One of the all time greats! Originally this was a John Wayne vehicle but he dropped out to make The Quiet Man instead with Ford. Gary Cooper stepped into the role of Marshall Will Kane and absolutely made his mark. Cooper was already a big movie star and this is quite late in his career but it's now the role he's most remembered for. A very understated and naturalistic actor. He can express so much without saying a word. Katy Jurado is wonderful here, too.
John Wayne hated this movie. Duke, called it "the most un-American thing I've ever seen in my whole life," and later teamed with director Howard Hawks to make Rio Bravo in response. "I made Rio Bravo because I didn't like High Noon," Hawks explained. "Neither did Duke [Wayne]. I didn't think a good town marshal was going to run around town like a chicken with his head cut off asking everyone to help. And who saves him? His Quaker wife. That isn't my idea of a good Western." Stolen from wikipedia
I must put in a word of praise for Katy Jurado, whose Helen Ramirez was so calm, intelligent, immovable and observant. I love the scene with her and Kelly.
I always remember the moment he takes the badge off and throws it into the dirt. Just what the townsfolk deserved. Really enjoyed watch this classic through your observations. As we say in Texas; y'all be safe.
A few things to share for one of my favorite movies: 1. Grace Kelly’s character was a Quaker. Quakers are pacifists; major reason for her push for them to leave town. The fact of her getting off the train and shooting one person and incapacitating another in spite of her religious beliefs is a huge deal and she does kick ass. 2. John Wayne denounced this movie as “Un-American,” and during the McCarthy Era witch-hunt, this was a big deal, as he carried a lot of sway in this country at that time. John Wayne was originally offered the lead role in the film, but refused it because he believed that Carl Foreman's story was an obvious allegory against blacklisting, which he actively supported. 3. Wayne and Cooper were good friends in real life. So when Oscar night came and Coop couldn’t attend, he asked Wayne to pick up the statue in case he won. Well, he did and HE did! Love the irony. 4. To retaliate against the “blacklist allegory,” Howard Hawks and John Wayne teamed up to make Rio Bravo.
Yes, they did team up, but they were both very simplistic in their thinking. Rio Bravo is a very entertaining movie, but lacks the depth and the complexity of "High Noon".
Gary Cooper won the Academy Award for this movie. John Wayne accepted the Academy Award for Gary Cooper. However, John Wayne did not care for the premise of the idea of the sheriff asking for help so he made "Rio Bravo" as a response to this.
Favorite scene: when he throws his badge into the dirt. So quiet, simple, and it says everything. Now, why not watch "Sergeant York," Cooper's first Oscar win, and one of the greatest of American films. One correction: one of the first movies (maybe the first) to use a clock to build suspense is the outstanding boxing film, “The Set-Up” (1949), starring Robert Ryan.
Although, of course, he just fakes tossing it to the ground, with duplicate badge already strategically placed for the camera to land on when it pans down.
John Wayne hated this movie. He was insulted that no one in town would support the Marshall. He was in Rio Bravo as a counterpoint to this film. But as you say it was amazing and brilliant.
First time I watched this I was underwhelmed. But I was analyzing it for a film class, so had to view it multiple times. It grew on me. (Only thing I didn’t ever come to like was the theme song.) Overall, it really is a great bit of filmmaking! Glad I was forced to watch it more than once. Initial responses are sometimes, well, wrong. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Shandor! Enjoyed your reaction!
Grace Kelly was a true princess, in every sense of the word. We lost a lot when she died in that car accident. Another great Western to watch would be "The Treasure of Sierra Madre" with Humphry Bogart. The Grandmother of all memes is in this movie. If you can't get a copy, I'll send you mine. I got it off of Amazon. Love your taste in cinema!
I always expect Lloyd Bridges to say _looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking_ during this. If you want to see an even better example of three mean looking characters waiting at a station for a bad ass to arrive then you need to check out "Once Upon a Time in the West".
Hey Shandor! Enjoying these Sundays! See Wikipedia under RECEPTION. Lloyd Bridges was Jeff Bridges’ dad! N look up the resume of Thomas Mitchell, Lon Cheney Jr n Harry Morgan!
everyone talks a good game until push comes to shove and the ironic part is that you can see their point. the people weren't gunslingers. Phenomenal movie.
There are TONS of westerns (some good, some not) and a LOT of really good westerns, but this is your western "MUST SEE" list - if you liked Tombstone, Young Guns, Dances with Wolves, and Open Range, you will LOVE these: The Big Country (with Charleton Heston and Gregory Peck) Rio Bravo (with John Wayne - made in answer to High Noon, which neither Wayne nor director Howard Hawks thought was good enough) True Grit (with John Wayne) True Grit (with Jeff Bridges) The Outlaw Josey Wales (with Clint Eastwood) Pale Rider (with Clint Eastwood) Quigley Down Under (with Tom Selleck and Alan Rickman) Silverado (with Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Danny Glover, Jeff Goldblum, and a young Kevin Costner in his first big role) And two TV miniseries: Broken Trail (with Robert Duvall and Thomas Hayden Church; consider it a 3 hour movie) and finally, Lonesome Dove (with Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones - one of the best, most authentic westerns ever made, with a score by the legendary Basil Poledouris. You may have to watch it in parts, it's total run time is 6 and a half hours, but you will NOT be let down).
