Critic Reviews
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, TIME Magazine
On the Waterfront has a script that is a work of love and shows it.
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Variety Staff, Variety
Under Elia Kazan's direction, Marlon Brando puts on a spectacular show, giving a fascinating, multi-faceted performance as the uneducated dock walloper and former pug, who is basically a softie with a special affection for his rooftop covey of pigeons.
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Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
It's hard to deny that Marlon Brando's performance as a dock worker and ex-fighter who finally decides to rat on his gangster brother (Rod Steiger) is pretty terrific.
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Geoff Andrew, Time Out
It's pretty electrifying.
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Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
You miss this, you're buyin' a one-way ticket to Palookaville.
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Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
Indisputably one of the great American films, its power undiminished.
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Matt Brunson, Creative Loafing
A powerful watch, thanks largely to an incredible cast, Leonard Bernstein's strong score, and a handful of iconic scenes, none better than the moving "I coulda been a contender" sequence.
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James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk
a watershed moment in cinema history; it remains one of the greatest films of the 1950s
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, Total Film
An astounding drama that's still a contender almost 50 years on.
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Simon Miraudo, Quickflix
Allow me to suggest On the Waterfront is one such 'classic' that holds up; a declaration that deserves only one, dismissive response: "No duh."
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Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Raises important issues about the nature of power.
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Matthew Pejkovic, Matt's Movie Reviews
A strong morality tale about corruption and redemption, On the Waterfront is a timeless classic that features two masters at the top of their craft.
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, Film4
Elia Kazan's seminal American classic.
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Wesley Lovell, Cinema Sight
Marlon Brando is outstanding as a former boxing champ torn between family and duty in the magnificent On the Waterfront
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
The film is shot on location in black-and-white, semi-docu style, which suits the realistic subject and commonplace characters, particularly Terry Malloy, the passive dock worker forced to become a crusader-fighter, splendidly played by Brando.
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Mike Barkacs, Bullz-Eye.com
This movie has to be considered one of the very best of all time.
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Luke Y. Thompson, LYTRules.com
Do the politics make it bad? Not at all. It's a fictional story, not a soapbox.
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Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
The difference between pre- and post-1950s cinema - before and after Brando - is as pronounced as moving from black and white to color.
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David Sterritt, Christian Science Monitor
Brando made one of his most indelible impressions in this relentlessly dramatic, ever-controversial tale of loyalty and betrayal in the world of working-class unions, first released in 1954.
Read all 19 critic reviews
Featured Audience Ratings
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Marlon Brando steals the show with a pulse-pounding performance as Terry, a man who has never been trusted ever since his departure from world-class fighting. He is now living on the streets with no real home, falling for a woman and trying to earn respect from everyone else. As this… More
Marlon Brando steals the show with a pulse-pounding performance as Terry, a man who has never been trusted ever since his departure from world-class fighting. He is now living on the streets with no real home, falling for a woman and trying to earn respect from everyone else. As this woman's brother dies, she seeks Terry for help after realizing he has nothing left to lose. There are very tight moments of dialogue and the chemistry between each character interaction is phenomenal. This is one of the best crime films I have ever seen, because instead of focussing on the blood and guts of the real crime, it focusses on the mystery of it and the subtlety of the aftermath and recovery/revenge. "On the Waterfront" is brilliantly acted, stupendously directed, and filmed to perfection. I Love this film!
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A couple heavy-handed moments in the ending are my only nit-picks with this absolute masterpiece.
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An undisputed classic concerning a former boxer (Marlon Brando), seeking a fresh start as he works along the shore for a crooked mob boss, but suffers a moral crisis after he becomes attached to the sister (Eve Marie Saint) of someone he knows was killed in cold blood by the mob. One… More
An undisputed classic concerning a former boxer (Marlon Brando), seeking a fresh start as he works along the shore for a crooked mob boss, but suffers a moral crisis after he becomes attached to the sister (Eve Marie Saint) of someone he knows was killed in cold blood by the mob. One of the best melodramas ever, with a legendary, gripping performance from the great, great Brando, that carries this movie from start to finish with effortless grace. Its powerful message is handled deftly by director Elia Kazan, and the ending packs a literal and figurative blow. As said, this movie is all about Brando's character, and the film does an excellent job coloring his character in a variety of ways and attempting to place you in his shoes and understand the moral quandary he is in. An excellent film that should be seen by everyone, especially movie lovers.
