Randy Suits

High Noon – Do Not Forsake Me

My Eve, who always stands by me,

In the 1952 movie ‘High Noon’ a town marshal is forced to face a gang of killers by himself. Tension develops between the citizens of a western town and its’ faithful but retired marshal when a paroled convict returns to kill him. Will Kane, (played by Gary Cooper who won the Academy Award for Best Male Actor for his performance in High Noon) the longtime marshal, has just married Quaker pacifist Amy Fowler (played by Grace Kelly) and turned in his badge. He intends to be a storekeeper elsewhere. Suddenly the town learns that Frank Miller, a criminal who Kane brought to justice, is due to return on the noon train to kill him. In court, he had vowed to get revenge on Will and anyone else who got in his way. The members of his gang are waiting at the train station. Will and Amy leave town, but fearing that the gang would hunt him down and endanger the townspeople, he returns. He reclaims his badge and seeks help from the townspeople with little success. All are afraid of Jim Miller and his gang. Fearful for the life of her husband and standing by her religious pacifist beliefs, Amy gives Will an ultimatum: she is leaving on the noon train, with or without him.

Torn between his love for his wife and his duty to protect the town from a criminal who would harm them to get revenge on him, Will decides to face the gang alone. Many of the townspeople encourage Will to leave, hoping that will defuse the situation. Shortly after boarding the noon train, Amy hears gunshots and she quickly gets off. She chooses to stand by her husband rather than forsake him in his hour of danger and need. To defend her husband Amy shoots one gang member from behind. Jim Miller then takes her hostage to force Kane into the open. However, the suddenly spirited Amy attacks Miller, giving her husband Will a clear shot and he shoots Miller dead. As a crowd gathers, Will stares contemptuously at them, throws his badge on the ground and leaves town with his wife Amy. The plot is a classic example of a husband and wife in strong disagreement who ultimately win a battle together which neither one could win alone. It exemplifies the concerns and pain of a man who must stand against the powers of evil in his life and overcome them to provide for the safety and security of the woman, family and people he loves and knows. Amy was no less a pacifist after killing a man and assisting in the killing of a second man who were both attempting to kill the man she loved. Protective instincts are God given and are just as great in woman as in man. She would not leave him alone in danger! She would protect her man against the evil which threatened his life and their happiness. Amy knew the danger. She was willing to die with him if necessary but she would not leave him in his great hour of need. She knew how much he loved her and she loved him just as much. She removed one threat (killing the man waiting to ambush her husband) and assisted he husband in killing the greatest threat to her home which the Most High God had given them. If her husband could stand in the face of danger, she would also. Upon hearing the shots, she knew that she could not forsake the man who loved her. In choosing not to forsake the man God gave to her, she was also choosing to stand by God regardless of the consequences and trust Him completely for the victory. (Our risen Lord Jesus Christ called out to God His Father from the cross before he commended his spirit into the hands of God, “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?” Jesus died to redeem the children of God and release the soul of man from the power of death. His resurrection destroyed the enemy (death) and bridged the gap between God and man.) God did a marvelous thing when he instilled such great love in the heart of every woman. Against all odds she will battle even to the death to protect those she loves, husbands and children alike. Only the love of God is greater than this for the love of man is surely patterned after His great love for us. May our love always be strong to serve God that we may always be strong to serve each other.

You have always been my high noon helpmate,Kochany