High Noon

There is probably nothing new I can say about this iconic, much-studied film, but the film itself was something new to me: it may represent the first basically conventional/genre western I loved. It’s thrilling, actually: it contains that indescribable magic some very special films have that, for all their deep-rooted classicism, make you feel like you’re experiencing cinema for the first time.

It proceeds with stark simplicity and literal clocklike precision through a prototypical setup for a showdown: nearly-retired Marshal Will Kane has just over an hour to round up a posse to defend the town against a returning ex-convict with a grudge. Everyone has an angle and an agenda on the situation, from his new wife to his old flame to every influential citizen, but their methodically unfurled positions are too and cannily wrung out to spoil anything about their content or implications here. Suffice it to say, it leads up to one of the most originally conceived finales I’ve ever seen, with all involved irrevocably defining their values and place.

Intended as an allegory for the pervasive silence from members of the Hollywood community when confronted with blacklisting, and attacked by John Wayne and Howard Hawks as being un-American (I anticipate watching their response, Rio Bravo, very soon), its message is timeless and resonates equally deeply in current affairs. Just a perfectly crafted thing from all involved, from direction to script to cinematography to acting (Cooper deserved his Oscar; Katy Jurado is also a standout).