The term "High Noon" refers to a time in the middle of the day, typically around midday or 12 pm. It is often used figuratively to describe a critical moment when something important must be decided or acted upon. The phrase gained popularity from the 1952 American western film noir "High Noon" directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Gary Cooper as Will Kane, a marshal who faces a gang of outlaws at high noon to uphold justice in his town.