What is a Hero?—High Noon Review

What is a hero? Well, this question is perfectly answered in one of the greatest, if not the greatest, westerns ever. Gary Cooper’s Will Kane is, in my opinion, the greatest hero ever to grace the silver screen. What is a hero? A hero is not someone who acts out of the absence of fear. A hero is one who acts because it is necessary, regardless of how scared he or she may be. This is perfectly portrayed by Cooper.

The synopsis is this. Kane is retiring as town Marshall, and marrying a young Quaker wife. At approximately 10:30 in the morning, immediately following his wedding, Kane learns that Frank Miller, a violent man he sent to prison, has been pardoned and is returning to town on the noon train. Miller had vowed his revenge, and, with his associates waiting at the station, it seems he is coming to exact it.

Kane’s first reaction is to heed his new pacifist bride’s warnings and leave town. But he soon realizes that with the new Marshall still days away, no one is there to defend the town. So he decides to stay and gather up some deputies to thwart Miller and his men. This proves easier said than done. Everyone is so scared of Miller, that no one wants to help. Kane, however is determined to remain loyal to those who refuse to do so for him.

There are some very powerful scenes throughout this movie. One is Kane’s lonely walk down empty streets as townsfolk avoid him in their homes. Another is his reaction to one man’s refusal to help in particular. When news of Miller’s impending arrival came, one citizen had vowed to help Kane, and promised to meet him at the office after Kane had gotten some more help. When he returns and finds Kane alone loading his guns, he backs out. The look on Cooper’s face says it all. The relief of seeing his friend come back gives way to sadness and disappointment, which then gives way to acceptance and determination. All these emotions are wordlessly displayed on his face in a matter of about five seconds, and this is acting at its best. His line “Go on home to your kids,” is both heart-breaking and uplifting. You see a man who realizes he must face evil alone and accepts it.

This movie did three things that I really liked, that were not all that common at the time. First, it was shot in black-and-white, when most movies had gone on to color. I believe this decision was necessary to make the movie as good as it was. Color would have taken away from the sense of impending dread. Next, it was told in real time, more or less. We get to experience the same amount of time that Kane does, as he marches on to his inevitable showdown. Third, there were two very powerful female roles. This is still rare in westerns today. Grace Kelley, in her breakout role as Kane’s wife, and Katy Jurado, in a tour-de-force role as a landowner with “history” with nearly every man in town, deliver amazing performances. Their best scene is their only one together, when they debate the merits of Kane’s actions, and the duties of Kelley as his wife in this moment.

The final showdown is masterfully shot, as is the whole movie. High Noon went on to win 4 Oscars; Editing, Score, Song, and a well-deserved Best Actor for Cooper. It was also nominated for Picture, but I guess it’s hard to win when you’re up against a movie entitled The Greatest Show on Earth.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone, regardless of your feelings on westerns. You will not be disappointed.

I place this movie at Number 20 on my all-time list.

Phil