When good men do nothing.

The Movie: High Noon, directed by Fred Zinneman
Recommendation: Me
Reason: I don't watch Westerns at all, despite how much I enjoy the idea of them.

75 movies. From Pulse to The Devil Wears Prada to Fun With Dick and Jane to High Noon. I just took a moment to reflect on this while I was paging through the IMDB listing for this film. I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I'd never heard of High Noon before I popped it onto my Ziplist. As I said in my reason for picking this out, I've never watched very many westerns. In fact, I don't think I've ever sat through a single one. I have been missing out in a big way. Made during the McCarthy witchhunt in Hollywood, High Noon was intended as a criticism of the people who wouldn't stand against the persecution of their fellow artists. (I know that sounds like I know what I'm talking about, but I read it on IMDB.)

Regardless of intent, High Noon is surprisingly forward-thinking and liberal for a western film shot in the fifties. Viewing movies from that era has really struck home that people haven't changed so much as I'd thought. Here in High Noon we have a hispanic woman in a position of power, cowardly clergy and townsfolk, and a barrage of excuses that are used even today to excuse individual involvement in a potentially uncomfortable situation. Grace Kelly (in her first movie role ever, seriously!) actually shot a guy. Consider my illusions about westerns shattered.

Allegories aside, High Noon really was a great film. The plot was interesting, the performances just right, and the tension developed wonderfully. I was especially impressed by the editing necessary to make the movie seem to be moving in real time. Knowing that the time limit was very real, very finite, really added to an already great plot. The filming techniques employed did the same, emphasizing the abandonment of Marshall Kane in some really excellent shots. Really great film.

-75/365 down, 290/365 to go