Writer/Director John Mulholland's documentary "Inside High Noon" narrated by Matthew Rhys now available to rent or buy on Amazon

"Inside High Noon," the captivating documentary that peels back the layers of one of Hollywood's most iconic films, is now available for streaming on Amazon. Narrated by the acclaimed Matthew Rhys, written & directed by John Mulholland, edited by Richard Zampella, and produced by Shannon Mulholland & Richard Zampella, this documentary offers a rare glimpse into the making of "High Noon" and its lasting impact on cinema.

Released in 1952, "High Noon" remains a cornerstone of American filmmaking, celebrated for its gripping narrative and powerful performances. However, behind the scenes, the story of its creation is just as compelling as the film itself. "Inside High Noon" delves into the tumultuous production history of "High Noon," uncovering the challenges faced by its filmmakers and the controversies that surrounded its release. 

At its core, "Inside High Noon" explores the thematic richness of "High Noon" and its relevance in contemporary society. While the film was originally perceived as a commentary on the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and the political climate of the 1950s, its themes of moral ambiguity, individualism, and societal responsibility continue to resonate with audiences today.

Director John Mulholland, known for his insightful approach to documentary filmmaking, guides viewers through the intricate web of events that led to the creation of "High Noon." From the initial struggles to secure funding to the casting hurdles that were overcome, Mulholland provides a comprehensive overview of the film's journey from script to screen.

Narrated by Matthew Rhys, whose distinctive voice adds depth and gravitas to the narrative, "Inside High Noon" features exclusive interviews with a diverse range of voices, including President Bill Clinton, King Albert of Monaco, and prominent film historians and scholars. These interviews offer fresh insights into the enduring appeal of "High Noon" and its significance within the broader cultural landscape.

Richard Zampella, the editor and producer of "Inside High Noon," brings together a wealth of archival footage and behind-the-scenes material to paint a vivid portrait of the film's production. From Gary Cooper's iconic performance as Marshal Will Kane to the film's unforgettable score by Dimitri Tiomkin, every aspect of "High Noon" is examined in meticulous detail.

"Inside High Noon" isn't just a documentary; it's a journey through time, offering viewers exclusive insights into the making of "High Noon" and its enduring relevance over 70 years later. With exclusive interviews from notable figures such as President Bill Clinton, King Albert of Monaco, and acclaimed film experts, including Brian Garfield, Jonathan Foreman, Tim Zinnemann, Maria Cooper, Lee Clark Mitchell, Stephen Prince, and M.Z. Ribalow, the documentary pa

ints a comprehensive picture of the film's impact and legacy.

John Mulholland, the creative force behind "Inside High Noon," brings his expertise as a writer and director to the documentary, infusing it with depth and nuance. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Mulholland meticulously crafts each scene to provide audiences with a comprehensive understanding of the film's legacy. As both the writer and director of "Inside High Noon," Mulholland is uniquely positioned to delve into the intricacies of "High Noon" and its impact on cinema. Drawing on his background in film studies and his experience as a documentary filmmaker, Mulholland skillfully weaves together interviews, archival footage, and behind-the-scenes insights to create a compelling narrative.

Mulholland's approach to storytelling is characterized by its thoroughness and attention to detail. He leaves no stone unturned as he explores the various facets of "High Noon," from its thematic elements to its production history. Through his direction, viewers are transported back in time to the golden age of Hollywood, experiencing firsthand the challenges and triumphs of the filmmakers.

In addition to his role as director, Mulholland's background as a writer allows him to craft a narrative that is both informative and engaging. His script for "Inside High Noon" strikes the perfect balance between exposition and storytelling, providing audiences with the context they need to fully appreciate the significance of "High Noon" while also keeping them hooked with a compelling narrative arc.

Mulholland's passion for the subject matter shines through in every frame of "Inside High Noon." Whether he's delving into the political undertones of the film or celebrating its timeless themes of courage and conviction, Mulholland's love for "High Noon" is palpable. His dedication to preserving the legacy of this cinematic masterpiece is evident in the meticulous care with which he approaches every aspect of the documentary.

Ultimately, John Mulholland's contributions as both a writer and director are integral to the success of "Inside High Noon." Through his expert storytelling and insightful direction, he invites audiences on a journey into the heart of one of Hollywood's most beloved films, shedding new light on its enduring significance and cementing its place in cinematic history.