Some critic claimed, not sure which critic, that this movie struck a deep subconscious chord with the US public because of the Korean war. They saw the US as the sheriff, the USSR and China as Miller and his gang, and the townspeople were the democratic countries of the UN not supporting the US enough.
Floyd Crosby, already won an Oscar for cinematography in 1931 for Tabu: A Story of the South Seas. He was the cinematographer for High Noon, and nominated for same award but did not win. His son was the famous singer David Crosby of the group Crosby Stills Nash [and sometimes Young]. Note the camera use of Cooper's shifting eyes quietly showing desperation as he walks the town, and the way the camera pulls up on a crane leaving Cooper all alone in the street, abandoned by his asshole friends. Or the vantage points of the wagon and the two women leaving town, and Cooper's vantage point...his wife does not look back but his ex lover Ramirez [Katy Jurado] does. This is the brilliance of Floyd Crosby. l always thought Katy Jurado was the better actress in this than Grace Kelly...Katy played tough with the weakling character of Lloyd Bridges. She was fabulous!
I love this movie, and I watched at a time were I found westerns boring. I was in college, studying the MaCarthyism and read that writer Carl Foreman and director Zinnermann were some of the many Hollywood people blacklisted, accused of being communists. And back then, if you were blacklisted, your best friends would try to be far from you (with many exceptions, like Bogart who was part of a protest against the blacklist). The movie echoes exactly all that: the chase, the nonsense of talk and talk and nobody resolves the problem, and the individual abandoned by his best friends during the MaCarthy era.
That’s the best silent FU in cinema when he flicks that badge on the ground. ⭐️
One of the all time greats! Originally this was a John Wayne vehicle but he dropped out to make The Quiet Man instead with Ford. Gary Cooper stepped into the role of Marshall Will Kane and absolutely made his mark.
Cooper was already a big movie star and this is quite late in his career but it's now the role he's most remembered for. A very understated and naturalistic actor. He can express so much without saying a word. Katy Jurado is wonderful here, too.
John Wayne hated this movie. Duke, called it "the most un-American thing I've ever seen in my whole life," and later teamed with director Howard Hawks to make Rio Bravo in response. "I made Rio Bravo because I didn't like High Noon," Hawks explained. "Neither did Duke [Wayne]. I didn't think a good town marshal was going to run around town like a chicken with his head cut off asking everyone to help. And who saves him? His Quaker wife. That isn't my idea of a good Western." Stolen from wikipedia
I must put in a word of praise for Katy Jurado, whose Helen Ramirez was so calm, intelligent, immovable and observant. I love the scene with her and Kelly.
Katy Jurado was great in this! She shook some sense into everybody ; also, came around and did the right thing in the end...
I always remember the moment he takes the badge off and throws it into the dirt. Just what the townsfolk deserved.
Really enjoyed watch this classic through your observations.
As we say in Texas; y'all be safe.
Beautiful movie. I, too ,always loved every second of it.
A few things to share for one of my favorite movies:
1. Grace Kelly’s character was a Quaker. Quakers are pacifists; major reason for her push for them to leave town. The fact of her getting off the train and shooting one person and incapacitating another in spite of her religious beliefs is a huge deal and she does kick ass.
2. John Wayne denounced this movie as “Un-American,” and during the McCarthy Era witch-hunt, this was a big deal, as he carried a lot of sway in this country at that time. John Wayne was originally offered the lead role in the film, but refused it because he believed that Carl Foreman's story was an obvious allegory against blacklisting, which he actively supported.
3. Wayne and Cooper were good friends in real life. So when Oscar night came and Coop couldn’t attend, he asked Wayne to pick up the statue in case he won. Well, he did and HE did! Love the irony.
4. To retaliate against the “blacklist allegory,” Howard Hawks and John Wayne teamed up to make Rio Bravo.
Yes, they did team up, but they were both very simplistic in their thinking. Rio Bravo is a very entertaining movie, but lacks the depth and the complexity of "High Noon".
Cooper won the Oscar for Best Actor for High Noon.
Gary Cooper won the Academy Award for this movie. John Wayne accepted the Academy Award for Gary Cooper. However, John Wayne did not care for the premise of the idea of the sheriff asking for help so he made "Rio Bravo" as a response to this.
Favorite scene: when he throws his badge into the dirt. So quiet, simple, and it says everything. Now, why not watch "Sergeant York," Cooper's first Oscar win, and one of the greatest of American films.
One correction: one of the first movies (maybe the first) to use a clock to build suspense is the outstanding boxing film, “The Set-Up” (1949), starring Robert Ryan.
Love the toss of the badge. He’s disgusted and done with everyone.
The dark haired sharp-eyed member of the trio waiting for Miller is none other than Lee van Cleef, from "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly".
Although, of course, he just fakes tossing it to the ground, with duplicate badge already strategically placed for the camera to land on when it pans down.
The man who shot Liberty Balance is a good western too.
