The Vault #7- High Noon (1952)

Director: Frank Zinneman
Starring: Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, Lloyd Bridges

Let's talk about tension. In theory, it's not too hard to make something thrilling or intense. Just provide an interesting conflict, a character you can empathize with, an air of uncertainty, and maybe a set piece or two. That said, there's definitely an art to tension. And few pieces of film do it as well as High Noon. It's a simple premise. A murderer gets out of prison, and travels to a town to kill the marshal who put him away. The same day, the marshal gets married and gives up his post. The killer is coming to the town at noon. As I said, it's quite a simple idea. But what makes this film great is that, rather than run or hide, Marshal Will Kane, played by Gary Cooper, chooses to stay and stand his ground. That means more than you might think. See, Kane tries to get the townspeople he spent most of his life protecting to stand by him and help him fight. But one by one, they start to turn their backs on him, ultimately leaving him alone to fight against the four men coming to kill him.

It's actually fairly easy to make a concept like this so tense despite it's simple plot progression. The film takes place over about two hours, and it slowly builds and builds towards the fight. It doesn't have any massive plot twists or even too much of a focus on plot in general, instead focusing more on building up to it's incredible climax. What makes High Noon so tense is that the odds Kane has to overcome are massive, and as everyone turns on him as the film goes on, the situation starts to feel more and more desperate. This really helps in creating some seriously intense buildup, and when the climax does come at the end of the film, you feel so attached to Will Kane that you can't help but root for him. And it avoids the usual clichés of the invincible hero by having Kane feel so isolated and alone. During the last fight, Kane could die at any minute. You know that he probably won't, but the film is so immersive that honestly, it feels like he just might. It draws you in with this incredible atmosphere, and as each minute passes the tension becomes more palpable, but also more painstaking. This is what makes High Noon so thrilling. It forgoes a complex and ever changing story because it honestly doesn't need one. The whole film is set up in the first ten minutes or so, and the rest of the movie is spent following this one man and seeing how he's going to deal with this massive conflict that he has to face. It's so simple, but it's also just magnificent in it's execution.

Another thing I love about High Noon is the character of Will Kane. In many respects he's dry, jaded and cynical. But he's also so ineffably brave, and tenacious, and despite the fact that the whole town completely abandons him, he stays and fights regardless. Why? Because he knows that he has to. He understands that there is no other way. He knows that he has to fight, no matter the circumstances. And ultimately, he does fight. Not for glory, or to protect the townspeople, but purely to protect himself. It may sound cowardly, but it's actually quite the opposite. Knowing that he has to fight, and realizing that nobody will fight alongside him, Kane does what he has to do, he fights regardless. I'm not going to dive too deeply into the actual final battle itself, because of several things that happen in the story, but the way High Noon actually ends feels like a perfect way to resolve Kane's arc throughout the film, and though his actions were criticized at the time, honestly I really think that his character comes full circle in the end. It's actually quite bittersweet, but it works well because it isn't a 100% happy ending. Kane isn't automatically the town's hero, but at this point, he doesn't care. He gets what he wants in the end, regardless of anyone else.

It is quite hard to talk in depth about High Noon, because it's actually very simple. It's absolutely fantastic, don't get me wrong, but at the same time, there really isn't much to it. Again, there doesn't need to be for it to be good, but so much of this film is the experience. I can sit here and write about the tension in this movie and what makes it so, but honestly, you're better off just watching the movie. Because it's so suspenseful and tense and thrilling, it needs to be seen to be believed. The tension comes from the simplicity, unlike something like Vertigo (or anything by Hitchcock really), where the tension comes at a steady rate due to twists and developments in the story. No, High Noon is one of those cinematic experiences that everyone should have, one that's so tense and so uncertain and ultimately so powerful. As I said, me trying to describe the movie seriously doesn't do it justice, it seriously just needs to be watched to be fully appreciated. Also that soundtrack. Damn that's good music.