Stream Now on Amazon

Writer-Director John Mulholland's INSIDE HIGH NOON Documentary to Premiere in Los Angles on Public Television 2/17/2023 Narrated by Matthew Rhys

Watch INSIDE HIGH NOON on PBS

John Mulholland’s INSIDE HIGH NOON Revisited explores both the landmark 1952 film High Noon written by Carl Foreman starring Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, Lloyd Bridges, and Katy Jurado, and the gripping story behind its troubled production. Written and directed by John Mulholland, Edited and Produced by Richard Zampella, Executive Produced by Craig Gilbert & Shannon Mulholland, and presented and distributed nationally by American Public Television. It makes its premier screening on November 17th, 2023 primetime in Los Angles on KCET (check local listings).

INSIDE HIGH NOON goes behind the scenes to reveal how many of the studios passed on the project and major Hollywood actors turned it down before Gary Cooper accepted the lead role. When it was ultimately released, High Noon was seen by some as an attack on the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) -- the US government's investigation into subversive activities by citizens who were accused of having fascist or communist ties. At least half-a-dozen people involved in the production were blacklisted; among them, screenwriter Carl Foreman and cinematographer Floyd Crosby. Gary Cooper put his career on the line for Foreman during and after production, hailing him as "The finest kind of American." INSIDE HIGH NOON delves into that history and explores the film itself: why it has aroused controversy among critics, how its treatment of women and masculinity was ahead of its time, and why High Noon has come to be seen as a masterpiece of American cinema.

"High Noon was an independent, low budget, black and white movie that became engulfed in the blacklist," Mulholland says about what interested him in making the documentary. "I found it fascinating that this conservative movie star Gary Cooper publicly stood up for the blacklisted screenwriter Carl Foreman. He refused to cave to John Wayne and the other anti-Communists."

The film also touches on the parallels between High Noon and modern American politics. "I find that America has a civic complacency going on," writer-director Mulholland says. "Democracy is so fragile. It's merely words on paper unless people stand up to defend it. To me, so many Republicans in the House and Senate are like the citizens of Hadleyville. They are looking the other way, backing away, refusing to acknowledge the dangers of the moment."

Narrated by award-winning actor Matthew Rhys (The Americans), the documentary weaves together clips from High Noon and analysis and commentary from Tim Zinneman (son of director Fred Zinneman), Jonathan Foreman (son of screenwriter Carl Foreman), Crown Prince Albert of Monaco (Grace Kelly's son), Maria Cooper (Gary Cooper's daughter), President Bill Clinton, and many film critics and historians.

2022 marked the 70th anniversary of the release of High Noon. Learn more about the film at www.insidehighnoon.com

About John Mulholland
JOHN MULHOLLAND is a filmmaker, writer and film historian. His latest documentaries, Elmore Leonard: But don’t try to write (narrated by Campbell Scott) and Inside High Noon (narrated by Matthew Rhys), aired on PBS. An extended version of Elmore Leonard: But don’t try to write, will appear on Amazon Prime. Mulholland is also the author of Classic Film Chatter, a book series about notable film genres published by Cine Monde Classique. Politics in Film will be the first released. Colossal New York is publishing several of Mulholland’s graphic novels; among which: Tenderloin, which takes place during the Gilded Age of New York; Checkmate, a battle of the sexes thriller; and High Riviera, a romantic chase through the South of France. 

Among some of Mulholland’s other documentaries: Cooper & Hemingway: The True Gen, which explores the 20-year friendship between Gary Cooper and Ernest Hemingway; Sergeant York: Of God And Country; The Letters Of Vincent and Theo Van Gogh; On Macbeth; Eastern European Composers; and Liza Minnelli Reflecting. He has worked with such award-winning actors as Liam Neeson, Angela Lansbury, Morgan Freeman, Kirk Douglas, Frank Langella, Len Cariou, Leonard Nimoy, Estelle Parsons, Sam Waterston, Patricia Neal, and Charlton Heston; and such authors as Jim Harrison, George Plimpton, Elmore Leonard, Bridgett Davis, Stephen Prince, Jim Born, Rachel Howzell Hall, and Otto Penzler. Mulholland also served as host for the popular podcast, Icons Radio Hour, which covered Classic Hollywood.

Along with such notables as Ian McKellen, Mark Rylance, Derek Jacobi, Sandra Day O’Connor, John Paul Stevens, and a host of others, Mulholland is a signatory to the Declaration of Reasonable Doubt, which questions that the man known as William Shakespeare actually wrote the plays attributed to him.

