Reviews (103)

One of the Best Westerns ever. Gary Cooper wins 2nd Oscar!
This Western is told in a real time, nail biting, how does it feel to be alone scenario. Digitally remastered the picture & sound are extrodinary to the story telling. Oscar winning opening song "Don't Forsake Me" sung by Tex Ritter sets the stage for the "Miller Gangs" return.

Will Cain (Cooper) on this his happiest day of his life having a wedding and retirement ceremony (from being the town Marshall) has his past suddenly become the challenge of a lifetime. Vengeful returning outlaws are seeking Cain.

Everyone wants him to go on his honeymoon and leave town immediately. His sense of loyalty & duty is to stay until the new Marshall arrives. Problem no one stands beside him to defend the town. Will Cain must do it alone.

What is so wonderful about this classic black & white western is the real-time scenario from about 10:40 am until 12:00pm "High Noon". Clocks & railroad tracks are the major ingredients to the suspense. These desparados are coming on the noon train.

This is a great movie and "The Making of High Noon" with Leonard Maltin is wonderful. You'll be watching this movie more than once. This is a western to have in your DVD library now!

High Noon Does Not Foresake the Viewer
Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly are spectacular in what is considered one of the best westerns ever made, but should be ranked as one of the greatest films ever produced because it easily transcends its genre.

A morality play that was deliberately produced in stark black-and-white to heighten the mood, the story revolves around Cooper's character, the aging Marshal of Hadleyville who, when the film begins, weds Kelly's character. Cooper has retired and plans to return after his honeymoon as a store keeper because his wife is a Quaker and a pacifist. Plans immediately go awry, however, when it is discovered that a notorious killer whom Cooper had arrested and was expected to have been executed, was instead pardoned. The killer is expected to arrive back in town on the noon train to take revenge on Cooper. Three of his equally savage gang have already arrived and are waiting for him at the train station.

The townspeople urge Cooper to flee with his new wife, but as he starts out of town, he stops, then returns, convinced that he has a responsibility to protect the town and bring the outlaws to justice. Pinning the marshal's badge back on, Cooper tries to deputize residents, but no one will help him and he is forced to stand alone. In powerful scenes, Cooper is forced to ask for help time-after-time but is turned down by residents who refuse to accept civic responsibility or acknowledge the debt they owe Cooper, rationalizing their decision not to act.

Kelly doesn't understand her new husband and threatens to leave on the same noon train if he persists in remaining as the marshall this one last time. Kelly eventually begins to understand what drives Cooper but only after forming an unlikely friendship with his former girlfriend, who teaches Kelly about loyalty and character. Ironically, it is Kelly the pacifist who saves Cooper's life by picking up a .45 and killing one of the gunmen.

In the last scene, the steets are utterly deserted until the gunmen are killed, then the townspeople, who had been hiding, flock around Cooper and Kelly. Without a word, Cooper removes his badge and drops it in the dirt. He and Kelly leave together.

Throughout the movie, the stirring music and the real-time focus of the minutes ticking by until High Noon, serve to increase the movie's tension. The film combines elements of love, trust, duty, honor and courage in unexpected ways that are both thought-provoking and entertaining. The DVD version is crisp and clean, the story as powerful today as when it was filmed. If you have never seen this movie, you owe it to yourself to pick up this DVD.

The clock is ticking
It's half past ten in a little western town, and the local marshall of law, Mr. Kane (Gary Cooper) just got married to a gorgeous Quaker girl (Grace Kelly, always a sight for sore eyes). Mr Kane will now retire as a marshall, and head to a new and peaceful life. Or will he? At the telegraph station the postmaster gets a cable stating that a dangerous bandit (Frank Miller) will arrive in the twelve o'clock train. At the train depot, three of Miller's gunmen are wating for him. When he arrives, they will seek revenge against the one man that tried, unsuccessfully, to convict Miller of a capital crime: Mr Kane himself.

During these 90 minutes, Gary Cooper will try to get help from the local population, old friends, and a man who wants to be the next sheriff (Lloyd Bridges). But it will not be an easy task. Add to that the fact that his brand new wife abhorres violence, and threatens to leave him less than two hours after the marriage - in fact she says she'll leave in the train that brings the outlaw Miller to town.

