
High Noon
1952, Western, 1h 25m
60 Reviews 25,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
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. Read critic reviews
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Where to watch
High Noon Photos
Movie Info
Former marshal Will Kane (Gary Cooper) is preparing to leave the small town of Hadleyville, New Mexico, with his new bride, Amy (Grace Kelly), when he learns that local criminal Frank Miller has been set free and is coming to seek revenge on the marshal who turned him in. When he starts recruiting deputies to fight Miller, Kane is discouraged to find that the people of Hadleyville turn cowardly when the time comes for a showdown, and he must face Miller and his cronies alone.
Cast & Crew
Gary Cooper
Marshal Will Kane
Marshal Will Kane
Grace Kelly
Amy Fowler Kane
Amy Fowler Kane
Katy Jurado
Helen Ramirez
Helen Ramirez
Thomas Mitchell
Mayor Jonas Henderson
Mayor Jonas Henderson
Lloyd Bridges
Deputy Sheriff Harvey Pell
Deputy Sheriff Harvey Pell
Otto Kruger
Judge Percy Mettrick
Judge Percy Mettrick
Critic Reviews for High Noon
Audience Reviews for High Noon
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Oct 25, 2014My favourite Western of all time. Though set in the Old West, High Noon was unconventionally different from all other Western in it's dealing with the moral dilemmas. Will Kane, a local marshall has just gotten married, but a notorious criminal who got out of the death sentence is going to arrive in town at noon has swore to have his revenge. Kane tried to enlist the town folks to help him but he faced rejection from everyone. Now that everyone has abandoned him, he has to face the criminal gang alone. High Noon is special in many ways. Unlike conventional Westerns, it did not have much action, rather it focused on the dialogues and the relationships of the characters. The story also progressed in real time, meaning that events taken place are approximately the same as the time in reality. Lastly, the hero was saved by the heroine, very unusual but has a beautiful message (Kelly's performance wasn't superb at this point however). Controversies arose in the different views on the themes in the film. Both the left and right celebrated the film. The left viewed the town folks as selfish greedy hypocrites (particularly at Pell) but at the same time criticized the individualism of Kane. The right enjoyed the individualism and the duty displayed by Kane and criticized the film for being un-American. Personally, I just love this film because of the pessimistic setting and the realism. It has Gary Cooper, how can anyone dislike Gary Cooper!?Sylvester K Super Reviewer
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Oct 16, 2013By default, this is considered to be the greatest western of all time and it deserves the honour. Everything is interesting here from the real time footage to Gary Cooper actually acting well to a fabulous ending. Did I mention the soundtrack?John B Super Reviewer
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Apr 11, 2013In an era of flamboyant and charismatic westerns, High Noon takes a turn in a somewhat darker direction. The film does a remarkable effort to highlight the suspenseful moments before it dwindles down to the climatic showdown. The music and score also plays well to reflect the pride-filled moments. Finally, the film is epitomized by the Oscar-winning performance by the resilient Gary Cooper. High Noon is a new direction in westerns that changed the face of the genre and film in the years ahead. 4/5Eugene B Super Reviewer
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Dec 07, 2012High Moon has aged remarkably well and is far more morally ambiguous and emotionally engaging than most films of its kind. Though even at its brief running time it feels slightly overly-extended, the film is a fantastic example of a well-crafted deconstruction of Western genre tropes.Isaac H Super Reviewer
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