High Noon is a 1952 western film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. The film tells the story of a town marshal who is forced to face a gang of killers by himself. The screenplay was written by John W. Cunningham and Carl Foreman, based on Cunningham's pulp short story, "The Tin Star".

In 1989, High Noon was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant", entering the registry during the latter's first year of existence. The film is #27 on the American Film Institute's 2007 list of great films.

Plot

Will Kane (Gary Cooper), the longtime Marshal of Hadleyville, New Mexico, has just married pacifist Quaker Amy (Grace Kelly), turned in his badge, and is preparing to move away to become a storekeeper. Soon after, the town learns that Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald), a criminal Kane brought to justice, is due to arrive on the noon train. Miller had been sentenced to the gallows, but was pardoned due to a technicality. In court, he had vowed to get revenge on Kane and anyone who got in his way. His three gang members wait for him at the station. The worried townspeople encourage Kane to leave, hoping to defuse the situation.

Kane and his wife leave, but Kane has a crisis of conscience and turns back. He reclaims his badge and tries to swear in help, but it becomes clear that no one is willing to get involved. His deputy, Harvey Pell (Lloyd Bridges), resigns. Only his former lover, Helen Ramírez (Katy Jurado), supports him, but there is little she can do to help. Disgusted, she sells her business and prepares to leave town. His wife threatens to leave on the noon train with or without him, but he stubbornly refuses to give in.

In the end, Kane faces the four gunmen alone. He guns down two of Miller's men, though he himself is wounded. Helen Ramirez and Amy both board the train, but Amy gets off when she hears the sound of gunfire. Amy chooses her husband's life over her religious beliefs and kills the third gunman by shooting him in the back. Miller then takes her hostage and offers to trade her for Kane. Kane agrees, coming out into the open. Amy, however, claws Miller's face, causing him to release her. Kane then shoots and kills him. Then, as the cowardly townspeople emerge, Kane contemptuously throws his marshal's star in the dirt and leaves town with his wife.

Cast

• Gary Cooper as Marshal Will Kane
• Grace Kelly as Amy (Fowler) Kane
• Katy Jurado as Helen Ramirez
• Lloyd Bridges as Deputy Sheriff Harvey Pell
• Ian MacDonald as Frank Miller
• Thomas Mitchell as Mayor Jonas Henderson
• Otto Kruger as Judge Percy Mettrick
• Lon Chaney Jr. as Martin Howe (as Lon Chaney)
• Harry Morgan as Sam Fuller (as Henry Morgan)
• Eve McVeagh as Mildred Fuller
• Morgan Farley as Dr. Mahin, Minister
• Harry Shannon as Cooper
• Lee Van Cleef as Jack Colby
• Robert J. Wilke as Pierce (as Robert Wilke)
• Sheb Wooley as Ben Miller
• Jack Elam as Charlie the Drunkard (uncredited)