A decent film... but way overrated.

Compare "High Noon" to "Rio Bravo"

I haven't looked at the numbers. If you are saying that "High Noon" scores less than "Rio Bravo" on IMdB and should be rated higher, then I agree. But, people like what they like and much of their score is based on the entertainment value.


The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank.

They're both good movies. I'm partial to Rio Bravo over High Noon. I don't have the problems with a High Noon that a John Wayne did, although I understand what he was trying to get at. I think the honor in Rio Bravo helps carry it, as well as the way all the tiny plot elements tie together.

That said, I think Ricky Nelson was a bit miscast, but I understand how important his casting was to the bottom line. Wayne, Martin and Brennan were all excellent, though. Flowers was a bit superfluous to the plot (although I understand why they wanted a girl in the story), and the final showdown was a tad anticlimactic. But overall I love this film.

If anything I think Rio Bravo is underrated by the average filmgoer. High Noon is an 'important' film, with a 'message', its 'greatness' is obvious to anyone who watches it, it wears it on its sleeve, so to speak. It is also deeply conventional, heavy-handed and dated. Rio Bravo, on the other hand, is a film with no obvious intent, other than to be damned entertaining and that makes people sitting down to watch a 'classic' wonder what all the fuss is about. But this is a film which rewards close and repeat viewing. It is, quite simply, beautifully made - the photography, the editing and mise-en-scene are exemplary. Despite the laconic pace it is very tightly constructed. The characters and their interactions are funny and touching and beneath the smoothly entertaining exterior this is a film with a lot to say about the nature of bravery, loyalty and friendship. I find this film pure pleasure to watch but for anyone questioning its brilliance I'd direct them to Robin Wood's books and essays which put it far more eloquently than I ever could.

LOL! There's always one of these idiotic posts on every classic film. I'm beginning to think there's a cult out there of people who write this crap because they think aliens will take them to heaven or something...

Also, High Noon is a movie one feels compelled to watch once. Rio Bravo is a movie one feels compelled to come back to again and again and again.

"High Noon" is overrated. "Rio Bravo" is a far better movie. It is also better than the other John Wayne films the original poster listed. Hawks was a great director, Zinnemann was okay.

i've just watched it and i'm quite underwhelmed. except for the last 15 minutes it looked like a cheap made for tv production - mostly boring interior shots. is 'high noon' better in this respect?