Mulholland lives in New York City. He is in the early stages of research for his next documentary, on author Graham Greene. More at www.johnmulhollandnyc.com

About Richard Zampella
RICHARD ZAMPELLA is a documentary film producer. Zampella has created content for American Public Television, Warner Home Video and Paramount Pictures. Most notably, he has produced films with Writer & Director John Mulholland. Their collaboration documentaries include:

Elmore Leonard: But Don’t Try to Write, a film that premiered on Public Television in July of 2022. It explores the life and works of one of America’s favorite authors, with narration by Campbell Scott.

Cooper & Hemingway: The True Gen, written and directed by Mulholland and with narration by Sam Waterson and voicing by Len Cariou, a film that explores the 20-year friendship between two-time Academy Award-winning actor Gary Cooper and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway. That documentary received a New York Times Critics Pick

Sergeant York: Of God and Country, narrated by Liam Neeson, a film that explores the challenges of making and marketing the film, including anti-Semitism, America’s isolationist fervor, and the U.S. House Un-American Activities Committee

Another Zampella-Mulholland collaboration was Icons Radio Hour, a 2007 to 2010 online podcast that featured interviews with artists and Hollywood insiders and commentary by film historian and author Meir Ribalow. Other Zampella production credits include Duke Ellington, a documentary tribute released on April 29, 2009, the 110th birthday of the jazz great and a date designated as “Duke Ellington Day” by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Zampella is also a photographer and writer and received a CNN “Editor’s Pic” In 2015 for his photo essay and article on the September 11th terrorist bombing of the Twin Towers in New York City.

Zampella is the managing partner of Transmultimedia, Entertainment, a New York City-based creative services agency that creates websites, motion graphics, and media for small businesses. As a preservationist, Zampella is the owner of Idylease Inn in Newfoundland, New Jersey, that is a Historic Landmark that was built in 1902. The building is a historically significant example of early 20th century resort architecture. Zampella credits his father, Dr. Arthur Zampella, for instilling his interest in the arts and history. He currently splits his time between New York City, Long Island and New Jersey. Richard Zampella is an U.S, Army veteran having served four years as an Intelligence Analyst for ten years as an army reservist. More at www.richardzampella.com

About American Public Television
American Public Television (APT) is the leading syndicator of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation’s public television stations. Founded in 1961, APT distributes 250 new program titles per year and more than one-third of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. APT’s diverse catalog includes prominent documentaries, performances, dramas, how-to programs, classic movies, children’s series, news, and current affairs programs.

John Mulholland's INSIDE HIGH NOON premieres in Los Angles on Public Television 2/17/2023 Narrated by Matthew Rhys

Gary Cooper on the set of HIGH NOON with director Fred Zinnemann

Carl Foreman, Screenwriter of "HIGH NOON"

Gary Cooper in "HIGH NOON"
Inside High Noon Documentary Directed by John Mulholland

On the set of "HIGH NOON"
with Grace Kelly, Gary Cooper & Lloyd Bridges
INSIDE HIGH NOON

Writer-Director John Mulholland's INSIDE HIGH NOON Documentary to Premiere in Los Angles on Public Television 2/17/2023 Narrated by Matthew Rhys

Writer-Director John Mulholland's Documentary INSIDE HIGH NOON REVISTED Premieres In Los Angles on Public Television February 17th, 2023 Narrated By Matthew Rhys

Writer/Director/Film Historian 

John Mulholland

www.johnmulhollandnyc.com

INSIDE HIGH NOON by John Mulholland

HIGH NOON was hailed upon its release in 1952 as an instant classic. It won several Academy Awards, including one for its legendary star, Gary Cooper. It was named the year's best picture by the New York Film Critics Society. And yet, even though it's high on the American Film Institute's 100 Best Films of the Century, HIGH NOON's respect has been hard won, indeed. Perhaps no other classic film has had such a rocky road as this "simple little western."

Decried by influential auteurist critics and academics, HIGH NOON has been attacked for being untrue to the western genre - read anti-populist; for being "middle-brow" (whatever that might mean); for being social drama hiding behind the western genre - and muddled social drama, at that; for being the most un-American film ever made (courtesy of John Wayne), etc.

However, 56 years after its release, HIGH NOON still powerfully resonates with audiences around the world. When Solidarity needed a universal image to promote democracy and the right to vote in Poland in 1987, they chose Gary Cooper in HIGH NOON, a ballot in his hand rather than a gun. Conservatives and liberals both manage to cite HIGH NOON on the floor of Congress as a metaphor for their competing political ideals. Political cartoonists and headline writers inevitably use HIGH NOON as reference for countless crises. President Eisenhower cited High Noon as his favorite film, as have President Clinton and former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizuma.