People think this is a western classic. Wrong. "High noon" is surely a classic, but not a western. It only happens to be set in the old west. To say the truth, "High noon" is more like a thriller with a Hitchcockian feeling to it. The western setting (violence, lack of respect for the laws, gunfights, dry and sun-scorched landscape, etc.) is present to add to the mounting tension and suspense that grow with each shot depicting the face of a clock and the relentless passage of time towards noon and the train arrival.

What makes this movie great is the seemingly dead-end situation, the great dialogues, and very good acting by Gary Cooper (which earned him an Oscar, when the Academy Awards were not given for political reasons), Grace Kelly, Lloyd Bridges, among others (and Lee Van Cleef, the infamous "Angel Eyes" from "The good, the bad and the ugly" - he doesn't say a word, but those eyes are surely creepy).

I will not give "High noon" five stars because I felt the script could be a little more developed. The ending is too rushed and kind of unsatisfying. But this is an excellent movie nonetheless. And, I say it again, this is not a "western" in the common sense of the genre.

Grade 8.0/10

High time for High Noon
"High Noon" is the classic western movie about a marshall facing down four badmen alone after the townsmen refuse to help him. Although it has a western setting, it could have easily been most any other locale because the psychological and social aspects are the important themes, not the old West, or riding horses. Made during the time of McCarthy and the Communist witch hunt, many have read political undertones into the movie.

A seemingly unusual cast includes Gary Cooper ("Sergeant York", "Pride of the Yankees") as the good-guy out-going marshall, Grace Kelly ("Rear Window") as his new wife, Lloyd Bridges ("Sea Hunt", "Airplane") as the deputy, Lee Van Cleef (the "bad" of "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly") as one silent badguy, Lon Chaney ("The Wolfman"), and Henry Morgan ("MASH").

The movie proceeds in nearly real time - it starts about 10:30 AM and ends shortly after noon - and clocks are increasingly prominent in nearly every scene. The leader of the badmen, Frank Miller, who was sent to prison by the marshall under a death sentence but was released, is now coming to town on the noon train to kill marshall Kane. Three of his friends are waiting at the station to greet and assist him in killing the marshall. That same morning, Kane is getting married to a violence-abhoring Quaker woman and is going to give up being marshall because of it. After learning Frank Miller is coming to town, the wife convinces Cane to essentially skip town and they leave, but the marshall gets his sense of duty back and returns to town. He and his wife argue, and she is determined to leave on the noon train. The judge also packs his things and leaves town. The marshall's deputy also quits. Kane goes around town trying to organize a posse, but only one capable man volunteers (the other is a one-eyed drunk) but he subsequently backs out.

Cane is forced to face the men alone. I won't spoil the ending.

At a time when movies (even bad ones) were being made in color, "High Noon" was shot in black-and-white, trying to get an unglamorous look to it modeled after Matthew Brady's photographs of the civil war, and succeeds. There is no beautiful sky and clouds, or cactus and sunsets. It is great cinematography however. Oscars for Best Actor, Editing, Song and Score.

Reasonably-priced DVD picture and sound are good. It has an average commentary by daughter of actor, son of singer, son of writer and son of director. Also has a short documentary, a fair behind-the-scenes, and a 5-plus minute radio interview with singer Tex Ritter.

