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High Noon (1952)

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Top Critics

Average Rating: 8.8/10
Reviews Counted: 46
Fresh: 44 | Rotten: 2

A classic of the Western genre that broke with many of the traditions at the time, High Noon endures -- in no small part thanks to Gary Cooper's defiant, Oscar-winning performance.

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Average Rating: 8.5/10
Critic Reviews: 7
Fresh: 7 | Rotten: 0

A classic of the Western genre that broke with many of the traditions at the time, High Noon endures -- in no small part thanks to Gary Cooper's defiant, Oscar-winning performance.

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Average Rating: 3.9/5
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Movie Info

This Western classic stars Gary Cooper as Hadleyville marshal Will Kane, about to retire from office and go on his honeymoon with his new Quaker bride, Amy (Grace Kelly). But his happiness is short-lived when he is informed that the Miller gang, whose leader (Ian McDonald) Will had arrested, is due on the 12:00 train. Pacifist Amy urges Will to leave town and forget about the Millers, but this isn't his style; protecting Hadleyburg has always been his duty, and it remains so now. But when he

Unrated, 1 hr. 25 min.

Western, Mystery & Suspense

Directed By: Fred Zinnemann

Written By: Carl Foreman

In Theaters: Jul 24, 1952 Wide

On DVD: Oct 23, 2001

United Artists

High Noon Trailer & Photos

Cast

Gary Cooper
Will Kane
Grace Kelly
Amy Kane
Thomas Mitchell
Jonas Henderson
Lloyd Bridges
Harvey Pell
Katy Jurado
Helen Ramirez
Otto Kruger
Percy Mettrick
Lon Chaney Jr
Martin Howe
Henry Morgan
Sam Fuller
Ian MacDonald
Frank Miller
Eve McVeagh
Mildred Fuller
Morgan Farley
Minister
Harry Shannon
Cooper
Lee Van Cleef
Jack Colby
Robert J. Wilke
James Pierce
Sheb Wooley
Ben Miller
Tom London
Sam
Ted Stanhope
Station Master
Larry J. Blake
Gillis
Jeanne Blackford
Mrs. Henderson
James Millican
Baker
Cliff Clark
Weaver
Ralph Reed
Johnny
Lucien Prival
Bartender
Guy Beach
Fred
Howland Chamberlain
Hotel Clerk
Virginia Christine
Mrs. Simpson
Jack Elam
Charlie
Paul Dubov
Scott
Tim Graham
Sawyer
Nolan Leary
Lewis
Tom Greenway
Ezra
Dick Elliott
Kibbee
John Doucette
Trumbull
Virginia Farmer
Mrs. Fletcher
Harry Harvey
Coy
William Newell
Jimmy
William 'Bill' Phillips
Barber

Critic Reviews for High Noon

All Critics (46) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (48) | Rotten (2) | DVD (21)

High Noon combines its points about good citizenship with some excellent picturemaking.

July 26, 2011 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine

| Comment

TIME Magazine

Top Critic

Zinnemann carefully and deliberately makes the most of the mood cast by the threat of impending violence.

October 18, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

William Brogdon

Variety

Top Critic

Some of the results ring false, but the memorable theme song and some equally memorable character acting (by Thomas Mitchell and Lon Chaney Jr. more than Lloyd Bridges and Katy Jurado) help things along.

September 4, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

More than a half-century later, Foreman was right after all: High Noon is a scorching and sour portrait of American complacence and capacity for collaborationism.

April 27, 2004 Full Review Source: Village Voice

| Comment

Michael Atkinson

Village Voice

Top Critic

Regarded as '50s melodrama, it's nearly perfect.

May 30, 2003 Comment

Stephen Hunter

Washington Post

Top Critic

Meaningful in its implications, as well as loaded with interest and suspense, High Noon is a western to challenge Stagecoach for the all-time championship.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Bosley Crowther

New York Times

Top Critic

File under 'classic'.

July 26, 2011 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

Deserving of its label as a true classic, and essential viewing.

July 26, 2011 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine

| Comment

David Parkinson

Empire Magazine

Tense 1950s Western is still a cinema classic.

December 24, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Carl Foreman's brilliant screenplay pays due respect to each character, no matter how sad or loathsome.

October 18, 2008 Full Review Source: Bullz-Eye.com

| Comment

Bob Westal

Bullz-Eye.com

... at heart it's a lean, dusty Western classic set to the real time of a ticking clock.

June 16, 2008 Full Review Source: MSN.com

| Comment

Sean Axmaker

MSN.com

One of top five westerns of all time w/Cooper's Oscar winning role. Powerful.

March 8, 2008 Comment (1)

Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

One of the essentials

April 20, 2007 Comment

Lori Hoffman

Atlantic City Weekly Source: Atlantic City Weekly

One of the most overestimated Westerns in film history, High Noon is schematic and more of a reflection of the times in which it was made than the classic it's considered to be, though Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly are excellent.

July 29, 2006 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

| Comment

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

High Noon won a fistful of Oscars, but in these days of pasteboard screen machismo, it's worth seeing simply as the anatomy of what it took to make a man before the myth turned sour.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Derek Adams

Time Out

A simple, somewhat creaky tribute to defiant courageousness.

May 4, 2005 Full Review Source: Lessons of Darkness

| Comment

Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

Drop-dead brilliant Western Noir.

April 3, 2005 Comment

Scott Weinberg

eFilmCritic.com

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for High Noon

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'High Noon' deserves certain praise for the legacy it beholds and the story it tells. The performances may be overrated because all Cooper has to do is look weary and nervous. However, 'High Noon' still stands as a taut, enduring western. One that will be modeled after in years to come.

July 6, 2011

Kase Vollebregt

Super Reviewer

Meh. It may be considered a classic, but High Noon's film strips are just John Ford's toilet paper.

March 29, 2011

Kevin Cookman

Super Reviewer

High Noon Quotes

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1. Amy Kane: Then what is it? Why is he staying?
2. Helen Ramirez: If you don't know, I cannot explain it to you.
– Submitted by Zbigniew Z (34 days ago)

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