On one hand, HIGH NOON has been attacked for being a conservative, damaging portrait of arrogant male paternalism. On the other hand, HIGH NOON is praised for challenging entrenched notions of gender, for exploring masculine anxiety, masculinity as a construct. Feminist critics and academics are offering intriguing and complex new readings to HIGH NOON.

Example: Amy Fowler (Grace Kelly) is having her new husband, Marshall Will Kane (Cooper), quit his career, leave his town, leave his friends, marry outside his church, and open a store of her choosing (wearing, perhaps, an apron?). Does Will Kane take on the villains at noon as a final gasp of masculine protest, as a declaration of independence from his wife's control?

Ernest Hemingway compared a story's meaning to an iceberg - like the iceberg, 7/8th of which lies hidden beneath the surface, 7/8th of a story's meaning lies beneath the surface.

Carl Foreman's bare-to-the-bones script and Fred Zinnemann's equally spare direction are a perfect film correlative to Hemingway's iceberg theory. This taut, seemingly straightforward little suspense western is complex, multi-layered, and perhaps even more relevant today than when it opened 56 years ago.

John Mulholland, writer/director
INSIDE HIGH NOON

Narrated by Frank Langella
Produced by Richard Zampella & Shannon Mulholland

Je Suis Paris

Our Hearts are with Paris
Je Suis Paris!

SONY Execs should watched HIGH NOON before responding to Hack Attacks

High Noon (1952)

Sony execs should have watched High Noon before responding so cravenly to the hack attacks. They’d have known better than to cut and run. In the classic film, the town’s legal authority, the Judge -- who is advising Marshal Will Kane to cut and run – says: “this is just a dirty little village in the middle of nowhere, nothing that happens here is really important.”

Will Kane, who does not cut and run, knows better.

All the other Hollywood studios – every single one -- Sony’s alleged creative partners, who also cut like “craven cowards,” refusing to stand up for Sony, should have watched High Noon, too. As Helen Ramirez says to her ex-lover, the deputy Harvey Pell: “… Kane will be dead in half an hour, and nobody is going to do anything about it … and when he dies, this town dies, too.”

Unlike Sony, Helen Ramirez understood what makes a democracy work; understood why a democracy works.

In acceding to the demands of the hackers -- in cutting and running -- Sony execs have made it sadly clear that they do not understand what makes a democracy work. Because what happens to one single film studio in Hollywood – “this dirty little village” – matters, indeed.

-John Mulholland, Writer/Director

Gary Cooper won the Academy Award for Best Actor in HIGH NOON

On this day in 1953, Gary Cooper won the Academy Award as Best Actor in HIGH NOON.

Gary Cooper in High Noon (1952)

www.insidehighnoon.com

Directed by John Mulholland
Narrated by Frank Langella
Produced by "Richard Zampella & Shannon Mulholland"

On the Set of "High Noon" Gary Cooper, Director Fred Zinnemann and Grace Kelly

On the set of HIGH NOON
Gary Cooper, Fred Zinnemann and Grace Kelly

INSIDE HIGH NOON A Documentary on the 1952 film HIGH NOON - Written/Directed by: John Mulholland Narrated by: Frank Langella Produced by: Richard Zampella & Shannon Mulholland. On Camera Interviews: President William Clinton, Tim Zinneman (son of director Fred Zinneman), Jonathan Foreman (son of screenwriter Carl Foreman), Crown Prince Albert of Monaco (Grace Kelly's son), Maria Cooper (Gary Cooper's daughter), Brian Garfield, Lee Clark Mitchell,Stephen Prince, Meir Ribalow
Follow us @insidehighnoon

William Faulkner quote on High Noon

“High Noon has all you need for a good story: a man doin’ something he has to do, against himself, against his environment.”  -William Faulkner

Gary Cooper in HIGH NOON

Inside High Noon, a documentary on the 1952 film High Noon.
Narrated by Frank Langella
Written & Directed by John Mulholland
Produced by Richard Zampella & Shannon Mulholland

On Camera Participants: President Bill Clinton, King Albert of Monaco, Brian Garfield, Jonathan Foreman, Tim Zinnemann, Maria Cooper, Lee Clark Mitchell, Stephen Prince and M.Z. Ribalow

INSIDE HIGH NOON

HIGH NOON was hailed upon its release in 1952 as an instant classic. It won several Academy Awards, including one for its legendary star, Gary Cooper. It was named the year's best picture by the New York Film Critics Society. And yet, even though it's high on the American Film Institute's 100 Best Films of the Century, HIGH NOON's respect has been hard won, indeed. Perhaps no other classic film has had such a rocky road as this "simple little western."

