Since having Ellie, Keegan and I have a lot of date nights in. We pick a movie, mix a cocktail and whip up a special appetizer. We both have an interest in old movies, but hadn’t seen many of the “greats,” so over the last few years, we’ve been slowly making our way through the American Film Institute’s 100 Greatest American Films of All Time list.

In case you’d like to follow along with us, you can see what we thought of each movie here on this new page and read our his and hers accounts for each one. You can also find it under the Entertain heading of the main menu.

This weekend, we hit lucky #27. 

High Noon

Lane: I watched this one in college and didn’t like it at all. Well, clearly my tastes have changed, because I really enjoyed it the second time around for at lot of reasons. First of all, Grace Kelly’s character is three-dimensional and not your typical, lady in a Western. She’s strong and opinionated – definitely one to watch. Katy Jurado is also really fantastic in this. Secondly, Gary Cooper’s quest to save the town and their reactions to his efforts offer great commentary on our ability to stand up for our own best interests and what is right. Last, but not least, the only thing I remembered about watching this in class was the symbolism with the clocks. (Maybe I should have been paying a little more attention?) I got a kick out of looking out for them in nearly every scene.

Keegan: One of the greatest western’s ever made. Gary Cooper is a stubborn old marshall who is equally loved and despised by his town. His character has conviction that many characters in the movie don’t understand. And if you have to ask why he’s doing what he’s doing, you’ll never get it. The ending is how a western should be.