When people do nothing...
As a high school student, I was taught how to write a screenplay through the first 5 minutes of this film. I never forgot how to do it either! It's simple storytelling, really. This is a classic story of one man forced to take care of unfinished business without any help. It's a story of good and evil. And it's a story of what happens when people don't help each other. Gary Cooper is awesome as the Marshall who must fight alone. Grace Kelly is beautiful in this movie. Though it may seem ugly to watch, the director, Fred Zimmerman and his Cinematographer shot this film without any special lenses or adjustments, making this movie an outstanding piece of work and possibly the greatest western ever made! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The show that first defined the Broadway musical has never come to thescreen intact, despite three tries. But take this splashy 1951 MGM extravaganzaon its own terms, and it boggles the eyes. Not to mention the ears:The Kern-Hammerstein score includes some staples of the American songbook, such as "MakeBelieve," "After the Ball," and "Can't Help Lovin' That Man." Perhaps ariverboat gambler is almost too-easy casting for Howard Keel, and KathrynGrayson is overly twittery, which may be why the film's middle sags when theytake center stage. But any time the uncannily beautiful Ava Gardner smolders, alush tragic undertone takes over (even if the most interesting parts of herstory seem to take place offscreen). The physical production is extraordinary: the busy riverside setting, the outrageous color design, and best of all an "OldMan River" (sung by William Warfield) staged in the mists of morning. -- Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Close, but no cigar
I have seen both this film and its 1936 predecessor of the same name, and a number of film critics and viewers believe the remake to be inferior--I suppose it's because this one seems to lack the freshness, spunk, and level of poignancy. Also, in the earlier version you had greats such as Irene Dunne, Paul Robeson and Helen Morgan who can never be outdone. However, this later film has a power and charm all its own. "Show Boat" is a lavish technicolor extravaganza about the life and times aboard a Mississippi riverboat. Howard Keel with his deep, rich baritone is perfect as the reckless and restless gambler Gaylord Ravenal, as is lovely Kathryn Grayson with her delightful coloratura soprano voice, as Magnolia Hawks, the sheltered good girl who falls for Gaylord like a ton of bricks, only to be brought (unintended) heartbreak and despair by him. However, the one who steals the show by far is gorgeous Ava Gardner as Julie Laverne (cast among much indignant hullaballo as replacement for an ill Judy Garland), the mulatto conflicted between two worlds. In previous films she was for the most part wasted in, one never really got a glimmer as to her abilities (an exception being "The Killers"), but in this film Gardner is amazing as she displays the emotional range and depths she was fully capable of when given the chance. Her performance here is heartbreaking and utterly poignant, especially when she sings (it's dubbed, but that hardly matters) "Can't Help Lovin' That Man of Mine" in a period of content and romantic bliss, and "Bill," by which time her character is in a heartbroken, destructive decline--those are scenes not soon to be forgotten. The story appropriately ends with the haunting image of Gardner/Julie's haggard yet breathtaking face emerging from the shadows as she bids a distant farewell to the showboat. Go and watch this film if you love MGM musicals--it's one of their best with sumptious color, fine performances, and plenty of memorable songs.

I LOVE THIS MOVIE, AND SO WILL YOU
So what if this isn't very faithful scriptwise. The story they did have, plus the music, plus the singing, kept me glued to my seat, unable to take my eyes off it. Not since West Side Story has a movie musical had this effect on me. I suppose that if you grew up seeing the stage play, you might be taken aback by the cuts, but how many of you would really be willing to sit and watch a movie for the four hours that the original play takes? You can't even sit through Gone With the Wind without taking a little "intermission." The singing is incredible. I love to hear Kathryn Grayson hit those oh-so-high notes, and I love to hear Howard Keel, well, anytime. After hearing the soundtrack I was kind of mad that they didn't let Ava Gardner do her own singing, but her wonderful performance makes you forget about it. One reason I am glad they changed the story for the movie is when we see Julie at the very end. It's the kind of bittersweet finishing touch that gets ya choked up no matter how many times you see it. So buy this movie, gosh darnit, and be prepared to sit back and enjoy a cinematic masterpiece.

OL' MAN RIVER KEEPS ON ROLLIN' ON DVD
"Show Boat" was Jerome Kern's immortal gift to the Broadway stage. An instant hit upon its initial release, the movies just couldn't wait to capitalize on its success. The plot concerns a river boat performer who just happens to be mulato(Ava Gardner in this version) (a big "No, No" in the old south and it gets her broomed). On board is also Magnolia (Kathryn Grayson), a naive child who discovers her own heart break when she marries gambling scallywag, Gaylord Ravenal (Howard Keel). This version of the stage play tempers the racial undertones with more baritone and schmaltz than was previously showcased or, for that matter, necessary. Nevertheless, the results a la MGM's sterling production values, is astoundingly beautiful. Marge & Gower Champion, Joe E. Brown and Agnes Moorehead also headline.
TRANSFER: VERY NICE! A clean, bright, bold and beautiful print that is long on quality and short on digital anomalies. Blacks are solid and deep. Colors are rich and vibrant. Very few scenes illustrate that the original film elements are sixty years old. Though there is some minor pixelization and edge enhancement neither distract from your viewing enjoyment. The audio is mono but remarkably well balanced.
EXTRAS: Sorry. Not a one!
Bottom Line: Must have!

