Fred Zinnemann’s Western-themed High Noon is a one-of-a-kind psychological and action film that was released back in 1952. Starring Gary Cooper, the real-time movie had much more to offer than just an impactful plot.
The storyline revolves around a fictional town called Hadleyville, where our protagonist, Marshal Will Kane, lives. After finally getting married to Amy Fowler and retiring from his job, Will Kane decides to leave Hadleyville and start a new life in a neighboring place. However, things take a grim turn when Frank Miller, one of the outlaws that Kane sent to prison, is going to be released soon.
Kane faces two choices, either to leave town with his wife before Miller tracks him down or to stay and fight him as he comes to him for revenge. Having a sense of duty towards his town, Kane decides to stay, only to realize that the people that he wanted to protect so desperately were least interested in returning the favor for him.
Asides from Gary Cooper as Will Kane, the crew of High Noon consists of Thomas Mitchell in the role of Mayor Jonas, Lloyd Bridges plays Deputy Harvey Pell, Katy Jurado stars as Helen Ramirez, and Amy Fowler role is played by Grace Kelly. High Noon has been claimed as a favorite movie by many US Presidents, as it perfectly captures what it is like to be alone while fighting for a cause.
High Noon: Filming Locations
Filming for this action-filled Western film began during the late summer months of the year 1951 and lasted up until the fall of the same year. The major filming location for High Noon has been various locations spread throughout California.
California, USA:
Most of the rail scenes that we see in High Noon were shot at the Sierra Railroad based in Jamestown, California. While the Sierra railroad has certainly played a huge role in making Tuolumne County’s economy better, it has also served as a filming location for hit films like Back To The Future III, Gunsmoke, Rawhide, and Petticoat Junction.
This is the reason why Sierra Railroad is now often referred to as the Movie Railroad. The station where we see Amy Fowler ready to move without Kane was not a real place and was only constructed for High Noon.
Another important location in High Noon that was filmed in Jamestown is the Brooks Ranch, which helped in providing some old western ranch scenes. While some shots were taken at Brooks Ranch, Iverson Movie Ranch, located in Los Angeles, provided a place for shooting the opening scenes and wagon shots.
This infamous ranch is situated in what’s now known as Chatsworth and has previously hosted projects like My Official Wife, Gunsmoke, and The Lone Ranger. Gary Cooper has also previously worked at Iverson Ranch for his 1945 film Along Came Jones.
The Church we see Kane visit in High Noon was the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Gardener Avenue, Tuolumne City. This beautifully designed church has been serving local people for a long time, and High Noon’s the only movie that was filmed here.
An infamous Gold Rush mining place, Columbia State Historic Park, was used for scenes of Hadleyville. This park is a good place to visit as it is filled with historical architecture that’s reminiscent of the 1850s. Asides from this scenic place, the sets in Columbia Movie Ranch were also where some of the New Mexico town scenes took place.
At the Warner Brothers Burbank Studios, Laramie Street was another filming location for High Noon, although the place was demolished in May 2003 and rebuilt as the Warner Village.
Taking in the sights and shops of the California Gold Rush town in the Columbia State Historic Park! 🤠pic.twitter.com/3ByR4feZ9M
— JoesLAAdventures (@JoeHollywoodLA) July 2, 2023
One thing that makes High Noon impactful is the agony and despair that Kane exhibits. Although Gary Cooper was a great actor, the feelings of fear that we see on his face were real as he was filming High Noon right after one of his surgeries. The sets were carefully designed to replicate what a true Western town would be like, and these same places were later reused for films of a similar genre.
At present, High Noon is available to stream on Prime Video.
Also Read: Three Amigos Filming Locations: Where Was The Comedy Movie Shot?
