For those who are youngsters in this crowd: High Noon was a slap at the attempt to throw the Communists out of Hollywood in the 1950's.
Ward Bond[Wagon Train], Walt Disney, Ronald Reagan, and John Wayne were a few of the actors who stood up against those who had been professed Communists. Ronald Reagan had to carry a gun during this time period because of threats against his life.
John Wayne hated High Noon.
Say it ain't so!
I thought it was intended to have an entirely different message. I always saw this movie as a great allegory of the Cold War. Gary Cooper was the USA - who had helped clean up the town. The rest of the town who enjoyed the benefits of Gary's work - and now deserted him in his time of need - were our erstwhile european 'allies'. And of course the bad guys were the commie thugs ...
Do you mean this wasn't the message? You're not going to burst my bubble - I enjoy this movie, and I enjoy the ending where Gary the Sheriff basically tells his cowardly allies to eat spit...
Probably because Gary Cooper was in it instead of him.