2B - Thursday, October 4, 2007
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
U 'HIGH NOON' (1952)
12 o'clock special
By BLAKE GOBLE frail here, and this is arguably his
Daily Arts Writer finest performance. With Fred
Zinnemann's ("From Here to
"Go on home to your kids, Herb." Eternity") direction and a screen-
- Marshal Will Kane in "High play by Carl Foreman ("The Guns
Noon" of Navarone"), the film is a case
study in good, swift, old-school
Why must this man fight alone? masculine filmmaking. It's about
Marshal Will Kane (Gary Cooper) wise men, awful men and how
has done a fine job with himself. they collide.
A superior member of a commu- Cooper, who was in his 50s
nity he has dutifully protected, he when he starred in "High Noon,"
wants to retire and get married was in chronic pain during film-
to his Quaker sweetheart. Will ing. Ulcers and back pain created
is ready to leave town - at least a very realistic effect as Cooper
until trouble comes. struggled through the shoot. He
Several old criminals burnedby literally suffered for his art and,
Will's good deeds are coming for as a result, solidified his mythic
him. He's panicked and needs his status as a heroic lead, capable of
fine service returned. But when just about anything. When Will
the time comes to deputize the finally fights the bad guys, he's
locals,no one willhelp. Alone after actually alone.
each abandon him, Will must fend
off vicious thugs and worry about
his new wife. This is the time-
less setup of "High Noon," a clas- A western both
sic story of singular heroism and
a prime exemplar of the strange badass and
genre known as the western.
With the recent recognition relevant to
of contemporary westerns ("3:10
to Yuma," "Broken Trail," "The eady politics.
Assassination of Jesse James
by the Coward Robert Ford"),
it seems only fitting to take a
moment to love and long for some You'd never see that today, and
classical yarns. Why "High Noon" even if you did, it'd be a manipula-
over so many others? Why not tiveplottrick."Noon"incorporates
"Stagecoach" or "The Searchers" the finest music, photography and
or even "Unforgiven"? For one editing to create a distinctly cin-
thing, "High Noon" has one of the ematic thrill that deservedly won
best shelf lives of almost any west- four Academy Awards, including
ern. Imitated, emulated and some- one for Cooper.
times unwittingly copied, there is Today, the film is remembered
only one "High Noon." A simple as an allegory for McCarthy-era
premise met with allegorical poli- politics, as when Will must go
tics, the film remains as exciting alone withoutcowardly "allies" to
as it has become influential. fight an omniscient presence that
Tightly framed and paced, strikes fear through rumored,
Will's struggle is contained with- underhanded warnings. The
in 90 minutes and is sometimes same was said for entertainers
referred to as the first attempt at who fought the blacklist.
"real-time" drama. It's that suc- An Oscar winner for music,
cinct frame of time that lends editing and acting. A landmark
"Noon" its urgency, propelling story about having to fight alone.
the action forward at a breakneck Bill Clinton's favorite film. How-
pace. You can almost see every ever "High Noon" is remembered,
bead of sweat as it forms on Gary it will always be known as that
Cooper's face as he scrambles for really great western in which
aid. Gary Cooper typifies - you might
Cooper, who personified the even say creates our conception of
stoic leading man, is classically - the "strong, silent type."
CA LENDA R
The Daily Arts guide to the
best upcoming events
Today 10.4.07
Zell Visiting Writers Series:
Richard Jackson
5 p.m.
Free
At Rackham Ampitheatre
Emo Phillips
8 p.m.
$11/$13
At the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase
Brian Vander Ark
8 p.m.
$15/$20
At The Ark
Tomorrow 10.5.07
New York Arts Internship
Mass Meeting
3 to 4 p.m.
Free
At the Student Activities Building, 3rd
Floor
Padmashree Shobana
Benefit
6 p.m.
$1/530/50
At the Power Center
Andras Schiff
8 p.m.
Free
At EastQuad Auditorium
Our Lady of 121st Street
7:30 p.m.
$9/$24
At the Arthur Miller Theatre
Saturday 10.6.07
Lisa Lampinelli
8 p.m.
$32.50
At the Michigan Theater
Filarmonica della Scala
8 p.m.
$10/$75
At Hill Auditorium
Please send all press releases
and event information to
artspage@michigandaily.com.
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gicbigafl Students
Don't forget to purchase your 2007-08
Michigan Men's Basektball Season Tickets.
Deadline: Wednesday, October 24
To purchase call (734) 764-0247 or visit mgoblue.com/tickets
Graduate School
Information Fair 2007
Wednesday, October 10th
2:00-6:00pm at The Michigan Union
Meet with over 100 graduate schools from
across the country
Explore options, collect application
information and ask about financial aid
Visit The Career Center's website for a list
of schools scheduled to attend
Because...one day can make all the difference!
For more information contact us at:
3200 SAB
(734)764-7460 The CarerCenter
wwwcarecrcenter.umich.edu ltDision of Student Affairs
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