On the Waterfront Reviews and Ratings



  • November 10, 2009
    Knowing Kazan's cooperation with McCarthy's Hollywood blacklistings shouldn't make me like this movie less, but for a movie with such political subtexts, it has to.
  • November 1, 2009
    a great classic movie.

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  • October 28, 2009
    classic - Elia Kazan was brilliant.
  • October 9, 2009
    I absolutly loved this movie. Marlon was as good as always :) It had a charming story in it. :)
  • October 4, 2009
    Huge dramatic themes are the foundation of On the Waterfront - redemption, corruption, the nature of morals and introspection. The subject matter is stripped down to its most simplistic form. This is a movie full of grit and physical violence that charts the struggle of an everym...( read more)an living in unforgiving surroundings. Nobody else could have taken on this character. Marlon Brando's performance explodes with visceral power, but it is always exemplified by his naturalism and aptitude. The supporting players are terrific as well - Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger and Eva Marie Saint leave lasting impressions. This is a searing, sometimes brutal crime-drama that still maintains an aura of tenderness and earnest sympathy for the conflicts of its protagonist. It's a polished piece of work. Backing the unanimously solid acting is Kazan's fiery direction and an impassioned screenplay by Budd Schulberg. Marlon Brando is my favorite actor, and I am not the first to say I would rank this particular performance among the finest of his commendable acting career.
  • September 17, 2009
    The performances in the film are incredible, and from everyone in the cast. They are all remarkable. Intense direction from Elia Kazan, very well edited and an outstanding screenplay. Superb character development, well photographed. A very powerful and moving film.
  • September 15, 2009
    This film is so excellent in many ways. Brando's famous quote. Eva Marie Saint's presence. Steiger's arrogance and resignation. Kazan's wonderful and crude direction. A flawless script, that keeps the film updated despite its release date being so far away from nowadays. Brilliant!
  • September 12, 2009
    Elia Kazan's most powerful and memorable crime masterpiece. Great and very influential for its time. Fantastic performances and a grand direction make of this gem a flick worth watching before death. This is where Scorsese should say "thanks".

    95/100
  • August 30, 2009
    Marlon Brando gives the performance of his career (and what a career) in this classic film about a corrupt waterfront union. I simply cannot emphasize enough how great Brando is in this. He really elevates the film.
  • August 27, 2009
    Classic story of keeping silence or taking the side of law. Not bad message, but it is so stereotypical... They say the best of this film are interpretations, but I didn´t see anything special on them. It´s true that most of the film was seen in Spanish, but the slices I watched ...( read more)in the original version didn´t attract me much more. Good work of Karl Malden, but his character -as the others- are too plains to make you feel thrilled with them. What I more dislike is the intrahistory of the film, and how it´s supposed to tell the version of Elia Kazan about the Hollywood 10, but that´s away from the film.
  • August 26, 2009
    Brando shines as the wannabe 'contender' going to the waterfront every day lining up to see if he has a job for the day. He wants to better himself and it seems like everyone else is trying to stop him. A movie that was the start for alot of great actors. Well worth seeing.
  • August 12, 2009
    Marlon Brando is excellent!!!
  • July 18, 2009
    Yeah I agree that Brando is unbeatable, but you can't ignore the parts of the movie that remain horribly dated.
  • July 16, 2009
    Good drama, excellent acting.
  • July 14, 2009
    oh marlon brando. Forever a legend.
  • July 10, 2009
    Impressive- one of those classics which shows why Marlon Brando is thought to be one of the greatest actors of all time.
  • July 10, 2009
    Marlon Brando is simply fantastic in this one. A performance comparable to that in The Godfather.
  • July 4, 2009
    KARL MALDEN 1912-2009
  • June 29, 2009
    Decided to watch this movie as I was in awe of Brandos acting ability in The Godfather. Film was quite good, Taking into considerationg it's quite an ancient movie now lol I did Enjot it.
  • June 26, 2009
    BRANDO IS FANTASTIC IN THIS..
  • June 19, 2009
    Very sharp dialogue, inspiring themes. Marlon Brando gives the performance of a lifetime.
  • June 18, 2009
    A longshoreman and ex-boxer has a crisis of conscience when the gangsters who control the union murder a fellow dock worker. On The Waterfront is one of those films that is almost famous for being famous. Nearly everyone can recite Brando's most quoted line, but this infamy means...( read more) its reputation precedes it which can obscure just how good a film is. And this is not just a good film, it's an incredible one. Brando's powerhouse performance has also overshadowed those of the other members of the cast, but Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger and Eva Marie Saint are all worth far more than just an honourable mention, and the classic "I coulda been a contender"scene is just one amongst many memorable and powerful moments; Karl Malden's speech that provokes Terry's change of heart, the discovery of his brother, the confession to Edie in the boatyard...the list goes on. Examinig many themes in a multi-layered story of corruption, redemption and one man standing up for what is right, On The Waterfront is one of the true greats of American cinema.
  • June 17, 2009
    Want to see it AGAIN!
  • June 7, 2009
    just a real good movie here..some good quotes ..
  • May 27, 2009
    Not sure why it's a classic....Okay movie.
  • May 19, 2009
    Marlon Brando's portrayal of Terry Malloy here is a landmark in cinema and is a huge part of making this brutal tale of New York dockers a classic of its kind, along with Leonard Bernstein's music.
  • May 2, 2009
    well, there is the famous speech, but there's also the movie surrounding it. the movie surrounding it is a bit less heart-warming than you might think. it's almost a boilerplate period thriller, but thankfully a good one. and marlon brando is apparently quite the actor for the re...( read more)st of the movie, too!
  • April 24, 2009
    a good piece of acting, what a film!!
  • April 21, 2009
    One of the best American films I have seen. Marlon Brando blows it out of the water with his performance.
  • March 22, 2009
    Marlon Brando's best performance and his best film by far. Pretty thrilling to watch.
  • March 15, 2009
    Marlon Brando rocks.
  • March 4, 2009
    "Hey, you wanna hear my philosophy of life? Do it to him before he does it to you"

