1954--On the Waterfront, Elia Kazan



1954--On the Waterfront—Elia Kazan

Nominated: The Caine Mutiny, The Country Girl, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Three Coins in a Fountain

Should have won: On the Waterfront

Be sure to see: Creature from the Black Lagoon, Dial M for Murder, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Rear Window, Seven Samurai
“(My coat is) more full of holes than the Pittsburgh infield.”--Timothy Dugan

 

     Former boxer Terry Malloy takes a job on the waterfront for the same mob union boss who had him take a fall when he used to fight. The mob kills a man and Terry falls in love with Edie, the deceased man's sister. Since Terry and his coworkers are working for the mob, he begins to feels tormented by it.

 

     On the Waterfront is a lot more complex than that synopsis let me be. But I figured I'd just end it there. Many people consider Marlon Brando's performance to be the greatest acting performance of all time. Funny because I think his was the third best in this movie. I enjoyed Karl Malden as Father Barry more and the best thing about it is Lee J. Cobb as the corrupt Johnny Friendly. I've seen Cobb in only four movies and all four are four star films; this, The Exorcist, How the West was Won and 12 Angry Men. In my review of All the King's Men I mentioned the lead reminded me of a cross between Cobb and Rodney Dangerfield, if you need a reminder of what I'm going for. For what it is worth, I say the best acting job is Ben Kingsley as Gandhi.

 

     Much of this movie is about trying to find out the right thing to do. When Terry testifies against Friendly, he gets disrespected and called a pigeon. Terry keeps birds on the roof of his apartment in a coop and a neighborhood kid kills them. “A pigeon for a pigeon!” the kid yells. Upon returning to work, all them men are said they can begin working except Terry.

 

     The fight climax and what the other workers do afterward in rebellion of Friendly is a great moment but most people's favorite is the scene in the cab with Terry and his brother. It could be called the famous “I coulda been a contender” scene. This is the scene Terry really opens up and we can see what he is all about, not just what his persona emits. The dialogue in that scene is poetic and I've read it mostly followed the script. The only thing that wasn't scripted was when Terry said “Charlie” fourteen times. Another improvised scene of note is the glove scene. As Terry and Edie are taking a walk, Eva Marie Saint (meaning the actress as opposed to the character) accidentally drops her glove. Brando picks it up and instead of handing it back, starts to play with it and put it on. Not that big a deal, but one of those curious things that are unscripted that find themselves in the final print of movies, like the “How do I look” “You look great” scene in Kramer vs Kramer which was just the actress asking the actor how she looked before the scene started rolling, unknowing the scene was rolling. That won best picture of 1979 so look for it later on.

 

     On the Waterfront is one of the better best picture winners but it is a curious one. I like it a lot but I've only seen it twice and have no desire to see it again any time soon. Typically, if I enjoy a movie, I want to revisit it. This isn't the case with this one. Sure, I thought it was great but it isn't one I'd desire to pop in every week. To tie in Brando with that I'd say it isn't really my "streetcar" to watch it again any time soon.