High Noon

Sometimes, you have to stay and do your job. The film High Noon was released in 1952. I believe this film is masterfully done because of the talented actors, intense plot, and creative film techniques.

The main actors of the film include Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, Thomas Mitchell, Lloyd Bridges, and Katy Jurado. The director of the film is Fred Zinnemann, known for his thrillers of early filmmaking such as The Seventh Cross, Act of Violence, and The Day of the Jackal. Other films in his body of work include From Here to Eternity, A Man for All Seasons, and Oklahoma!. His choice of genres works for this film because it’s a thriller. This film won 4 Academy Awards for Best Actor, Best Film Editing, Best Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, and Best Original Song (https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1953). The entire movie is in black and white, which works because some films just look better in black and white than in color. Even though the use of color was an option for this film, I think the director’s choice was a good one.

The film is set in the old west. A marshall named Will Kane learns that Frank Miller, a criminal he sent to jail years earlier, is returning at high noon with 3 of his men to take revenge. Kane starts to leave town encouraged by the townspeople, but finds that he can’t run away from the situation. His wife Amy thinks he should leave, as does most of the town, with the added disadvantage that he can’t find anyone to help him as a deputy. He’s going to be standing alone against 4 criminals that want to kill him. Will Kane is a determined lawman, putting his life on the line to finish what he started. Even when the odds seem against him, he still acts bravely to confront his enemies. Amy is concerned about the situation and we see her want to avoid confrontation, even to the point where she’s willing to leave without her husband. There is also a woman named Helen Ramirez who has had a past with both Kane and Miller, and is the only person who understands why Kane refuses to flee. All these characters get us invested for the climax when Miller will arrive to take down Kane. This film includes the iconic scene where Kane stands alone in the middle of town at high noon waiting for Miller’s gang.

The film techniques involved with the movie include music, close up shots, and scenes without dialogue. Music is used to make us feel a certain mood during a scene. When we first see the criminals in the movie, there is tense music playing in the background to show that they’re bad, making us feel intense. There is also triumphant cowboy music playing as Kane decides not to leave the town, emphasizing his heroism to face his enemies rather than running from them, which is supposed to make us feel triumphant as well. The film also employs the use of close up shots to add depth to scenes. One scene is when Judge Percy Mettrick reminds Kane of a threat Miller made to him. There is a close up shot on a chair that the judge said Miller was sitting in, making the wait for Miller’s arrival more intense. Another instance is when Kane walks into a saloon to try to recruit deputies and there are close up shots on everyone’s faces. This technique adds to the uncomfortable realization that none of them will help him or even support him. Finally, there are some moments when no dialogue is spoken. One of these times is when the opening credits play and the film opens with no one speaking. Another time is when high noon is close and nobody speaks during this entire sequence to show that the time we’ve been worried about is almost here. The story is told in real time which also keeps the audience tense and invested in it. The 3 techniques succeed in the intention they have, which is to make the audience feel a certain mood depending on the scene.

The film, High Noon, is well done because of the director’s experience and powerful performances, exciting story, and the creative usage of film techniques. Overall, this is a classic western movie. I give this film 5 stars, as it’s a must see. If you like westerns with a thrilling story, I recommend you see it.