    1/10

    There's only two strong elements in On the Waterfront that are endearing: Brando and the camera. Most of the cast dont understand their purpose.

    Marlon Brando shines as usual but I f...( read more)ound myself with the jarring conviction that I'd just watched a film noir - and a good one, with all the skills and devices of the genre - with a tacked-on happy ending. In a great film, the plot should seem ordained, interlocking, inevitable. Here, I got the impression that the screenplay was more interested in showcasing big scenes for its star, and in an arbitrary moral, however obtained.

    I can't seriously recommend On the Waterfront to anyone, it just doesn't hold up after time.
  • March 3, 2009
    "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."

    Classic film on the AFI top 100 list (#19).

    Released in 1954, On the Waterfront is just as powerful today. Brilliant...( read more)ly 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.

    On the Waterfront 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 On the Waterfront is a film that everyone should see.

    "Hey, you wanna hear my philosophy of life? Do it to him before he does it to you."
  • February 16, 2009
    I'm starting to think I should pay more attention to these old black-and-whites. They always turn out to be surprisingly good. If you had asked me a week ago if I was interested in a gangster film from the fifties starring Marlon Brando I would have turned it down. But as it was ...( read more)required for film class, I went down to rent a movie I was less than interested in. God, was I wrong. This was an incredible movie about standing up for yourself and your beliefs and not letting intimidation stop you from doing what's right. It was extremely inspiring and a hundred times better than I was expecting. I am always blown away by the fact that these old films rely on the greatness of their actors rather than musical cues, as we do now. In the ending scene, when we see Brando finally making his decision and going bravely through with it there on the dock and half-dead, there isn't any major music to speak of. We are not told how to feel by anything outside of the look on Brando's face, his stagger, and his determination. Nowadays, for an inspiring moment, we hear inspiring music that tells us we should feel inspired. This isn't something I think is bad, but to see a film from the fifties where this type of musical cue does not exist, we feel much more genuine about it. We are inspired because of the performance of the actors. I think more people ought to branch out into these types of films, they wouldn't be disappointed.
  • February 14, 2009
    Overrated in my opinion but still good, with an excellent script and well acted by Brando especially
  • February 11, 2009
    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 bac...( read more)k. 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.
  • February 7, 2009
    Conservative Movies: 1. Liberal Movies: 1 billion.
  • February 5, 2009
    What can one say that hasnt already been said about this masterpeice!!??
    Brando fucking ruled!!! Thankgod the producers fired Sinatra to hire Brando for the part!! This is Brando at his very best. And Karl Maldens no slouch either!
    If you cant dig this film you better stick to...( read more) Steven Segal films sucka!
  • January 26, 2009
    puede que por los significados que tiene este película sea muy importante pero sin ellos también es una cinta estupenda con grandes actuaciones y toda una reflexión sobre la delación
  • January 7, 2009
    Shouldn't everybody care about everybody else?

    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 mo

    ...( read more)vie.

    Possibly Lee J. Cobb's most memorable role. Rod Steiger is excellent in this.

  • December 18, 2008
    Wonderful movie, brando did a great job just like on the Godfather
  • December 14, 2008
    "I coulda been a contendah! Instead of a bum, which is what I am."
  • December 9, 2008
    Marlon Brando does one of his greatest work in this picture and the chemistry betweeen him and eva saint marie is amzing, Kazans directing is brought the movie to life and Lee J Cobb plays a great villan. the story is amazign and only someone liek Brando could protray a character...( read more) like this
  • December 4, 2008
    Another larger than life performance from Marlon Brando...

Summary


On the Waterfront Summary