High Noon

High Noon, motion picture about a marshal in the Wild West who is forced into a gunfight on the day of his marriage and his retirement. Gary Cooper won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for his performance as the retiring lawman Will Kane in this film, which was released in 1952. The movie also won Academy Awards for film editing, musical score, and for the song “High Noon (Do not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’).” Kane marries his sweetheart Amy (played by Grace Kelly) at 10:30 AM, an hour and a half before a train bearing his enemy Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald) is due to arrive in town. Kane decides to stay in town and face Miller and his henchmen, and is dismayed when his deputy and other townspeople lack the courage to help him fight the outlaws. Kane faces the gunmen alone, and then in the middle of the battle his bride comes to his aid.

Director

• Fred Zinnemann

Cast

• Gary Cooper (Will Kane)
• Grace Kelly (Amy Kane)
• Thomas Mitchell (Jonas Henderson)
• Lloyd Bridges (Harvey Pell)
• Katy Jurado (Helen Ramirez)
• Otto Kruger (Percy Mettrick)
• Lon Chaney, Jr. (Martin Howe)
• Harry Morgan (William Fuller)
• Ian MacDonald (Frank Miller)
• Eve McVeagh (Mildred Fuller)
• Harry Shannon (Cooper)
• Lee Van Cleef (Jack Colby)
• Robert J. Wilke (James Pierce)
• Sheb Wooley (Ben Miller)
• Tom London (Sam)
• Ted Stanhope (Station master)
• Larry Blake (Gillis)
• William 'Bill' Phillips (Barber)
• Jeanne Blackford (Mrs. Henderson)
• James Millican (Baker)
• Cliff Clark (Weaver)
• Ralph Reed (Johnny)
• William 'Billy' Newell (Drunk)
• Lucien Prival (Bartender)
• Guy Beach (Fred)
• Howland Chamberlin (Hotel clerk)
• Morgan Farley (Minister)
• Virginia Christine (Mrs. Simpson)
• Paul Dubov (Scott)
• Jack Elam (Charlie)
• Harry Harvey (Coy)
• Tim Graham (Sawyer)
• Nolan Leary (Lewis)
• Tom Greenway (Ezra)
• Dick Elliott (Kibbee)
• John Doucette (Trumbull)

Awards

• Academy Award for Best Actor (1952): Gary Cooper
• Academy Award for Best Film Editing (1952): Elmo Williams, Harry Gerstad
• Academy Award for Best Music—Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (1952): Dimitri Tiomkin
• Academy Award for Best Song (1952): Dimitri Tiomkin—Music, Ned Washington—Lyrics, 'High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin')'
• Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actor—Drama (1953): Gary Cooper
• Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress (1953): Katy Jurado
• Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Score (1953): Dimitri Tiomkin
• Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Cinematography—Black and White (1953): Floyd Crosby
• New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Picture (1952)
• New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Direction (1952): Fred Zinnemann

Quote

• Retired marshal Martin Howe (to Marshal Will Kane): “It’s a great life. You risk your skin catchin’ killers and the juries turn ‘em loose so they can come back and shoot at you again. If you’re honest, you’re poor your whole life, and in the end you wind up dyin’ all alone on some dirty street. For what? For nothin’. For a tin star.”