More on High Noon

Another take on this film is to interpret each of the characters as a part of Sheriff Kane's own psyche. Here's how it goes:

Kane has built a nice life for himself and he's just about to do something that requires a severe compromise of his core values. This is symbolized by his marriage. The girl he chose is contrary to him in almost every way.

This girl represents a complete change in his self-image. She's taking him away from the life he's known and into a new one, which he expects will be filled with peace and happiness.

Suddenly, something dark and sinister (Frank Miller), something he's repressed deeply, threatens to awaken and destroy everything. His first inclination is to ignore it, which is what the comfortable part of him (the towns peopole) confirms that he should do. Dont worry about it. If you just go on about things, it will go away.

He accepts this at first, but realizes that it wont go away and he has to deal with it permanently. So he turns the wagon around and heads for the confrontation. This symbolizes his own determination to resolve this problem completely.

His new bride (the promise of peace and happiness) threatens to leave him there unless he goes ahead with the original plan. Despite this, he decides to see the confrontation through.

To reflect his pragmatic, logical side, there's the old Marshall Howe. His job is to keep Kane from panic or knee-jerk reactions. He know's the ropes and what needs to be done. He's calm and stable.

The kid deputy, Harvey Pell, is the impetuous part of Kane. He's a spoiled kid, used to getting his way. He wants attention and respect, but isnt patient enough to earn them. He wants to bully the situation to his own conclusion.

Then there's Helen Ramirez. She represents the place he used to run for comfort. A place that doesnt work for him anymore. No matter what the outcome, they have no future. That's because the part of him that took comfort there was the kid. Only now has he realized that that kid wont cut it. Whatever is coming after him now will require something bigger and tougher than all that blustering bravado. Helen knows it's in him, but she has to shut down the kid before the man can do the dirty work.

The title song, Do Not Forsake Me O My Darlin', also takes on a different meaning in this interpretation. If you observe when the melody is repeated in the film, there's a psychological pattern that is hard to deny.

Then comes the scene when the train is about to arrive at the station. All the characters hear the whistle and know there's nothing left to do. They've each played their part and it's up to Kane to sort things out. That is, until the Promise returns and lends needed support.

Breaking the film down this way gets really interesting. Especially when you get into the planted symbols throughout the movie.

On this level, High Noon is one of the best films I've seen. It's easily as good as most of the stuff Shakespeare did, and you dont have to learn the king's english.

If you havent seen it, you should. I you have, you should see it again.