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High Noon Symbolism

Decent Essays

The stasis of High Noon is introduced through the opening scene at the outskirts of Hadleyville in the plains and the film is shot in a high contrast black and white. It is in the morning and the sun is high in the clear sky. In the dry plains, seemingly located in the middle of nowhere, we see the cowboy James Pierce with his horse, who waits on top of a rock, near several trees. In the distance, we see another cowboy, Jack Colby, riding his horse through the plains towards the waiting cowboy. Jack Colby arrives, gets off his horse, and sits on top of a rock as both cowboys see a third rider, Ben Miller, coming towards them. When Ben Miller arrives, all three of them ride their horses through the plains and we hear distant bells of a church, as they ride towards Hadleyville. As the cowboys pass through the church and town, many civilians stare at them as they recognize these gang members. Some are afraid while others are astonished and could not believe that they are intruding the town. One female even performs hand gestures that symbolize a silent prayer to God for protection as she sees the men pass by the town. In a courtroom, a wedding is in progress, Marshal, Will Kane, and Quaker, Amy Fowler, face Judge Mettrick. As this is happening, the three cowboys approach a train station and the stationmaster seems nervous. The cowboys asks the stationmaster if the train will arrive on time and he responds that it will and that there is no reason that it shouldn’t. The cowboys

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