On the Waterfront (1954) | |
| Director(s) | Elia Kazan |
| Producer(s) | Sam Spiegel |
| Top Genres | Crime, Drama, Romance |
| Top Topics | Book-Based, Integrity, True Story (based on) |
Featured Cast:
On the Waterfront Overview:
On the Waterfront (1954) was a Crime - Drama Film directed by Elia Kazan and produced by Sam Spiegel.
The film was based on the newspaper article Crime on the Waterfront from the New York Sun, 24-part series written by Malcolm Johnson published in Nov-Dec 1948.
SYNOPSIS
One of the most powerful film dramas of all time springs from the lives of hard men who work the docks and their resistance to the brass-knuckle politics of the waterfront unions. Union corruption wasn't a popular film subject, and neither were director Kazan and writer Schulberg after testifying to the HUAC. But the product of their collaboration forged a powerful impression on generations of moviegoers. Brando gives a remarkable, intuitive, physical performance as a washed-up boxer turned errand boy for the corrupt union boss. But when he contributed to a killing and falls in love with the victim's sister (Saint), he begins to see the consequences of the union grip on the waterfront. Under the wing of crusading priest Malden, Brando begins to challenge the mob, eventually becoming a bloody symbol of resistance. Stirring, important filmmaking.
(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).
.On the Waterfront was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1989.
Academy Awards 1954 --- Ceremony Number 27 (source: AMPAS)
| Award | Recipient | Result |
| Best Actor | Marlon Brando | Won |
| Best Supporting Actor | Lee J. Cobb | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actor | Karl Malden | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actor | Rod Steiger | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actress | Eva Marie Saint | Won |
| Best Art Direction | Richard Day | Won |
| Best Cinematography | Boris Kaufman | Won |
| Best Director | Elia Kazan | Won |
| Best Film Editing | Gene Milford | Won |
| Best Music - Scoring | Leonard Bernstein | Nominated |
| Best Picture | Sam Spiegel, Producer | Won |
| Best Writing | Budd Schulberg | Won |
BlogHub Articles:
?TCM Big Screen Classics: On the Waterfront? Movie Event Ticket Giveaway (April 1 – April 16)
By Annmarie Gatti on Apr 1, 2016 From Classic Movie Hub BlogWin Tickets to see ?On the Waterfront? on the Big Screen! in Select Cinemas Nationwide?April 24 &?April 27! Okay, here we go? our?next round of monthly?movie ticket giveaways, courtesy of Fathom Events!?That said, this month, we?ll be giving away?SIX PAIRS?of tickets to see??TCM Big Screen Class... Read full article
Chicago Film Club field trip: “On the Waterfront” April 24 at ShowPlace ICON at Roosevelt Road
By Stephen Reginald on Mar 30, 2016 From Classic Movie ManChicago Film Club field trip: “On the Waterfront” April 24 at ShowPlace ICON at Roosevelt Road Where: ShowPlace ICON, 150 W Roosevelt Road, Chicago, IL 60605 When: April 24 Time: 2:00 p.m. Hosted by Stephen Reginald Run Time: 2 hours (approximate) Ticketing: Tickets are avail... Read full article
On the Waterfront (1954)
By Beatrice on Dec 27, 2015 From Flickers in TimeOn the Waterfront Directed by Elia Kazan Written by Budd Schulberg based on his original story suggested by articles by Malcolm Johnson 1954/USA Columbia Pictures Corporation/Horizon Pictures Repeat viewing/Netflix rental #281 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Terry: Edie, you love me... Read full article
On the Waterfront (1954, Elia Kazan)
By Andrew Wickliffe on Jul 3, 2015 From The Stop ButtonOn the Waterfront is relentlessly grim until the strangest moment in the finale. As the film finally reaches the point of savage, physical violence–it opens with the implication, but not the visualization of such violence–a supporting character (familiar but mostly background) makes a wi... Read full article
On the Waterfront, 1954, Elia Kazan
By Aaron West on May 17, 2015 From Criterion BluesMay 17 Posted by aaronwest Waterfront Week was quite an experiment. This is not something I’ve done before but I’ll most likely do it again for important films as they come along. Here are the posts from the week: Kazan Naming Names – This is about Elia Kazan’s experiences w... Read full article
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Quotes from
Edie: But Pop, I've seen things that I know are so wrong. Now how can I go back to school and keep my mind on... on things that are just in books, that-that-that aren't people living?
Terry: You know this city's full of hawks? That's a fact. They hang around on the top of the big hotels. And they spot a pigeon in the park. Right down on him.
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Facts about
According to Richard Schickel in his biography of director Elia Kazan, Frank Sinatra had "a handshake deal"--but no formally-signed contract--to play the character of Terry Malloy in 'On the Waterfront' after Marlon Brando's original refusal to play the role. Sinatra--who was producer Sam Spiegel's first choice for the Terry Malloy role--actually attended one wardrobe fitting to prepare his costumes for the film. But Elia Kazan still favored Brando for the role, partially because Brando's casting in the film would assure a larger budget for the picture. Kazan was actually contacted by Brando's agent, Jay Kanter, to assure the director of the agent's continuing efforts to persuade the actor to perform in the film. Kazan in the meantime enlisted actor Karl Malden--whom Kazan considered more suited to a career as a director than a career as an actor--to direct and film a screen test of a "more Brando-like" actor as Terry Malloy, in an effort to persuade Spiegel that "an actor like Marlon Brando" could perform the Terry Malloy role more forcefully than Frank Sinatra. To that end, Malden filmed a screen test of Actor's Studio members Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward--neither of whom had as yet appeared in a motion picture--performing the love scene between Terry and Edie. Finally persuaded of the point by the Newman/Woodward screen test, Spiegel agreed to reconsider Brando for the r On the Waterfront is widely known to be an act of expiation on the part of Elia Kazan for naming names to HUAC during the Joseph McCarthy witch-hunts of the 1950s. What is less widely reported is that Kazan intended it as a direct attack at his former close friend Arthur Miller who had been openly critical of Kazan's actions. Specifically, it was a direct response to Miller's play The Crucible.
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