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An ex-prizefighter and errand boy for a corrupt dockyard union unwittingly aids in the murder of a fellow worker, leading to a crisis of conscience that alienates him from his friends and co-workers. On The Waterfront is one of the great American movies. It's essentially a fable… More
An ex-prizefighter and errand boy for a corrupt dockyard union unwittingly aids in the murder of a fellow worker, leading to a crisis of conscience that alienates him from his friends and co-workers. On The Waterfront is one of the great American movies. It's essentially a fable about having the strength to do what you know to be right and standing up to the violent and corrupt in defence of your fellow man. Marlon Brando puts in a career defining performance as Terry Molloy, a man who has known nothing but hardship but rediscovers his humanity when faced with the consequences of his actions and the guidance of his new love and a local priest. It has a wealth of classic scenes, including the iconic "I coulda been a contender" scene with his brother featuring another fantastic performance by Rod Steiger, Terry's confession to Edie and my personal favourite, the electrifying speech given by Karl Malden in the wake of yet another murder. Beautifully shot, brilliantly played and written with nuance and sophistication including a genuine and important message about the human condition, On The Waterfront is an all time classic and worthy of its reputation as one of the best film ever made.
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Long ago, the first time I saw this movie, I promised that I would have more to say after a second watching. That came and went, and still, II don't know what to say that hasn't been said. It's good on so many levels, in fact, that I might just not know what to say at… More
Long ago, the first time I saw this movie, I promised that I would have more to say after a second watching. That came and went, and still, II don't know what to say that hasn't been said. It's good on so many levels, in fact, that I might just not know what to say at all. A singular, compelling film that everyone should see and see again. Maybe I'll break it down more after a third time...
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A huge early Marlon Brando Movie, at least I think its huge. Lots of stars in this one. Lee Cobb, Rod Steiger, Martin Balsam, James Westerfield, and Karl Malden. All the guys needed from the fifties to make a good mob story. Brando plays Terry Malloy who sets up a guy to be killed by… More
A huge early Marlon Brando Movie, at least I think its huge. Lots of stars in this one. Lee Cobb, Rod Steiger, Martin Balsam, James Westerfield, and Karl Malden. All the guys needed from the fifties to make a good mob story. Brando plays Terry Malloy who sets up a guy to be killed by the union mob before he testifies in court. Terry falls in love with his sister, the beautiful Eve Marie Saint, so is he going soft, will he testifies against the mob. Watch to find out, excellent acting by all. 5 stars
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I see why Marlon Brando was so beloved! Great movie and glad I finally got around to watch it!
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If this isn't a perfect movie, I don't know what is. On the Waterfront spares any glossiness that other classic Hollywood movies were pitching and just drenches the audience in humanity. This movie's characters' likability is merely incidental and despite what you… More
If this isn't a perfect movie, I don't know what is. On the Waterfront spares any glossiness that other classic Hollywood movies were pitching and just drenches the audience in humanity. This movie's characters' likability is merely incidental and despite what you may think of Elia Kazan, he knocked this one out of the park. The cast is amazing and everything just came together with this one. Absolutely essential...
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A brilliant movie from a great director and starring a perfect cast. Every scene is full of drama, intrigue, and excitement. The story is based on true events too. I highly recommend this movie.
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An absolute classic and one that is still revered and endlessly quoted to this day, with one scene in particular "I coulda been a contender..." that has went down in cinema history. Unfortunately, there was some more dark history behind it all, from director Elia Kazan and… More
An absolute classic and one that is still revered and endlessly quoted to this day, with one scene in particular "I coulda been a contender..." that has went down in cinema history. Unfortunately, there was some more dark history behind it all, from director Elia Kazan and writer Budd Schulberg.
Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando) works on the docks run by corrupt union boss Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). As long as everyone does what Friendly tells them, then there are no problems. However, Terry witnesses the murder of a young man who crosses Friendly and can't quite let his conscience ignore it, feeling the need to testify against the local criminal and bring him to justice, despite causing more trouble for himself in the process.
It's hard to be subjective in my opinion of this film in the knowledge that writer Budd Schulberg and director Elia Kazan had been informants during the 1950's "Communist Witch-Hunt" and named several of their friends to right-wing senator Joseph McCarthy as being involved in "Un-American activities" and destroyed peoples lives and careers in the process. This is a major problem in the telling of this story, as it is obvious that both Schulberg and Kazan were justifying their deplorable actions through the "heroic" character of Terry Malloy.
Despite this, however, there is no denying the talent involved in this film. Brando finally bagged a deserving Oscar for his role as angst ridden ex-pugalist Terry, with great support from Rod Steiger as his conflicted brother Charley, Karl Malden as the local priest and voice of reason Father Barry and a snarling Lee J. Cobb as union boss Johnny Friendly. It's all beautifully shot by Kazan and despite his personal exploits (like Roman Polanski), there is no denying the man has talent but I just can't bring myself to give it five stars or forgive his audacity at "naming names", blatantly showing no remorse for it and passing it off as entertainment.
Kazan has crafted a wonderful film with superb performances but a very dubious message throughout,
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A great performance piece from Marlon Brando. It is a highly entertaining and endearing film, with a great story and social commentary on crime and corruption. It has a beautiful landscape, and a unique film experience. It crosses genres quite flawlessly, having a lot of film noir… More
A great performance piece from Marlon Brando. It is a highly entertaining and endearing film, with a great story and social commentary on crime and corruption. It has a beautiful landscape, and a unique film experience. It crosses genres quite flawlessly, having a lot of film noir techniques to go along with it.
