High Noon (1952)

Director:

Fred Zinnemann

Writers:

Carl Foreman (screenplay)
John W. Cunningham (magazine story "The Tin Star")

Release Date:

30 July 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Western

Tagline:

Simple. Powerful. Unforgettable.

Plot:

A marshall, personally compelled to face a returning deadly enemy, finds that his own town refuses to help him.

Plot Keywords:

Lawman | Train | Revenge | Wedding | Outlaw

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Gary Cooper	...	Marshal Will Kane
Thomas Mitchell	...	Mayor Jonas Henderson
Lloyd Bridges	...	Deputy Marshal Harvey Pell
Katy Jurado	...	Helen Ramírez
Grace Kelly	...	Amy Fowler Kane
Otto Kruger	...	Judge Percy Mettrick
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Martin Howe (as Lon Chaney)
Harry Morgan	...	Sam Fuller (as Henry Morgan)
Ian MacDonald	...	Frank Miller
Eve McVeagh	...	Mildred Fuller
Morgan Farley	...	Dr. Mahin - Minister
Harry Shannon	...	Cooper
Lee Van Cleef	...	Jack Colby
Robert J. Wilke	...	Jim Pierce (as Robert Wilke)
Sheb Wooley	...	Ben Miller
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lee Aaker	...	Boy (uncredited)
Guy Beach	...	Fred - Coffinmaker (uncredited)
Jeanne Blackford	...	Mrs. Henderson (uncredited)
Larry J. Blake	...	Gillis - Saloon Owner (uncredited)
John Breen	...	Church Member (uncredited)
Roy Bucko	...	Barfly (uncredited)
John L. Cason	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Howland Chamberlain	...	Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Virginia Christine	...	Mrs. Simpson (uncredited)
Cliff Clark	...	Ed Weaver (uncredited)
Ben Corbett	...	Townsman (uncredited)
John Doucette	...	Trumbull (uncredited)
Tex Driscoll	...	Church Member (uncredited)
Paul Dubov	...	Scott (uncredited)
Jack Elam	...	Charlie - Drunk in Jail (uncredited)
Dick Elliott	...	Kibbee (uncredited)
Virginia Farmer	...	Mrs. Fletcher (uncredited)
Tim Graham	...	Sawyer (uncredited)
Tom Greenway	...	Ezra (uncredited)
Harry Harvey	...	Coy (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Michael Jeffers	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Chubby Johnson	...	First Old Timer on Hotel Porch (uncredited)
Paul Kruger	...	Church Member (uncredited)
Nolan Leary	...	Lewis (uncredited)
Tom London	...	Sam (uncredited)
Merrill McCormick	...	Fletcher (uncredited)
James Millican	...	Deputy Sheriff Herb Baker (uncredited)
Jack Montgomery	...	Townsman (uncredited)
William Newell	...	Jimmy - Drunk with Eye Patch (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Church Member (uncredited)
William 'Bill' Phillips	...	Barber (uncredited)
Lucien Prival	...	Joe - Ramirez Saloon Bartender (uncredited)
Ralph Reed	...	Johnny - Town Boy (uncredited)
Syd Saylor	...	Second Old Timer on Hotel Porch (uncredited)
Ted Stanhope	...	Station Master (uncredited)

Directed by
Fred Zinnemann

Writing credits
Carl Foreman		(screenplay)
John W. Cunningham		(magazine story "The Tin Star")

Produced by
Stanley Kramer	....	producer (as A Stanley Kramer Production)
Carl Foreman	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin

Cinematography by
Floyd Crosby		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Elmo Williams

Casting by
Jack Murton		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Rudolph Sternad

Art Direction by
Ben Hayne

Set Decoration by
Murray Waite		(set decorations)

Makeup Department
Louise Miehle	....	hair stylist
Gustaf Norin	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Clem Beauchamp	....	production supervisor
Percy Ikerd	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Emmett Emerson	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Jean L. Speak	....	sound engineer (as Jean Speak)
John Speak	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Willis Cook	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Regis Parton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Slim Talbot	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Don Turner	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack N. Young	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Morris Rosen	....	head grip
Homer Plannette	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joe King	....	wardrobe: men
Ann Peck	....	wardrobe: ladies

