History Film / HighNoon

Additionally, ''High Noon'' "inspired" ''Film/SilverLode'', ''Film/RioBravo'', and ''Film/{{Outland}}''; see RecycledInSpace for more.

Fred Zinnemann's ''High Noon'' (1952) is one of the most famous [[TheWestern Western]] films ever released, in spite of -- or perhaps because of -- the fact that it [[AvertedTrope averts]] and even [[SubvertedTrope subverts]] many of the genre's conventions; in some ways it's really a gentle {{deconstruction}} of the Western, depicting a hero mired in moral complexities rather than the simple, black-and-white clash between "good guy" and "bad guy" traditional to the genre.

* OffstageVillainy: Frank Miller for most of the film. Kane threw him in prison for unspecified charges before the start of the film, but Miller gets pardoned and decides to take revenge on Kane. Kane runs around town insisting that Miller is a menace to them all, but people refuse to stand with him. Some even sympathize with Miller and insist that Kane is trying to drag them into a personal feud. When Miller finally arrives, he sports some evil scars to prove his villainy, but he still doesn't do anything except go after Kane and take Amy hostage.

* RightBehindMe: The bartender at the saloon is confidently predicting that Frank Miller will kill Kane within five minutes of his arrival, when Kane shows up behind him.

* {{Undertaker}}: On hearing Kane is going to stay and fight Frank Miller, a store owner eagerly tells his carpenter to start making up several coffins, as no matter who wins there will be a demand. He's embarrassed when Kane comes round as the carpenter is banging away in the back, and discretely tries to get him to stop. Kane is unimpressed, and sarcastically says he'll leave them to get on with their coffin-making.

-->'''Helen''': Un año sin verte. (One year without seeing you.)
-->'''Kane''': Si, lo sé. (Yes, I know.)

-->'''Helen''': I don't understand you. No matter what you say. If Kane was my man, I'd never leave him like this. I'd get a gun. I'd fight. \\
'''Amy''': Why don't you? \\
'''Helen''': [beat] He is not my man. He's yours.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_1129.JPG]]

''High Noon'' was nominated for seven UsefulNotes/{{Academy Award}}s, winning for Best Actor (Cooper), Editing (Elmo Williams and Harry Gerstad), Original Score (Dimitri Tiomkin), and Original Song (Tiomkin and Ned Washington). It is also notable as the film most requested for viewing by [[UsefulNotes/ThePresidents the U.S. Presidents]]. UsefulNotes/BillClinton named it his favorite (allegedly having it screened in the White House a record 17 times), and UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan and UsefulNotes/DwightDEisenhower were also big fans.

* UngratefulTownsfolk: Marshal Kane is trying to save the town from a gang of criminals and the rest of the ungrateful townspeople don't lift a finger to help him. In fact, some support the gang being allowed to run the town.[[note]]Namely, the manager of the hotel, who tells Amy straight-up that he made more money when the town was a WretchedHive dominated by the Millers. The drinkers in the saloon also aren't all that upset about Miller showing up.[[/note]] At the end, after beating Miller and his gang, Kane throws down his badge and walks away without a word.

* ExtremelyShortTimespan: The story plays out in {{real time}} and takes place between 10:35 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. There are clocks in almost every room, constantly keeping track.

* ExtremelyShortTimespan: The film is in real-time and takes place between 10:35 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. There are clocks in almost every room, constantly keeping track.

Creator/LloydBridges (father of [[Creator/JeffBridges Jeff]] and [[Creator/BeauBridges Beau]]) plays Kane's callow deputy. Creator/ThomasMitchell is the cynical mayor of Hadleyville. Creator/LonChaneyJr is the town's arthritic former marshal. Creator/HarryMorgan, who would later become a TV star on ''Series/{{Dragnet}}'' and ''Series/{{MASH}}'', is a cowardly townsman. A young Creator/LeeVanCleef (doing what he did best, i.e., playing villains in Westerns) appears as one of Miller's henchmen. And Ian [=MacDonald=] plays Frank Miller.

Creator/LloydBridges, father of [[Creator/JeffBridges Jeff]] and [[Creator/BeauBridges Beau]], plays Kane's callow deputy. Creator/ThomasMitchell is the cynical mayor of Hadleyville. Creator/LonChaneyJr is the town's arthritic former marshal. Creator/HarryMorgan, who would later become a TV star on ''Series/{{Dragnet}}'' and ''Series/{{MASH}}'', is a cowardly townsman. A young Creator/LeeVanCleef (doing what he did best, i.e., playing villains in Westerns) appears as one of Miller's henchmen. And Ian [=MacDonald=] plays Frank Miller.

Creator/LloydBridges, father of [[Creator/JeffBridges Jeff]] and [[Creator/BeauBridges Beau]], plays Kane's callow deputy. Creator/ThomasMitchell is the cynical mayor of Hadleyville. Creator/LonChaneyJr is the town's arthritic former marshal. Creator/HarryMorgan, who would later become a TV star on ''Series/{{Dragnet}}'' and ''Series/{{MASH}}'', is a cowardly townsman. A young Creator/LeeVanCleef does what he did best, play villains in Westerns; he's one of Miller's henchmen. And Ian [=MacDonald=] plays Frank Miller.

Creator/LloydBridges, father of [[Creator/JeffBridges Jeff]] and [[Creator/BeauBridges Beau]], plays Kane's callow deputy. Creator/ThomasMitchell is the cynical mayor of Hadleyville. Creator/LonChaneyJr is the town's arthritic former marshal. Creator/HarryMorgan, who would later become a TV star on ''Series/{{Dragnet}}'' and ''Series/{{MASH}}'', is a cowardly townsman. A young Creator/LeeVanCleef did what he did best, play villains in Westerns (he's one of Miller's henchmen). And Ian [=MacDonald=] plays Frank Miller.