Does anyone have a torpedo handy?
Oh, oh Kathryn Grayson--you are so far from anything resembling the character of Magnolia, it is almost comical (I can't write her off totally as a movie star, because she was actually good once...ONCE: in "Kiss Me Kate"). Anyway, onto this turkey. Like almost all 1950s musicals from MGM, it is colorful nothingness. There is no edge, no wit, plenty of misguided "style" and heaps of artificiality. There is not once convincing moment in this film, all it has going for it is beautiful color (and this DVD is indeed a wonderful transfer). Lets not forget that the 1936 version--with its to-die-for cast--was withdrawn from circulation for decades because MGM wanted this to be the ONLY version available. Perish the thought! Even the small Show Boat sequence in the film "Till The Clouds Roll By" is more memorable than this.

Show Boat(1951)
Excellent Service, excellent condition, just as promised.Thank you VERY much! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Burt Lancaster was cock of the walk in 1954. The Lancaster-starred From Here to Eternity had just swept the Oscars®, his personal production company Hecht-Lancaster could do no wrong, and he had marquee magic in two back-to-back Westerns directed by Robert Aldrich, Vera Cruz and this one. There are moments in his performance as Massai, the Apache warrior who wouldn't surrender with Geronimo, that seem choreographed to express the actor's exultation. Massai has hard going all the way--starting with having to recross half the continent on foot after escaping from a prison train bound for Florida--but Lancaster the ex-circus athlete who insisted on doing his own stunts fairly sings with the ecstasy of movement as he scampers over rocks, rolls unscathed between the wheels of racing wagons, and generally makes the screen look like his private gym.

Apache wasn't the first Western to sympathize with Native Americans done wrong, but it's among the liveliest--although, ironically, it was destined to be outshone in power and complexity by Aldrich and Lancaster's masterpiece Ulzana's Raid nearly two decades later. Typically of its time, Apache features non-Indians in all the Indian roles, including Jean Peters as Massai's beloved Nalinle and Charles Buchinsky (later Bronson) as her other suitor, Hondo, one of the tribesmen who has donned U.S. Cavalry blue. John McIntire contributes his crusty moral authority as Al Sieber, the real-life scout who helped defeat Geronimo and then Massai, and respected both. John Dehner is, as usual, a real bastard. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Despite its faults it's a good flick
"Both Burt Lancaster and Jean Peters give outstanding performances" - wrote Variety in 1954 - and after watching this movie for the umpteenth time I believe they do deliver great performances in APACHE. It was the first one made by Holywood that dared to portray a movie from the Indian's point of view; and that alone deserves some credit.
A bit of TRIVIA
Jean Peters's performance in Apache, according to director Robert Aldrich, is even more outstanding because she had a personal dislike of Lancaster as a person and had to show complete devotion towards him throughout the entire film. Despite this fact, the two actors had some sort of chemestry in their scenes together that comes accross on the screen.
On top of that, both these actors were made up to look their worst in rags and to somehow look Indian - to no avail. Peters is still a gorgeous all-American girl and Lancaster the handsome all-American hero. However, if you forget about their looks (hard as it may be) this movie is very well done. It is masterfully directed, well acted, superbly edited and has a great storyline - even though the ending was changed by United Artists before it was released and Massai (Lancaster) was allowed to live and see his new born child (contrary to the novel's ending where Massai is killed by the US cavalry). But then it was 1954!
Anyone who likes westerns, should see this film.

Decent western
Apache is a good western that tries to show Native Americans in a positive way, something most westerns did not even attempt to do. The movie tells the story of Massai, an Apache warrior who refuses to surrender alongside Geronimo and his other warriors. He escapes the grasp of the U.S. Army several times and begins to wage a one-man war on them. Massai begins to cut telegraph lines, burn bridges, and even attacks a fort single-handedly in the night. All through his war, the army sends a scout and several Indians who now work for the army after him to bring him in so he does not start a another war. It is good to see Native Americans portrayed as human beings but something is missing in the movie.