Editorial Department
Harry W. Gerstad	....	editorial supervisor (as Harry Gerstad)
Robert L. Lippert Jr.	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
George C. Emick	....	music editor (as George Emick)
Dimitri Tiomkin	....	music director
Manuel Emanuel	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Anthony Galla-Rini	....	musician: accordions (uncredited)
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Herbert Taylor	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Sam Freedle	....	script clerk
Sally Hamilton	....	executive secretary (uncredited)
Nina Moise	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Fred Polangin	....	merchandising director (uncredited)
Len Simpson	....	publicity director (uncredited)
Calvin Spencer	....	double: Lloyd Bridges (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Stanley Kramer Productions (presents)

Distributors

• United Artists (1952) (USA) (theatrical) (released thru) (as A United Artists Release also)
• United Artists (1953) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1956) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (released thru) (as A United Artists Release also)
• Constantin Film (1960) (West Germany) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (16mm print)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• Artisan Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• VellaVisión (2002) (Spain) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Maple Pictures (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• Emerald (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD) (special edition)
• Constantin-Filmverleih (1953) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Odeon (2004) (Greece) (DVD)
• Olive Films (2012) (Canada) (DVD) (DVD and Blu-ray)
• Olive Films (2012) (USA) (DVD) (DVD and Blu-ray)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Video Collection International (198?) (UK) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Sound Services  magnetic recording by (as Sound Services, Inc.)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for some western violence, and smoking

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (original rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 (re-release) | Sweden:15 | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #15653) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Canada:G (Manitoba) | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | West Germany:12 (f) | USA:Passed (The National Board of Review) | Portugal:M/12 | Brazil:12 | USA:Not Rated (DVD rating) | USA:PG | Netherlands:14 (orginal rating)

Filming Locations:

Brooks Ranch, Jamestown, California, USA

Company:

Stanley Kramer Productions

Trivia:

Stanley Kramer removed Carl Foreman's credit as producer. They never spoke to each other again.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Although the 37-star flag suggests the setting date is within the 1867-1876 frame, the date on the large boarding house at the end of the street as Amy and Helen are taking the buckboard out of town is "1888".

Quotes:

[when his Deputy Sheriff, his last hope of help, deserts him]
Will:Go on home to your kids, Herb.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Dinosaurs: High Noon (#1.4)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

High Noon

Citizen Kane

High Noon is one of the most loved films of all times thanks to the elements that came together to make it the classic that it is. The movie owes a lot to Fred Zinnemann for his tight account of this story by Carl Foreman. The film benefits from Dimitri Tiomkin's great score and the great cinematography by Floyd Crosby.

This is a film that packs a lot of symbolism because of the times when it was done. Those were the days of the communist hysteria where many people in the industry were accused, tried and lost jobs because when they faced the HUAC and Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Gary Cooper plays a man who is decent enough to return to the town where he just has gotten married and has finished his tour of duty. His conscience doesn't let him leave his post as he delays his plans and goes back to defend the town from the bandit who's been freed by Northern judges, and is coming back to seek revenge from Marshal Kane and the town.

Gary Cooper embodied the all Amercian hero. He was an actor who could do no wrong, as he proves in his take of Marshal Kane. We see him as the clock is ticking away toward noon time when the train will arrive in Hadleyville. We see him perspire as he goes around trying to get people help him deal with the problem, to no avail; he will have to do it himself. In the process, he clearly disappoints his new bride, who is horrified at the prospect of losing the man she clearly loves.

Grace Kelly was such an elegant figure that it's hard to imagine she would be in Hadleyville at all! Katy Jurado was also excellent as the jaded Helen Ramirez, the woman who owned a lot of businesses in town. Also effective, Thomas Mitchell, as the mayor of the town and Lloyd Bridges, as Harvey.

This is a film to treasure.