Directed by Fred Zinneman. Starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly.
Moving on from my myriad of 2011-Oscar-nominated film reviews, I return to Film History. Let's head to 1950s Hollywood. This is a period defined by its historical context and, for many of the movies, (including High Noon) you can't separate the time in which the film was made from the film itself.
The 1950s in the US should conjure up thoughts of the Cold War, fears of communism infiltrating America, Senator Joseph McCarthy and the HUAC hearings, etc. Key for a discussion of this film is the last item in my list. Numerous Hollywood individuals were called up to defend themselves against accusations of ties to communism, and to hopefully name other individuals with communist sympathies in front of the House of Un-American Activities Committee. Those who didn't cooperate with the Senate were then blacklisted by studios, meaning they weren't allowed to work again until they were re-categorized as friendly witnesses. Those who did name names were seen as sell-outs by some, patriotic by others. These events ruined countless careers and even some lives. In short, it was a terrible time all around.
In the film industry, this was also a period of re-vamping genres, giving them a "higher gloss treatment." Whereas Westerns, for example, had previous been seen as b-pictures, they were now given bigger budgets and treated more seriously. The same happened with the musical, historic epic, film noir melodrama, and teenpic genres.
Though High Noon is a western and a period film, it should be read as more about the time in which it was made than anything else. It is an allegory of the HUAC Hearings and the blacklist. Its basic plot is that of a Sheriff meant to leave town immediately following his wedding, but when he hears that a notorious criminal is out of prison and heading his way on the noon-train, he decides to stay behind and fight. Despite everyone urging him to go and no one being willing to help him, he makes his last stand alone. It's about a community not standing behind a hero, much like the Hollywood community not standing up for each other, but instead "naming names" for Joseph McCarthy and the Senate. In the film, like the real world at the time, it's unclear who bears responsibility for events and who is doing the right thing.
Of the figures involved in the film, Gary Cooper (the main actor) was a friendly witness at HUAC, while the screenwriter was actually blacklisted by Hollywood executives during the production of High Noon. So, an interesting mix of people were involved. This is a film that tries to deal with (and perhaps work through the psychological implications of) all the ups and downs of the time, while still using the staples of the Western genre. Because, yes, there is a lone gunman, clearly defined villains, a Quaker wife, a Mexican ex-girlfriend, a shoot-out, etc.
This film is interesting for two further reasons. First, it actually takes place roughly in real-time (meaning the plot-time = the time it takes to watch the movie). The time between when the noon train is due to arrive and the end of the film exactly corresponds with the time it takes events to elapse. The use of this technique builds tension and, I'm guessing, would have been a big breakthrough in a time before the TV show 24. Second, this film is marked by it's iconic score, which is basically just one song. One song, repeated in different variations, throughout the entire film. Oh, and the lyrics of this song just happen to reveal the plot of the entire film. Interesting, right? I admit, on the second viewing of High Noon, I found this to be annoying, but on the first, I thought it really tied the movie together.
Overall, this is a film that would appeal to buffs of the Western genre, history lovers, real-time action connoisseurs, and film students alike. It's complex but can also be simplified to a fun and exciting surface-level viewing.
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