Film Review - On The Waterfront

'You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. ' -Terry Malloy

Recently I watched 'On the Waterfront', a film directed by Elia Kazan and starring a very young Marlon Brando, as well as Eva Marie Saint, who also starred in films such as Alfred Hitchcock's 'North by Northwest.' I really loved this film, and it's one of those pictures that you can watch again and again without getting bored of it, because you see something new each time - a different side to a character, or an interaction you previously didn't notice, something as small as Saint's character, Edie, refusing a piece of gum. I think this is due in a large part to the genius of Elia Kazan, and the careful training that Brando and Saint both received from the Actors Studio, which advocated extreme attention to detail in order to build a believable overall story. To me, actors like Brando and Saint prove what can truly be achieved with the notorious and often misunderstood 'method' - immersion in their characters, but this immersion being a very thought through (and yet natural) process.

I think a lot of the appeal of this film rests in the juxtapositions it presents. On the one hand there is the dangerous and rough tale of the murder of Edie's brother, against the harsh background of the dock workers and the mafia, whilst the audience are also presented with a startling love story between the two protagonists, Edie and Terry Malloy. Terry, Brando's character, is an ex-boxer, and played a part in the murder of Edie's brother, though not actively committing the crime himself. The two lovers therefore seem like an unlikely pairing, particularly because Saint's character is so reserved - she attends a convent school - whereas Brando's character is full of raw power and violence. But perhaps this is why it works so well - the gentleness of Saint's character brings out the vulnerability in Terry, an exposing which is really interesting for the audience to witness, whilst Terry encourages Edie to stand up for herself, to learn to take life a little less seriously. The two characters also knew each other in childhood, and only re - kindle their acquaintance through the murder of Edie's brother Joey; evidently still very different in childhood, Edie had braces and straw-like hair, with Terry getting into fights with teachers - as Terry tells her 'You grew up nice'.

Although moments like these are only ever spoken of, it is testament to the well-written script and Kazan's skill that these memories and conjured in our own heads, without being presented visually, yet are still potent. It is also these memories and tension that leads to such an effective relationship dynamic. Reportedly, when Kazan was casting the film, he asked Eva Marie and Marlon to improvise a scene together, to see if they had any chemistry. According to Saint, 'the sparks just flew' and this is something clearly evident between Brando and Saint in 'On the Waterfront'.

Karl Marden also gives an extremely effective performance as the vicar in the film, who is willing to help the dock workers get the work they deserve, and he explores his character's struggle to remain faithful to his principles whilst simultaneously challenging them vey effectively.

Overall, it is easy to see why 'On the Waterfront' received so much critical acclaim, with such wonderful and sensitive performances, which to me prove the real worth of acting as a profession, something which can convey truths about the world and human nature quietly yet decisively. I hope you enjoyed this post, I will be reviewing more films soon.

Marlon Brando by Philippe Halsman, 1950. 

Victoria x

N.B. I claim no credit for the images used in this post. I found them on flickr under a Creative Commons license, and all rights belong to those who owned the pictures originally.