John Wayne hated this movie. He was insulted that no one in town would support the Marshall. He was in Rio Bravo as a counterpoint to this film. But as you say it was amazing and brilliant.
First time I watched this I was underwhelmed. But I was analyzing it for a film class, so had to view it multiple times. It grew on me. (Only thing I didn’t ever come to like was the theme song.) Overall, it really is a great bit of filmmaking! Glad I was forced to watch it more than once. Initial responses are sometimes, well, wrong. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Shandor! Enjoyed your reaction!
Love this one too. For the soundtrack alone. It's a shame how it ended though. 💔
I think you have seen "It's A Wonderful Life"? If so, then you should recognize the Mayor, played by Thomas Mitchell, as Uncle Billy.
I think the guy that keeps telling Will to get out is the same guy who played Uncle Billy in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
Great movie. Great reactor! Thanks.
Great reaction to a great movie!
Grace Kelly was a true princess, in every sense of the word. We lost a lot when she died in that car accident. Another great Western to watch would be "The Treasure of Sierra Madre" with Humphry Bogart. The Grandmother of all memes is in this movie. If you can't get a copy, I'll send you mine. I got it off of Amazon. Love your taste in cinema!
I always expect Lloyd Bridges to say _looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking_ during this.
If you want to see an even better example of three mean looking characters waiting at a station for a bad ass to arrive then you need to check out "Once Upon a Time in the West".
Hey Shandor!
Enjoying these Sundays!
See Wikipedia under RECEPTION.
Lloyd Bridges was Jeff Bridges’ dad!
N look up the resume of Thomas Mitchell, Lon Cheney Jr n Harry Morgan!
Another excellent film with an even stronger Quaker point-of-view is Angel and the Badman (1947), starring John Wayne and Gail Russell.
+1 for the mel brooks reference.
everyone talks a good game until push comes to shove and the ironic part is that you can see their point. the people weren't gunslingers. Phenomenal movie.
See Gary Cooper in
"Lou Gerieg Story"
"Meet John Doe"
"The Fountainhead"
Dimitri Tiomkin did the music, and he is legendary.
There are TONS of westerns (some good, some not) and a LOT of really good westerns, but this is your western "MUST SEE" list - if you liked Tombstone, Young Guns, Dances with Wolves, and Open Range, you will LOVE these:
The Big Country (with Charleton Heston and Gregory Peck)
Rio Bravo (with John Wayne - made in answer to High Noon, which neither Wayne nor director Howard Hawks thought was good enough)
True Grit (with John Wayne)
True Grit (with Jeff Bridges)
The Outlaw Josey Wales (with Clint Eastwood)
Pale Rider (with Clint Eastwood)
Quigley Down Under (with Tom Selleck and Alan Rickman)
Silverado (with Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Danny Glover, Jeff Goldblum, and a young Kevin Costner in his first big role)
And two TV miniseries:
Broken Trail (with Robert Duvall and Thomas Hayden Church; consider it a 3 hour movie)
and finally,
Lonesome Dove (with Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones - one of the best, most authentic westerns ever made, with a score by the legendary Basil Poledouris. You may have to watch it in parts, it's total run time is 6 and a half hours, but you will NOT be let down).
Some critic claimed, not sure which critic, that this movie struck a deep subconscious chord with the US public because of the Korean war. They saw the US as the sheriff, the USSR and China as Miller and his gang, and the townspeople were the democratic countries of the UN not supporting the US enough.
Floyd Crosby, already won an Oscar for cinematography in 1931 for Tabu: A Story of the South Seas. He was the cinematographer for High Noon, and nominated for same award but did not win. His son was the famous singer David Crosby of the group Crosby Stills Nash [and sometimes Young]. Note the camera use of Cooper's shifting eyes quietly showing desperation as he walks the town, and the way the camera pulls up on a crane leaving Cooper all alone in the street, abandoned by his asshole friends. Or the vantage points of the wagon and the two women leaving town, and Cooper's vantage point...his wife does not look back but his ex lover Ramirez [Katy Jurado] does. This is the brilliance of Floyd Crosby. l always thought Katy Jurado was the better actress in this than Grace Kelly...Katy played tough with the weakling character of Lloyd Bridges. She was fabulous!
You cut the bit where he throws his badge in the dust? Shandor!
If there is one purely American contribution to cinema, it is the western.
first!!!!
I love this movie, and I watched at a time were I found westerns boring. I was in college, studying the MaCarthyism and read that writer Carl Foreman and director Zinnermann were some of the many Hollywood people blacklisted, accused of being communists. And back then, if you were blacklisted, your best friends would try to be far from you (with many exceptions, like Bogart who was part of a protest against the blacklist). The movie echoes exactly all that: the chase, the nonsense of talk and talk and nobody resolves the problem, and the individual abandoned by his best friends during the MaCarthy era.
"There goes your wife, and your ex-."
Shooting someone in the back, or giving the face a scratch before being thrown on the floor, such does not constitute "kicking ass!".
How about saving your husband's life, twice?
Not bad for a Quaker
@@josephlanzara1333 That's not what he said, numbskull.
@@frankmiller4550 Very bad FOR A QUAKER.
@@N_Loco_Parenthesis that's like your opinion, man