Burt Lancaster is pretty good as Massai, the Apache warrior who refuses to surrender. The movie makes no attempt to make him seem like an Apache other than what he looks like. There are plenty of acrobatic stunts performed that do look very good. Jean Peters plays his wife even though for much of the movie, he either ignores her or mistreats her. John McIntire is very good as the scout sent to track Massai down. He plays the role well and is good at showing that he actually respects the man he is hunting. Charles Bronson plays Hondo, an Apache now working for the army and potential suitor of Massai's wife. The DVD is okay. It offers a trailer and full screen format which looks okay. This is a good western, but I recommend renting it before you go out and buy it.

Enchanted!
That was the movie that made me fall in love with westerns!

A True Story, MGM style
When Hecht-Lancaster chose this project, they were venturing out from the Hollywood norm, which was just their style. Believe it or not, the story is about a true renegade, Masai (or Ma-si) of the Chiricahua Apache. His initial capture, escape from the train, and 1500 mile journey back to his homeland are all historically correct. Some accounts even say he had blue eyes-certainly a stretch, but with Cochise a generation before raiding Arizona and often taking white captives, some genetic possibilities occur. Like the movie, he eventually leaves his own people, fearing they might turn him back over to the whites, and lives a primitive, violent lifestyle. Even his death in a cornfield is one of the stories of his enigmatic demise. Lancaster intended the film to end with Massai being killed, but MGM had money in this and demanded the "cornier" (forgive me) ending. The movie was released into theaters shortly after the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling and was viewed as being highly topical in exploring the mistreatment of minorities.

Has there ever been a truly representative Native American movie? I don't know. But this movie has a good heart, so forgive its small sins.

When does Hollywood follow reality anyways. I liked it.
I thought the movie had a good meaning behind it despite the descripancies concerning reality. Besides, Lancaster always looked good during his prime. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the greatest Westerns ever made gets the deluxe treatment on this superior disc from Republic Home Video's Silver Screen Classics line of special-edition DVDs. Written by Carl Foreman (who was later blacklisted during the anticommunist hearings of the '50s) and superbly directed by Fred Zinnemann, this 1952 classic stars Gary Cooper as just-married lawman Will Kane, who is about to retire as a small-town sheriff and begin a new life with his bride (Grace Kelly) when he learns that gunslinger Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald) is due to arrive at high noon to settle an old score. Kane seeks assistance from deputies and townsfolk, but soon realizes he'll have to stand alone in his showdown with Miller and his henchmen. Innovative for its time, the suspenseful story unfolds in approximate real time (from 10:40 a.m. to high noon in an 84-minute film), and many interpreted Foreman's drama as an allegorical reflection of apathy and passive acceptance of Senator Joseph McCarthy's anticommunist campaign.Political underpinnings aside, this remains a milestone of its genre (often referred to as the first "adult" Western), and Cooper is flawless in his Oscar-winning role. The first-rate DVD gives this landmark film all the respect it deserves, beginning with a digitally remastered transfer from the original film negative. Additional features include the exclusive documentary The Making of High Noon, hosted by film historian Leonard Maltin and featuring interviews with the late Lloyd Bridges (who played Cooper's rival ex-deputy), director Fred Zinnemann, and producer Stanley Kramer. Also included is the original theatrical trailer and a special chapter stop highlighting the Oscar-winning song "Do Not Forsake Me." Offered in English and dubbed French and Spanish, with English closed-captioning or Spanish and French subtitles. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (103)

One of the Best Westerns ever. Gary Cooper wins 2nd Oscar!
This Western is told in a real time, nail biting, how does it feel to be alone scenario. Digitally remastered the picture & sound are extrodinary to the story telling. Oscar winning opening song "Don't Forsake Me" sung by Tex Ritter sets the stage for the "Miller Gangs" return.

Will Cain (Cooper) on this his happiest day of his life having a wedding and retirement ceremony (from being the town Marshall) has his past suddenly become the challenge of a lifetime. Vengeful returning outlaws are seeking Cain.

