time and the clock ticks down to noon. And Kane finds the men of the town unwilling to stand with him. He is left alone to face the enemy, as the townspeople turn their backs out of fear. Themes of isolation and betrayal immerge.

Gary Cooper delivers a powerful performance as the embattled marshal, and Grace Kelly is also outstanding, as usual. The film's score, composed by Dimitri Tiomkin, is instantly recognizable. And the cinematography is top notch with care and detail in every frame.

The film's focus on character development and moral dilemma sets it apart from other Westerns. The plot was seen by many as watching Kane sulk about begging for help from a bunch of cowards unwilling to stand up. John Wayne called "High Noon" unamerican. We know what that meant in 1952...

"You risk your skin catching killers and the juries turn them loose so they can come back and shoot at you again. If you're honest you're poor your whole life and in the end you wind up dying all alone on some dirty street. For what? For nothing. For a tin star."