On the Waterfront main backdrop
On the Waterfront main poster

On the Waterfront

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7.9/10 • 1.7K

1954-06-221h 48m

CrimeDramaRomance

The man lived by the jungle law of the docks!

A prizefighter-turned-longshoreman with a conscience goes up against labor leaders to expose corruption, extortion, and murder among the union ranks.

Directors
Elia Kazan
Editors
Gene Milford

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Marlon Brando

    Marlon Brando

    Terry Malloy

  2. Karl Malden

    Karl Malden

    Father Barry

  3. Lee J. Cobb

    Lee J. Cobb

    Johnny Friendly

  4. Eva Marie Saint

    Eva Marie Saint

    Edie Doyle

  5. Rod Steiger

    Rod Steiger

    Charley Malloy

  6. Pat Henning

    Pat Henning

    Kayo Dugan

  7. Leif Erickson

    Leif Erickson

    Glover

  8. James Westerfield

    James Westerfield

    Big Mac

  9. Tony Galento

    Tony Galento

    Truck

Reviews4

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John Chard Avatar

John Chard

Sep 6, 2020

10/10

You think you're God Almighty, but you know what you are? You're a cheap, lousy, dirty, stinkin' mug! And I'm glad what I done to you, ya hear that? I'm glad what I done! On the Waterfront is directed by Elia Kazan and adapted to screenplay by Budd Schulberg from a series of Malcolm Johnson articles. It stars Marlon Brando, lee J. Cobb, Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden, Rod Steiger and Pat Henning. Music is by Leonard Bernstein and cinematography by Boris Kaufman. Terry Malloy (Brando) was once a boxer with potential and big dreams. Now working as a longshoreman on the docks for mob boss Johnny Friendly (Cobb), Terry witnesses the murder of a fellow dock worker and finds himself conflicted about if he should inform to the crime commission about what he knows, more so as he gets in tight with the dead man's sister. As good as anything Kazan, Brando and Kaufman ever did, On the Waterfront strips it down to a stench filled corrupt part of New York as honest hard working men battle to make ends meet under the rule of corrupt mob led union bosses. The dialogue is almost lyrical in its simplicity, deftly at odds with the dull pallor of the environment involving barely livable housing and misty docks holding awful secrets. Although a defence for squealing, with the finger pointed at those in the high chairs here, it's a seminal classic that deserved every Oscar win and nomination that it got. From the electric "contender" speech (watch Steiger's facial acting here), to Brando's heart aching discovery of his beloved bids being killed, and onto the unforgettable punch the air finale, thisis a s good as classic cinema gets. 10/10

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  • On the Waterfront poster
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  • On the Waterfront poster
  • On the Waterfront poster
  • On the Waterfront poster
  • On the Waterfront poster
  • On the Waterfront poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$910,000.00
Revenue
$960,000.00
Keywords
corruptionnew jerseymurdermafiablack and whiteuniondocklongshoremanpigeonex-boxer