Creator/LloydBridges (father of [[Creator/JeffBridges Jeff]] and [[Creator/BeauBridges Beau]]) plays Kane's callow deputy. Creator/ThomasMitchell is the cynical mayor of Hadleyville. Creator/LonChaneyJr is the town's arthritic former marshal. Creator/HarryMorgan, who would later become a TV star on ''Series/{{Dragnet}}'' and ''Series/{{MASH}}'', is a cowardly townsman. A young Creator/LeeVanCleef did what he did best, play villains in Westerns (he's one of Miller's henchmen). And Ian [=MacDonald=] plays Frank Miller.

Creator/LloydBridges (father of [[Creator/JeffBridges Jeff]] and Beau) plays Kane's callow deputy. Creator/ThomasMitchell is the cynical mayor of Hadleyville. Creator/LonChaneyJr is the town's arthritic former marshal. Creator/HarryMorgan, who would later become a TV star on ''Series/{{Dragnet}}'' and ''Series/{{MASH}}'', is a cowardly townsman. A young Creator/LeeVanCleef did what he did best, play villains in Westerns (he's one of Miller's henchmen). And Ian [=MacDonald=] plays Frank Miller.

The actual plot ''is'' rather simple: Will Kane (Creator/GaryCooper), the town [[USMarshal marshal]] of Hadleyville, New Mexico, is planning to retire and live happily with his new wife Amy (Creator/GraceKelly), [[{{Retirony}} two sure signs of impending doom]]. On his last day the whole town learns that Frank Miller (no, not [[Creator/FrankMiller that one]]), a criminal Will had sent to prison some years earlier, has been released and will be arriving on the noon train with his gang, looking for {{revenge}}. Will seeks support from the townsfolk, but none of them will stand with him, not even his deputy. Amy, a pacifist, urges him to leave, but he refuses, choosing to fight Frank alone.

* SparedByTheAdaptation: In the original short story, ''The Tin Star'', Kane's counterpart Doane is killed in the final shootout. He makes it out alive here.

The screenplay was written by Carl Foreman, while he was under investigation by the House Un-American Activities Committee (and subsequently [[UsefulNotes/TheHollywoodBlacklist blacklisted]] in Hollywood) during the early-'50s RedScare. The film has been interpreted by many as a parable about U.S. society in general, and U.S. intellectuals in particular, abandoning those summoned to appear before the committee.

Additionally, ''High Noon'' "inspired" ''Film/SilverLode'', ''Film/RioBravo'' and ''Film/{{Outland}}''; see RecycledInSpace for more.

* ExpositoryThemeTune: "The Ballad of High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, O My Darlin')", written by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington and performed by Tex Ritter, lays out the hero's motivation and objectives while appealing to his wife to stay with him in spite of what he's about to face. Despite the line "look at that big hand move along nearin' high noon," it's more expository than a TitleThemeTune. (Both Ritter and Frankie Lane had hit recordings of the song.)

* TheDreaded: Frank Miller and his gang.

* ExpositoryThemeTune: The theme by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington lays out the hero's motivation and objectives while appealing to his wife to stay with him in spite of what he's about to face. Despite the line "look at that big hand move along nearin' high noon," it's more expository than a TitleThemeTune.

Creator/LloydBridges (father of [[Creator/JeffBridges Jeff]] and Beau) plays Kane's callow deputy. Creator/ThomasMitchell is the cynical mayor of the town. Creator/HarryMorgan, who would later become a TV star on ''Series/{{Dragnet}}'' and ''Series/{{MASH}}'', is a cowardly townsman. A young Creator/LeeVanCleef did what he did best, play villains in Westerns (he's one of Miller's henchmen).

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Miller's thug Pierce is welcomed as a hero by the saloon rats of the town. Some people assert that Miller isn't a villain, he's just involved in a personal dispute with Kane.

[[quoteright:285:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_1129.JPG]]

Fred Zinnemann's ''High Noon'' (1952) is one of the most famous [[TheWestern Western]] films ever released, despite the fact that it [[AvertedTrope averts]] or [[SubvertedTrope subverts]] many of the genre's tropes; in some ways it's really a gentle {{deconstruction}} of the Western, depicting a hero mired in moral complexities, rather than the simple black-and-white of the traditional Western.

Town [[USMarshal marshal]] Will Kane (Creator/GaryCooper) is planning to retire and live happily with his new wife Amy (Creator/GraceKelly), [[{{Retirony}} two sure signs of impending doom]]. On his last day the whole town learns that Frank Miller (no, not [[Creator/FrankMiller that one]]), a criminal Will had arrested, will arrive on the noon train with his gang, looking for {{revenge}}. Will seeks support from the townsfolk, but none of them will stand with him, not even his deputy. Amy, a pacifist, urges him to leave, but he refuses, choosing to fight Frank alone.

Creator/LloydBridges (father of [[Creator/JeffBridges Jeff]] and Beau) plays Kane's callow deputy. Creator/ThomasMitchell is the cynical mayor of the town. Harry Morgan, who would later become a TV star on ''Series/{{Dragnet}}'' and ''Series/{{MASH}}'', is a cowardly townsman. A young Creator/LeeVanCleef did what he did best, play villains in Westerns (he's one of Miller's henchmen).

* FamousLastWords: "Come on, I'll hold my fire." Frank Miller.