Everyone wants him to go on his honeymoon and leave town immediately. His sense of loyalty & duty is to stay until the new Marshall arrives. Problem no one stands beside him to defend the town. Will Cain must do it alone.

What is so wonderful about this classic black & white western is the real-time scenario from about 10:40 am until 12:00pm "High Noon". Clocks & railroad tracks are the major ingredients to the suspense. These desparados are coming on the noon train.

This is a great movie and "The Making of High Noon" with Leonard Maltin is wonderful. You'll be watching this movie more than once. This is a western to have in your DVD library now!

High Noon Does Not Foresake the Viewer
Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly are spectacular in what is considered one of the best westerns ever made, but should be ranked as one of the greatest films ever produced because it easily transcends its genre.

A morality play that was deliberately produced in stark black-and-white to heighten the mood, the story revolves around Cooper's character, the aging Marshal of Hadleyville who, when the film begins, weds Kelly's character. Cooper has retired and plans to return after his honeymoon as a store keeper because his wife is a Quaker and a pacifist. Plans immediately go awry, however, when it is discovered that a notorious killer whom Cooper had arrested and was expected to have been executed, was instead pardoned. The killer is expected to arrive back in town on the noon train to take revenge on Cooper. Three of his equally savage gang have already arrived and are waiting for him at the train station.

The townspeople urge Cooper to flee with his new wife, but as he starts out of town, he stops, then returns, convinced that he has a responsibility to protect the town and bring the outlaws to justice. Pinning the marshal's badge back on, Cooper tries to deputize residents, but no one will help him and he is forced to stand alone. In powerful scenes, Cooper is forced to ask for help time-after-time but is turned down by residents who refuse to accept civic responsibility or acknowledge the debt they owe Cooper, rationalizing their decision not to act.

Kelly doesn't understand her new husband and threatens to leave on the same noon train if he persists in remaining as the marshall this one last time. Kelly eventually begins to understand what drives Cooper but only after forming an unlikely friendship with his former girlfriend, who teaches Kelly about loyalty and character. Ironically, it is Kelly the pacifist who saves Cooper's life by picking up a .45 and killing one of the gunmen.

In the last scene, the steets are utterly deserted until the gunmen are killed, then the townspeople, who had been hiding, flock around Cooper and Kelly. Without a word, Cooper removes his badge and drops it in the dirt. He and Kelly leave together.

Throughout the movie, the stirring music and the real-time focus of the minutes ticking by until High Noon, serve to increase the movie's tension. The film combines elements of love, trust, duty, honor and courage in unexpected ways that are both thought-provoking and entertaining. The DVD version is crisp and clean, the story as powerful today as when it was filmed. If you have never seen this movie, you owe it to yourself to pick up this DVD.

The clock is ticking
It's half past ten in a little western town, and the local marshall of law, Mr. Kane (Gary Cooper) just got married to a gorgeous Quaker girl (Grace Kelly, always a sight for sore eyes). Mr Kane will now retire as a marshall, and head to a new and peaceful life. Or will he? At the telegraph station the postmaster gets a cable stating that a dangerous bandit (Frank Miller) will arrive in the twelve o'clock train. At the train depot, three of Miller's gunmen are wating for him. When he arrives, they will seek revenge against the one man that tried, unsuccessfully, to convict Miller of a capital crime: Mr Kane himself.

During these 90 minutes, Gary Cooper will try to get help from the local population, old friends, and a man who wants to be the next sheriff (Lloyd Bridges). But it will not be an easy task. Add to that the fact that his brand new wife abhorres violence, and threatens to leave him less than two hours after the marriage - in fact she says she'll leave in the train that brings the outlaw Miller to town.

People think this is a western classic. Wrong. "High noon" is surely a classic, but not a western. It only happens to be set in the old west. To say the truth, "High noon" is more like a thriller with a Hitchcockian feeling to it. The western setting (violence, lack of respect for the laws, gunfights, dry and sun-scorched landscape, etc.) is present to add to the mounting tension and suspense that grow with each shot depicting the face of a clock and the relentless passage of time towards noon and the train arrival.