Decried by influential auteurist critics and academics, HIGH NOON has been attacked for being untrue to the western genre - read anti-populist; for being "middle-brow" (whatever that might mean); for being social drama hiding behind the western genre - and muddled social drama, at that; for being the most un-American film ever made (courtesy of John Wayne), etc.

However, 56 years after its release, HIGH NOON still powerfully resonates with audiences around the world. When Solidarity needed a universal image to promote democracy and the right to vote in Poland in 1987, they chose Gary Cooper in HIGH NOON, a ballot in his hand rather than a gun. Conservatives and liberals both manage to cite HIGH NOON on the floor of Congress as a metaphor for their competing political ideals. Political cartoonists and headline writers inevitably use HIGH NOON as reference for countless crises. President Eisenhower cited High Noon as his favorite film, as have President Clinton and former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizuma.

On one hand, HIGH NOON has been attacked for being a conservative, damaging portrait of arrogant male paternalism. On the other hand, HIGH NOON is praised for challenging entrenched notions of gender, for exploring masculine anxiety, masculinity as a construct. Feminist critics and academics are offering intriguing and complex new readings to HIGH NOON.

Example: Amy Fowler (Grace Kelly) is having her new husband, Marshall Will Kane (Cooper), quit his career, leave his town, leave his friends, marry outside his church, and open a store of her choosing (wearing, perhaps, an apron?). Does Will Kane take on the villains at noon as a final gasp of masculine protest, as a declaration of independence from his wife's control?

Ernest Hemingway compared a story's meaning to an iceberg - like the iceberg, 7/8th of which lies hidden beneath the surface, 7/8th of a story's meaning lies beneath the surface.

Carl Foreman's bare-to-the-bones script and Fred Zinnemann's equally spare direction are a perfect film correlative to Hemingway's iceberg theory. This taut, seemingly straightforward little suspense western is complex, multi-layered, and perhaps even more relevant today than when it opened over 60 years ago.

John Mulholland, writer/director
INSIDE HIGH NOON
www.insidehighnoon.com
Produced by Richard Zampella & Shannon Mulholland
www.richardzampella.com


INSIDE HIGH NOON A Documentary on the 1952 film HIGH NOON - Written/Directed by: John Mulholland Narrated by: Frank Langella Produced by: Richard Zampella & Shannon Mulholland. On Camera Interviews: President William Clinton, Tim Zinneman (son of director Fred Zinneman), Jonathan Foreman (son of screenwriter Carl Foreman), Crown Prince Albert of Monaco (Grace Kelly's son), Maria Cooper (Gary Cooper's daughter), Brian Garfield, Lee Clark Mitchell,Stephen Prince, Meir Ribalow
Follow us @insidehighnoon

Inside High Noon Review- DVD Active

Inside High Noon
A Documentary
Written & Directed by John Mulholland

Review by DVD Active
http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd/high-noon-ultimate-edition.html

‘Inside High Noon’ encompasses the film’s creation and value in a tightly edited fifty minutes. The behind the scenes tale is told, but at least half the Frank Langella narrated documentary is devoted to the film’s importance in the greater pantheon. There’s a lot of focus on the film’s political subtext (the film is listed as both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush’s favourite), but there’s also plenty of focus on the craft and achievements of every major member of the cast and crew. Since very few of the original players are around to offer up their humility, there’s a slight smugness to the doc’s assured knowledge that the film is important, but the interviewees, including the children of the stars and crew, and Bill Clinton, who knows a whole heck of a lot about the film, verging almost on a fanboy enthusiasm. Written & Directed by John Mulholland. Produced by Richard Zampella.

www.insidehighnoon.com

INSIDE HIGH NOON A Documentary on the 1952 film HIGH NOON - Written/Directed by: John Mulholland Narrated by: Frank Langella Produced by: Richard Zampella & Shannon Mulholland. On Camera Interviews: President William Clinton, Tim Zinneman (son of director Fred Zinneman), Jonathan Foreman (son of screenwriter Carl Foreman), Crown Prince Albert of Monaco (Grace Kelly's son), Maria Cooper (Gary Cooper's daughter), Brian Garfield, Lee Clark Mitchell,Stephen Prince, Meir Ribalow
Follow us @insidehighnoon