COWARDICE A LA CARTE: EDWARD CLINE
https://ruleofreason.blogspot.com/2020/08/cowardice-la-carte.html
: lack of courage or firmness of purpose
Synonyms
I never mind all the political “Red Scare” info surrounding “High Noon” (released 1952), nor the conflicts between Carl Forman and Fred Zinnemann, the associate producers. What fascinates me about the film is not the gun fights, but rather the variety of expressions of cowardice and of the betrayal of Will Kane, (played by Gary Cooper ) the marshal of the town of Hadleyville in the Arizona Territory, as he prepares to face a gang of killers who arrive to kill him. He can find no one willing to be deputized to help him face the gang. He experiences hostility, indifference, and hatred,
The cowardice evokes for me the current cowardice of Americans who are willing to submit to the COVID-19 panic and are willing to don face masks and buckle into “social distancing” in their behavior. They are willing to wear face masks even during their personal, one-on-one encounters.
The kinds of cowardice dramatized in the film are many, varied and pathetic.
They are based on fear, and expedient rationalizations and what they deem as needless risks to their lives. (over-estimating the potency of the gang). The first volunteer, Herb, appears and puts on the deputy badge, then leaves for a while. When he returns, and Kane tells him he has not been able to find anyone else, Herb replies to him it would be suicide for just the two of them to face the gang, pleads his kids, tosses the badge on Kane’s desk, and leaves. In disgust, Kane angrily sweeps it off his desk. The next coward is the judge who sentenced Frank Miller to hang for murder; H e rides off with his law books telling Kane he is being stupid not to leave.
Many of the subsequent cowards previously attended Kane’s wedding, including the mayor and Kane’s retired hero, wishing him and his bride well (before the station master arrives and gives Kane a telegram about Frank Miller’s release). Kane goes to the church and asks for volunteer deputies.
The mayor of Hadleyville praises Kane for having cleaned up the town, but tells him to leave. “It’s good for you, good for all of us.” Kane leaves, saying to the mayor, “Thanks.” It is not an expression of gratitude.
One of the town’s councilmen sees Kane coming to his house, and instructs his wife to tell him that he was not home. The wife succeeds an turning Kane away, but she sees her husband’s spinelessness.. “Do you want to see me get killed?” he asks her in response to the wife’s look of contempt. Kane visits the retired marshal, who pleads arthritis and adds that people “just don’t give a damn.”
The only residents who volunteer to be deputized are the town drunk and a 16-year-old boy. Kane turns them down; knowing that they would be more a liability than of help, and probably would be shot by the gang.
Kane defeats the gang, with the help of his pacifist bride. They leave town after he tosses the marshal’s badge to the ground.
Civilazation is saved by one man and his courage, while the town he leaves it left to its cowardly devices.
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