High Noon

Cast:
Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly



Director : Fred Zinnemann
Year : 1952
imdb score : 8.3/10 rank : #118



Plot:
Will Kane (Gary Cooper), the longtime marshal of Hadleyville, New Mexico Territory, 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 for reasons never stated in the film. 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 town, but Kane, fearing that the gang will follow and hunt them down on the open prairie, turns back. He reclaims his badge and scours the town for deputies—even interrupting Sunday church services in order to do so—but it becomes clear that while many townspeople profess to admire Kane, none, except a 14 year-old boy, is willing to lend a hand. His deputy, Harvey Pell (Lloyd Bridges), resigns, because he wants the glory of facing Frank Miller for himself. 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. Kane's wife threatens to leave on the noon train with or without him, but he stubbornly refuses to give in. In the meantime, Pell heads for the saloon, orders a bottle of whisky, and sits down at a table to drink, alone.
While drinking, Pell observes Kane passing by the saloon, and follows him to the stables. In the stables, Kane admits to Pell that he has thought about leaving town, but that he reconsidered. In attempt to force Kane to leave town, Pell begins to saddle up a horse for Kane, but Kane momentarily hesitates and then turns and walks away. Pell then punches Kane from behind and a knockdown drag-out fistfight ensues, which Kane eventually wins, but which results in Kane being covered in dirt, with a contusion on his jaw. Kane goes to the barber shop to get cleaned-up, where hammering suggests that Kane's coffin is being built in the back room while Kane reclines in the barber's chair. Kane returns to the sheriff's office and shortly before noon
prepares his last will and testament.



In the end, Kane faces the four gunmen alone. He guns down two of Miller's men, though he himself is wounded in the arm. 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 Miller. Then, as the townspeople emerge, Kane contemptuously throws his marshal's star in the dirt and leaves town with his wife.