How something so slight could have such great effect completely baffled me. But the truth was that I was simply too young to grasp the essentials of rhythm and harmony, to dim to notice it was a rare real time film, to unobservant to detect the merciless clocks creeping into frame everywhere, the music thumping out the seconds heartbeat by heartbeat, stride by stride, relentlessly closing in on High Noon. I didn’t know anything about McCarthyism either. It only went to show that no quantity of callow ignorance can completely blunt the awesome power of a true masterpiece. Unfortunately, most of the other Ranch Night offerings provided no such excellence.
The theme song, "Do not forsake me oh my darling" (The Ballad of High Noon), sung by Rex Ritter, won the Oscar for best song. It occurs over the opening titles as the three outlaws gather and ride to town.
Lee Van Cleef as Colby. After several hundred bit parts, usually villains because of his snake-like appearance, Lee Van Cleef retired to Italy where Sergio Leone snapped him up to star with Clint Eastwood in "For a Few Dollars More." As a result, Van Cleef achieved ten years of stardom, something that had eluded him for three decades previously. Although, there was his remarkable cameo at the end of "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms", as the man who shot the monster.
Sheb Wooley as Ben Miller. Wooley was a support player in many films and the TV show "Rawhide", but what he was really famous for was writing and performing the 1958 hit record "The Purple People Eater". Later he toured the world with a C & W show called "Hootenanny Hoot".
From the end of the opening credits, when the trio hit town, both the film and the story have ninety minutes to run. They arrive at 11.40 am and are there to meet Frank Miller, just released from prison and coming on the Noon train. Whereby they plan to kill the Marshal who put Frank away, Marshal Will Kane.
Third baddie was played by Robert J Wilke, the man credited with appearing in more movies than anyone else, over 500 of them. Usually he was the first bad guy shot by the hero, and he never had a starring role, anywhere, ever. His biggest parts were as one of the tough sergeants in "From Here to Eternity'; he was the Roman soldier who sold "Spartacus" to Peter Ustinov; and was Capatin Nemo's first mate in the Disney "20,000 Leagues under the Sea" in which he said "Aye Aye Sir" a lot and otherwise loudly echoed James Mason's every order.
Right then, Kane (Gary Cooper) is marrying Quaker girl Amy (eighteen year-old Grace Kelly in her first role). Kane has promised to quit law enforcement and hang up his guns to please his pacifist wife.
Gary Cooper won another best actor Oscar for this role. Given that he was a rigid man with all the flexiblity of a lamp post, a face made of granite and a flat monotone voice, it is truly amazing that he was such a great actor. "He does it with his eyes," Grace said.
It's all best wishes and smiles from friends, Lon Chaney Jnr, Thomas Mitchell and Henry Morgan until word arrives that Miller is on his way.
Certainly the judge is getting out, and tells Kane he should too. It's a long time since Kane cleaned up the town, the old guys are all respectable now, and this is Kane's personal fight.
The couple make a run for it, but Kane can't go through with it. Amy threatens to leave him if he returns, but he goes back anyway.
The boys down the pub are all mates of the Miller's. No help to be had there.
Kane's deputy Harvey (Lloyd Bridges) is sulking because Kane says he's not ready to be promoted. Saloon owner Helen (Kane's former lover and now Harvey's) points out the difference between men and boys. She's played by Katy Jurado. But Harvey won't help unless Kane makes him Marshal and Kane refuses.
At the church (it is Sunday), Kane has plenty of support until Mayor Thomas Mitchell opens the matter to debate and, seeing things going against Kane, does a neat politicans' 180 degree swing, and tells him to leave town and presumably take his trouble with him.
Nice moment. The award winning theme is played throughout the film in many forms, as a march as Kane strides about the town; with violins for tender moments; at heartbeat tempo as suspence builds. At one stage, it is being played on a mouth organ. Cut to the station and it's Colby playing it. When Pierce snaps at him to cut it out, he stops and so does the theme music. Fast cuting between locations is another of the film's many innovations.
The former Sherrif (Lon Chaney Jnr) would love to help but his arthritic hands make that impossible. He too tells Kane to go.
Amy goes to Helen, hoping she can persuade Kane to give up. But Helen is having none of that. She knows that Miller will come after her too and has sold out her business and is packing up.
"Does the sound of the guns scare you so babdly?" she says to Amy, and "If he was my man, I'd get a gun go out there and fight along side him."
"Then do it," Amy pleads.
"He's not my man. He's yours."
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Kane's last remaining deputy is keen for the fight until he learns there is only the two of them. He resigns.
Harvey tries to force Kane to go and the two men fight under the hooves of the horses. Kane wins, but now he is bruised and battered to add to his woes. He goes to the barber to get his injures cleaned, but even he wants Kane out of town.
The faces are everything to the film. All over town, we cut from face to face of all of the characters as they watch the clock close in on Noon. Kane, writing his last will in his office, generates such tension that it is devastating when broken by the train whisle.
Kane's final gesture is to release the town drunk from his overnight cell. Jack Elam in an uncredited role.
Miller descends from the train. As the four gunmen prepare for the fight to come, Amy and Helen arrive at the station and board the train.
From ambush, Kane drops Ben Miller and the fight is on. It has been described as a desperate rat hunt through the backblocks of the town.
Kane lures Colby into a rash move and guns him down.
Kane watches as the four approach. One of the many scenes in the film that has become a cliche.
At the first gunshots, Amy rushes off the departing train and runs through the town, tracking her way toward the battle.
As Pierce creeps up on Kane, he is suddenly blasted in the back and falls, revealling Amy standing behind him with a gun. Such a scene has become almost mandatory in any action film, but it was done here first, and best. This gives her position away to Miller, who grabs her and tries to use her as a shield..
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But Amy fights back, giving Kane the clear shot he needs. The end of the film is played out wordlessly. As the townsfolk gather, he takes off his badge and throws it on the ground and then he and Amy ride off together.