IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IT Movie review: On the Waterfront

“I coulda been a Contendah!” For me this is THE call of the downhearted, hopeless, and regret filled man. This is a classic line from the classic film “On The Waterfront” starring Marlon Brando. Terry(Brando) is a small time dock worker who is the younger brother of the accountant of the mob leader. The mafia runs the docks dolling out work to those who they feel are falling in line and removing those that don’t. Everything’s going pretty well for Terry, his connection to his brother helps him get consistent work and eventually a lofty position as a guy who does nothing but gets paid…pretty sweet. However, ever since his unwitting aide in the murder of Joey Doyle, Terry’s been thinking about his turns in life. He meets Joey Doyle’s sister and as usual the woman throws everything out of balance. She is bent on finding her brother’s murderer, putting Terry in a strange predicament that ultimately changes his life.

This is a great story of redemption, sacrifice, struggle, love, anger, and finally justice. This film takes you down several different roads of emotion and really delivers in its ending scene when you realize that Terry was meant to be more than just a Contender.

Marlon Brando turns in another amazing performance and he has great help from Eva Marie Saint playing the sister and Brando’s love interest. Everyone in this film did a tremendous job portraying their characters and above all making them very believable. The direction was also superb and everything came together beautifully to make an amazing experience.

If you haven’t watched this film do yourself a favor, ignore that its in black in white, (I know they lived like cavemen back then!) and watch it. One of the best films I’ve ever seen!

Here’s the complete cast and crew as listed on Internet Movie Database
Directed by
Elia Kazan

Writing credits
Budd Schulberg (screenplay)

Budd Schulberg (based upon an original story by)

Malcolm Johnson (suggested by articles by)

Cast (in credits order) verified as complete

Marlon Brando … Terry Malloy

Karl Malden … Father Barry

Lee J. Cobb … Johnny Friendly

Rod Steiger … Charley Malloy
Pat Henning … Kayo Dugan

Leif Erickson … Glover
James Westerfield … Big Mac
Tony Galento … Truck
Tami Mauriello … Tillio
John F. Hamilton … ‘Pop’ Doyle (as John Hamilton)
John Heldabrand … Mott
Rudy Bond … Moose
Don Blackman … Luke
Arthur Keegan … Jimmy
Abe Simon … Barney

Eva Marie Saint … Edie Doyle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Martin Balsam … Gillette (uncredited)
Dan Bergin … Sidney (uncredited)
Zachary Charles … Dues Collector (uncredited)
Jere Delaney … Bit Part (uncredited)
Robert Downing … Bit (uncredited)

Michael V. Gazzo … Bit (uncredited)

Fred Gwynne … Slim (uncredited)
Thomas Handley … Tommy Collins (uncredited)
Anne Hegira … Mrs. Collins (uncredited)

Pat Hingle … Jocko (uncredited)

Scottie MacGregor … Mother of a Longshoreman (uncredited)
Barry Macollum … Johnny’s Banker (uncredited)
Tiger Joe Marsh … Longshoreman (uncredited)
Edward McNally … Bit Part (uncredited)
Mike O’Dowd … Specs (uncredited)

Nehemiah Persoff … Cab Driver (uncredited)
Johnny Seven … Longshoreman (uncredited)

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Brian Bell