What makes this movie great is the seemingly dead-end situation, the great dialogues, and very good acting by Gary Cooper (which earned him an Oscar, when the Academy Awards were not given for political reasons), Grace Kelly, Lloyd Bridges, among others (and Lee Van Cleef, the infamous "Angel Eyes" from "The good, the bad and the ugly" - he doesn't say a word, but those eyes are surely creepy).

I will not give "High noon" five stars because I felt the script could be a little more developed. The ending is too rushed and kind of unsatisfying. But this is an excellent movie nonetheless. And, I say it again, this is not a "western" in the common sense of the genre.

Grade 8.0/10

High time for High Noon
"High Noon" is the classic western movie about a marshall facing down four badmen alone after the townsmen refuse to help him. Although it has a western setting, it could have easily been most any other locale because the psychological and social aspects are the important themes, not the old West, or riding horses. Made during the time of McCarthy and the Communist witch hunt, many have read political undertones into the movie.

A seemingly unusual cast includes Gary Cooper ("Sergeant York", "Pride of the Yankees") as the good-guy out-going marshall, Grace Kelly ("Rear Window") as his new wife, Lloyd Bridges ("Sea Hunt", "Airplane") as the deputy, Lee Van Cleef (the "bad" of "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly") as one silent badguy, Lon Chaney ("The Wolfman"), and Henry Morgan ("MASH").

The movie proceeds in nearly real time - it starts about 10:30 AM and ends shortly after noon - and clocks are increasingly prominent in nearly every scene. The leader of the badmen, Frank Miller, who was sent to prison by the marshall under a death sentence but was released, is now coming to town on the noon train to kill marshall Kane. Three of his friends are waiting at the station to greet and assist him in killing the marshall. That same morning, Kane is getting married to a violence-abhoring Quaker woman and is going to give up being marshall because of it. After learning Frank Miller is coming to town, the wife convinces Cane to essentially skip town and they leave, but the marshall gets his sense of duty back and returns to town. He and his wife argue, and she is determined to leave on the noon train. The judge also packs his things and leaves town. The marshall's deputy also quits. Kane goes around town trying to organize a posse, but only one capable man volunteers (the other is a one-eyed drunk) but he subsequently backs out.

Cane is forced to face the men alone. I won't spoil the ending.

At a time when movies (even bad ones) were being made in color, "High Noon" was shot in black-and-white, trying to get an unglamorous look to it modeled after Matthew Brady's photographs of the civil war, and succeeds. There is no beautiful sky and clouds, or cactus and sunsets. It is great cinematography however. Oscars for Best Actor, Editing, Song and Score.

Reasonably-priced DVD picture and sound are good. It has an average commentary by daughter of actor, son of singer, son of writer and son of director. Also has a short documentary, a fair behind-the-scenes, and a 5-plus minute radio interview with singer Tex Ritter.

When people do nothing...
As a high school student, I was taught how to write a screenplay through the first 5 minutes of this film. I never forgot how to do it either! It's simple storytelling, really. This is a classic story of one man forced to take care of unfinished business without any help. It's a story of good and evil. And it's a story of what happens when people don't help each other. Gary Cooper is awesome as the Marshall who must fight alone. Grace Kelly is beautiful in this movie. Though it may seem ugly to watch, the director, Fred Zimmerman and his Cinematographer shot this film without any special lenses or adjustments, making this movie an outstanding piece of work and possibly the greatest western ever made! ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Close, but no cigar
I have seen both this film and its 1936 predecessor of the same name, and a number of film critics and viewers believe the remake to be inferior--I suppose it's because this one seems to lack the freshness, spunk, and level of poignancy. Also, in the earlier version you had greats such as Irene Dunne, Paul Robeson and Helen Morgan who can never be outdone. However, this later film has a power and charm all its own. "Show Boat" is a lavish technicolor extravaganza about the life and times aboard a Mississippi riverboat. Howard Keel with his deep, rich baritone is perfect as the reckless and restless gambler Gaylord Ravenal, as is lovely Kathryn Grayson with her delightful coloratura soprano voice, as Magnolia Hawks, the sheltered good girl who falls for Gaylord like a ton of bricks, only to be brought (unintended) heartbreak and despair by him. However, the one who steals the show by far is gorgeous Ava Gardner as Julie Laverne (cast among much indignant hullaballo as replacement for an ill Judy Garland), the mulatto conflicted between two worlds. In previous films she was for the most part wasted in, one never really got a glimmer as to her abilities (an exception being "The Killers"), but in this film Gardner is amazing as she displays the emotional range and depths she was fully capable of when given the chance. Her performance here is heartbreaking and utterly poignant, especially when she sings (it's dubbed, but that hardly matters) "Can't Help Lovin' That Man of Mine" in a period of content and romantic bliss, and "Bill," by which time her character is in a heartbroken, destructive decline--those are scenes not soon to be forgotten. The story appropriately ends with the haunting image of Gardner/Julie's haggard yet breathtaking face emerging from the shadows as she bids a distant farewell to the showboat. Go and watch this film if you love MGM musicals--it's one of their best with sumptious color, fine performances, and plenty of memorable songs.

