High Noon (1952)
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A town marshal must decide whether to face a gang of killers alone or flee with his new wife as a deadline approaches.
The story
In the New Mexico Territory, Marshal Will Kane is preparing to retire and leave town with his new wife, Amy. However, the arrival of a notorious outlaw, Frank Miller, who was recently released from prison, threatens their plans. Miller's gang is set to arrive by the noon train, and Kane is warned that the outlaw seeks revenge. As the clock ticks toward noon, Kane must navigate the fact that his friends, neighbors, and even his deputy are unwilling to stand by him. The film unfolds in real-time, building tension as Kane faces the moral and physical dilemma of standing alone against a violent gang of outlaws.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Marshal Will Kane is preparing to leave Hadleyville with his new wife, Amy, but the release of a violent outlaw, Frank Miller, forces him to stay. Miller's gang arrives by the noon train, and Kane is warned of their intent for revenge. As the deadline approaches, Kane seeks help from the community, but his friends, the local judge, and his deputy all refuse to assist him, fearing for their safety or their reputations. Amidst this isolation, Amy—a pacifist—is told by a former lover of Kane's that she must decide whether to stay or leave. During the final confrontation, the train arrives and the women depart. Kane faces the gang alone on the main street. He manages to kill some members, but is eventually cornered. Amy returns to the scene and, despite her beliefs, shoots one of the remaining outlaws. In the final struggle, she and Kane face Frank Miller together. After Miller is defeated, the couple embraces as the townspeople emerge in stunned silence. Kane drops his badge and leaves with Amy.
- First release year
- 1952
- Runtime (minutes)
- 85
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Fred Zinnemann
- Writers
- Carl Foreman · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Gary Cooper · Marshal Will Kane; Grace Kelly · Amy Fowler Kane; Thomas Mitchell; Lloyd Bridges; Katy Jurado; Otto Kruger
- Genres
- Western; Drama
- Themes
- Duty; Isolation; Moral Conflict; Conscience
- Tone and mood
- Tense; Dramatic
- Premise and plot tags
- Western; Revisionist Western; Real-time
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews initially due to its focus on moral conflict rather than typical Western action, but it became a commercial success and is now regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, even being selected for the National Film Registry.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 94% · scale: percentage · review count: 90
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Actor · Win
- Production trivia
- John Wayne was offered the lead role but refused it because he viewed the film as an allegory against blacklisting.; The film was selected for the National Film Registry in 1989.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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