Why did our 'hero' stay?
Do I lack brain capacity to fully appreciate this movie? Because I have a hard time understanding why Kane was so eager to confront the villains; I mean, was the whole reason his inflated ego in the aspect that he didn't want to be a coward or something? Is this an old fashioned American thing which I can't get my head around as a somewhat young European, eh?
If I recall this correctly, the protagonist never reveal his true intention in plain language for returning to the town for a face off with his nemesis. As the townsfolk ask for the reason he seems unable to answer. At this point I was thinking "Hm, this Kane fellow seems to be a reasonable and decent enough guy, there must be more than meets the eye here. It can't simply just be that he's willing to give his life and leave behind a devastated wife for some trite principle of his. Nooo... I'm sure all will make sense if I just wait." So I sat through the entire movie, anxiously waiting for a revelation from the marshal that just would blow my mind in a "Oh! So that's why he'd risk his life for no apparent reason at all... now I get it." sort of way. Which never came.
I may have slept through a crucial scene at some point, but I guess it's expected of the audience to have some sort of brains and figure it out for themselves; which I unfortunately seem unable to. What I can come up with is that Kane had some sort of moral code he'd once swore to follow. Like Batman. It was his duty to protect the town and leaving it "just wouldn't be right" etc.; sure I can understand he felt that his manhood was at stake but can't help to simultaneously remark the selfishness and pure dumbness of the act.
He clearly didn't forget about his wife whom he'd just married minutes before, what about her? He surely didn't overlook the possibility that the town citizens literally didn't wish for heroic deeds and blood spill, so what about them? Did he basically really, really dislike this Miller gentleman to the point that the sheriff eventually couldn't endure to share universe with the guy? Alright I'm being foolish I know, but that's because the situation seems kind of foolish and juvenile to me.
Bottom line is that Kane should have stepped off his high horse, waved a white flag and run for his life with Grace Kelly who was quite a catch for an old ass like himself, exactly like everybody wanted except the thickhead himself who was busy thinking about pride and stuff. It's difficult for me to sympathize with him because of this reason, but then again maybe you don't have to do that and perhaps the whole point of the movie flew over my head during all my ramblings. Very possible.
Alright I guess that was it; feel free to mock me and laugh at my thoughts. If my opinions appear ignorant and inarticulate, I'm sorry - it's not my intention to offend anyone. It's just that I couldn't find anyone who expressed this criticism towards the movie after a quick skim through the boards, so I felt a need to get out my thoughts in words since everybody seems to hold it in such high regard. I'd be pleased if someone could convince me to join the High Noon fanclub.
tl;dr: Why was Gary Cooper such a nincompoop?