MovieChat Forums > High Noon (1952) Discussion > Ben Miller: Frontier Doofus

Ben Miller: Frontier Doofus

posted 11 years ago by Bilwick1
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Sure, Ben, make a racket by smashing in a glass window for a stupid hat. True, the Miller gang couldn't have known Kane was just around the corner, but in that quiet, knowing their intended victim was probably in ear-shot, it was a really dumb movie. And he paid the price for his goofiness.

His window-smashing was almost as dumb as Kane walking right into a showdown with four dangerous gunmen out to kill him, and going armed only with pistols--when his office seemed to have a nice collection of shotguns and rifles--and not really much of a strategy.

[–] kbarada 11 years ago

Ben Miller did not smash the window. It was Jim Pierce. Ben Miller was not happy he made so much noise and took him to task for it.

[–] Bilwick1 11 years ago

No, based on the IMDB cast list and my own experience in seeing the movie about 100 times* it's Ben Miller, played by Sheb Woolley, who smashes the window. And pays for his doofiness almost immediately by being the first one shot by Kane. Pierce was played by Robert Wilke, who does not look much like Mr. Woolley. It's Pierce who gets shot in the back by Amy during the big gunfight.

*perhaps a slight exaggeration.

[–] kbarada 11 years ago

Yep, your right. It was Ben Miller. (Sheb Wooley). It was Frank Miller that was upset by his actions when he said "can't you wait?" or something like that.

Was he a doofus? Yes. However, Hadleyville was hardly the frontier at the time portrayed in the movie.

[–] Bilwick1 11 years ago