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<i>"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. It was you, Charley."</i>
Classic film on the AFI top 100 list (#19).
Released in 1954, <i>On the Waterfront</i> is… More
<i>"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. It was you, Charley."</i>
Classic film on the AFI top 100 list (#19).
Released in 1954, <i>On the Waterfront</i> is just as powerful today. Brilliantly crafted by Elia Kazan, this film tells the story of an ex-Prize Fighter (Terry Malloy played by the great Marlon Brando) who works for a corrupt gang leader named Johnny Friendly. When a dock worker speaks out against Friendly, Terry and some other thugs are sent out to silence the snitch. By chance, Terry meets the guy's sister, and a forbidden relationship ensues that will change life on the waterfront forever.
Marlon Brando gives a breakout performance here in what is probably his greatest performance of all time.
Even if you haven't seen this film, you have probably heard the "I could been a contenda" speech which speaks volumes about it's everlasting impact through time.
<i>On the Waterfront</i> justifiably dominated the Oscars in 1955 winning 8 Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Brando), and Best Actress.
A gritty tale of revenge and relevance... the little guy sticking it to the big guy. Often brutal to watch, but <i>On the Waterfront</i> is a film that everyone should see.
<i>"Hey, you wanna hear my philosophy of life? Do it to him before he does it to you."</i>
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I coulda been somebody. I could been a contender. All hail Elia Kazan and Marlon Brando. Before DeNiro and Scorcese, this was the director/actor team that set the standard. Brando is what every living actor wants to be in this film, a complete performance with nothing holding back.… More
I coulda been somebody. I could been a contender. All hail Elia Kazan and Marlon Brando. Before DeNiro and Scorcese, this was the director/actor team that set the standard. Brando is what every living actor wants to be in this film, a complete performance with nothing holding back. And this is another example that Karl Malden is one of the most underrated actors of all time. The entire cast is great. (If I had a time machine, I would constantly cheat on my wife because I am extremely attracted to the women of the golden age of cinema). If you haven't seen this movie, you are missing a cornerstone.
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Shouldn't everybody care about everybody else? <p> When that philosophy comes up against the "I only care about me" philosophy, and especially if love's involved, you know something has gotta give. Not my all-time favorite Brando, but it's hard to… More
Shouldn't everybody care about everybody else? <p> When that philosophy comes up against the "I only care about me" philosophy, and especially if love's involved, you know something has gotta give. Not my all-time favorite Brando, but it's hard to knock the greatness of this movie. <p> Possibly Lee J. Cobb's most memorable role. Rod Steiger is excellent in this.
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Great movie! It was really entertaining and kept me thinking.
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Marlon Brando's portrayal of "coulda-been-a-contender" Terry Malloy is his best work. Too many this film is nothing more than Elia Kazan's self-defense of testifying to the HUAC. I think the movie has less to do with that than with expressing the theme of… More
Marlon Brando's portrayal of "coulda-been-a-contender" Terry Malloy is his best work. Too many this film is nothing more than Elia Kazan's self-defense of testifying to the HUAC. I think the movie has less to do with that than with expressing the theme of standing up for your own principles
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Magnificent, powerful and gripping drama. Wonderful musical score and excellent use of black-and-white cinematography.
This has been sitting in my collection for a while now, and I've finally just got around to watching it, and I must say I definately regret the long wait.… More
Magnificent, powerful and gripping drama. Wonderful musical score and excellent use of black-and-white cinematography.
This has been sitting in my collection for a while now, and I've finally just got around to watching it, and I must say I definately regret the long wait.
Brando excels in his performance giving a truly moving portrayal of Terry Malloy, definately worth of his Oscar. Eva Marie Saint is also sensational but angelic in a supporting role. The chemistry between the two, sizzles.
Good story, powerful acting, superbly directed, although it needs to be watched with patience. Highly recommended.
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this film is amazing for the stunning performances if for no other reason, and there are many other reasons to love this movie. brando gives possibly his best performance and every other actor from the biggest roles to the smallest roles was at the peak of acting. possibly one of… More
this film is amazing for the stunning performances if for no other reason, and there are many other reasons to love this movie. brando gives possibly his best performance and every other actor from the biggest roles to the smallest roles was at the peak of acting. possibly one of the best acted movies in history. the sermon given by the priest at the dock was possibly the best movie speech ive ever seen and the plot was very good. i do think that the story was a bit shifty at the end keeping this film from being perfect, but it was as close to perfect as a film can get. wonderful picture.
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I know Elia Kazan did something wrong, but it doesn't have anything to do with this powerful, moving, indisputable masterpiece. Marlon Brando stands out in the role of his life.
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OMG Marlon Brando LOVE! Eva Marie Saint is just eh.
Read all 20 featured audience ratings
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