High Noon is a 1952 American Western film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Gary Cooper as Will Kane, a town marshal who must face a gang of killers alone when the gang leader arrives on the noon train to exact revenge on the marshal who sent him to prison.
The film is set in the small town of Hadleyville, New Mexico, in 1870. Kane is about to retire and leave town with his new bride, Amy Fowler (Grace Kelly), when he learns that Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald), a notorious outlaw whom Kane arrested years earlier, is returning on the noon train to seek revenge.
Kane is determined to stand up to Miller and his gang, even though he knows that he is outnumbered and outgunned. He seeks help from the townspeople, but they are all too afraid to stand with him. In the end, Kane must face Miller and his gang alone.
High Noon is a classic Western that explores themes of courage, duty, and the importance of standing up for what is right. It is also a meditation on the nature of heroism and the cost of moral integrity.
Plot summary:
- Will Kane, the town marshal of Hadleyville, New Mexico, is about to retire and leave town with his new bride, Amy Fowler.
- However, Kane learns that Frank Miller, a notorious outlaw whom he arrested years earlier, is returning on the noon train to seek revenge.
- Kane seeks help from the townspeople, but they are all too afraid to stand with him.
In the end, Kane must face Miller and his gang alone.
Themes of the film:
- Courage: Kane shows great courage in facing Miller and his gang alone, even though he knows that he is outnumbered and outgunned.
- Duty: Kane feels a sense of duty to protect the townspeople, even though they have abandoned him.
- Standing up for what is right: Kane believes that it is important to stand up for what is right, even when it is difficult.
- Heroism: Kane is a classic Western hero who is willing to sacrifice his own life for the greater good.
- Moral integrity: Kane is a man of moral integrity who is willing to stand up for his beliefs, even when it is unpopular.
Significance of the film:
High Noon is considered to be one of the greatest Western films ever made. It is a classic film that continues to be relevant today. The film's themes of courage, duty, and standing up for what is right are universal, and they continue to resonate with audiences of all ages.
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Cast
- Gary Cooper as Marshal Will Kane
- Thomas Mitchell as Mayor Jonas Henderson
- Lloyd Bridges as Deputy Marshal Harvey Pell
- Katy Jurado as Helen Ramírez
- Grace Kelly as Amy Fowler Kane
- Otto Kruger as Judge Percy Mettrick
- Lon Chaney Jr. as Martin Howe, the former marshal
- Harry Morgan as Sam Fuller
- Ian MacDonald as Frank Miller
- Eve McVeagh as Mildred Fuller
- Morgan Farley as Dr. Mahin, minister
- Harry Shannon as Cooper
- Lee Van Cleef as Jack Colby
- Robert J. Wilke as Jim Pierce
- Sheb Wooley as Ben Miller
Uncredited
- James Millican as Herb Baker
- Howland Chamberlain as the hotel desk clerk
- Tom London as Sam, Helen's attendant
- Cliff Clark as Ed Weaver, Helen's saloon tenant
- William Newell as Jimmy the Gimp
- Larry J. Blake as Gillis the saloon owner
- Lucien Prival as Joe the Bartender
- Jack Elam as Charlie, the town drunk
- John Doucette as Trumbull
- Tom Greenway as Ezra
- Dick Elliott as Kibbee
- Merrill McCormick as Fletcher
- Virginia Christine as Mrs. Simpson
- Harry Harvey as Coy
- Paul Dubov as Scott
Director: Fred Zinnemann
Writer: Carl Foreman
Box Office Gross: NA
Distributor: United Artists
Release Date: July 24, 1952