One of the classic westerns.
Gary Cooper als a retiring (just married to Grace Kelly) sherrif has to face an enemy he put away behind bars alone when the whole town goes chickenshit on him.
Acting debut of Lee van Cleef (not a single line).
Most of the film is the countdown to high noon, when the train with Frank Miller will arrive. It's slow and nice enough. One by one his old friends turn their back on him and the whole town lets him down.
"Do not forsake me, oh my darling", written for this film, became a hit and received an Oscar. The first time that the theme of a song was used throughout the film and marketed separatedly.
The film was an allegory to the blacklisting of the Committee of Un-American Activities.
The final fight isn't as long and intense as they would show it these days. Particularly the little fight of Grace Kelly when she's captured by Frank Miller, enabling Gary Cooper to shoot him, is simple and over in the blink of an eye.
