High Noon

New review from The Bleacher Bum

High Noon -Turner Classic Movies - High Noon is an American classic movie and western. It was released in 1952. On the day he gets married and hangs up his badge, lawman Will Kane (played by Gary Cooper) is told that a man he sent to prison years before, Frank Miller, is returning on the noon train to exact his revenge. Having initially decided to leave with his new spouse, Will decides he must go back and face Miller. However, when he seeks the help of the townspeople he has protected for so long, they turn their backs on him. It seems Kane may have to face Miller alone, as well as the rest of Miller's gang.

I was influenced to watch this movie by Bill Clinton. When Clinton left office, he was asked in an interview what movie would you advise George W. Bush to watch to prepare for being President of the United States. Clinton said that he would recommend High Noon. Now, I see why. Gary Cooper is terrific. He is literally scared to death, but his fear takes a back seat to do the right thing. However, doing the right thing is replaced by a sense of loneliness when he can't get anyone to help him, including his friends. Cooper's face tells the entire story. And his look at the end is priceless.


Bleacher Bum Movie Scale: Homerun, Triple, Double, Single, Strikeout

High Noon - Homerun