I LOVE THIS MOVIE, AND SO WILL YOU
So what if this isn't very faithful scriptwise. The story they did have, plus the music, plus the singing, kept me glued to my seat, unable to take my eyes off it. Not since West Side Story has a movie musical had this effect on me. I suppose that if you grew up seeing the stage play, you might be taken aback by the cuts, but how many of you would really be willing to sit and watch a movie for the four hours that the original play takes? You can't even sit through Gone With the Wind without taking a little "intermission." The singing is incredible. I love to hear Kathryn Grayson hit those oh-so-high notes, and I love to hear Howard Keel, well, anytime. After hearing the soundtrack I was kind of mad that they didn't let Ava Gardner do her own singing, but her wonderful performance makes you forget about it. One reason I am glad they changed the story for the movie is when we see Julie at the very end. It's the kind of bittersweet finishing touch that gets ya choked up no matter how many times you see it. So buy this movie, gosh darnit, and be prepared to sit back and enjoy a cinematic masterpiece.

OL' MAN RIVER KEEPS ON ROLLIN' ON DVD
"Show Boat" was Jerome Kern's immortal gift to the Broadway stage. An instant hit upon its initial release, the movies just couldn't wait to capitalize on its success. The plot concerns a river boat performer who just happens to be mulato(Ava Gardner in this version) (a big "No, No" in the old south and it gets her broomed). On board is also Magnolia (Kathryn Grayson), a naive child who discovers her own heart break when she marries gambling scallywag, Gaylord Ravenal (Howard Keel). This version of the stage play tempers the racial undertones with more baritone and schmaltz than was previously showcased or, for that matter, necessary. Nevertheless, the results a la MGM's sterling production values, is astoundingly beautiful. Marge & Gower Champion, Joe E. Brown and Agnes Moorehead also headline.
TRANSFER: VERY NICE! A clean, bright, bold and beautiful print that is long on quality and short on digital anomalies. Blacks are solid and deep. Colors are rich and vibrant. Very few scenes illustrate that the original film elements are sixty years old. Though there is some minor pixelization and edge enhancement neither distract from your viewing enjoyment. The audio is mono but remarkably well balanced.
EXTRAS: Sorry. Not a one!
Bottom Line: Must have!

Does anyone have a torpedo handy?
Oh, oh Kathryn Grayson--you are so far from anything resembling the character of Magnolia, it is almost comical (I can't write her off totally as a movie star, because she was actually good once...ONCE: in "Kiss Me Kate"). Anyway, onto this turkey. Like almost all 1950s musicals from MGM, it is colorful nothingness. There is no edge, no wit, plenty of misguided "style" and heaps of artificiality. There is not once convincing moment in this film, all it has going for it is beautiful color (and this DVD is indeed a wonderful transfer). Lets not forget that the 1936 version--with its to-die-for cast--was withdrawn from circulation for decades because MGM wanted this to be the ONLY version available. Perish the thought! Even the small Show Boat sequence in the film "Till The Clouds Roll By" is more memorable than this.

Show Boat(1951)
Excellent Service, excellent condition, just as promised.Thank you VERY much! ... Read more