Entries From My Shame List: On the Waterfront

THE FILM- On the Waterfront (dir. Elia Kazan, 1954)

THE REPUTATION- On the Waterfront is widely regarded as a classic by most film lovers. The film received eight Academy Awards at the time of it's release, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. It's currently standing proud at 116 on IMDb's Top 250 Films of All Time, as well as 19 on AFI's list of the Greatest Movies of All Time.

WHY IT'S ON MY SHAME LIST- Wanna learn something strange about me? I'm afraid to watch classic films that I haven't seen. To me, these classics have already had their reputations set and, chances are, I'm going to end up loving it once I see it. So, I'd much rather watch a movie that isn't regarded as a classic so I can form my own opinion on it. Because watching a film like On the Waterfront is almost impossible to do without having a certain idea in the back of your mind as to how it will turn out. Chances are, you'll like what you see. So, I put off watching most classics that I haven't seen but will probably love in favor of watching movies that I haven't seen and don't know if I'll enjoy. But, thanks to this segment, that's all going to change...

MY THOUGHTS- I love watching films from the 50s, 40s and 30s for a number of reasons. For one thing, if they're still being discussed today, it's probably because it's pretty good. Certainly not all of them are classics (or, at the very least, not worthy of classic status) but it's not all that likely you'll find a truly terrible film. But, on top of that, older films have a certain charm to them; they really don't make movies like that anymore, and I don't mean that in terms of quality but in terms of style. Everything feels very theatrical, which is sometimes refreshing against today's obsession with realism. Granted, both are great styles of filmmaking, but films from the "Golden Age" of Hollywood are one of a kind.

Yet, On the Waterfront is not like those films. In fact, the first thing I noticed was how modern it all felt. It's a gritty film that doesn't ever feel staged or overly cinematic. In fact, other than a noticeably loud (but great) score, On the Waterfront feels like "real life" in a way that few films from that era do. Even the much quoted line from the film, "I could have been a contender!", feels like a natural thing to say for the character- not a line in a script that happens to be very well written. I was surprised and pleased to see realistic it was. And, due to that realism, the film has aged tremendously well.

Then there are the performances. Marlon Brando and Eva Marie Saint both won Oscars for their performances, and both were certainly deserving of them. Knowing Brando primarily for his roles in The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, as well as his notorious on set reputation, it was strange seeing him play such a vulnerable, sensitive character. He's the definition of a "gentle giant"- he projects himself as a man who may not be as tough as he looks, and does so perfectly. Saint, meanwhile, does a terrific job as Edie. I'd hardly consider myself a film historian, but in many of the "classics" I've checked out, women are often somewhat weak and, if they aren't, they are villains. Here, Saint plays her as a tough woman, going toe to toe with Brando in numerous scenes. Yet again, her performance serves as an example of an actor projecting herself as somebody different from what we'd imagine. She's a woman who's much tougher than she appears.

One final thing I noticed watching the movie is the last thing I ever expected to find. On the Waterfront, like many classics, has inspired films for generations since it's release. But one film in particular that I noticed comparisons with was Nicolas Winding Refn's art house thriller Drive from 2011. The brooding tough guy with a sensitive side. The stunning blonde who's innocent yet somehow involved in a gang war. The child who befriends the hero but is then threatened because of his actions. And even the villain: a dangerous man who runs his criminal organization like a business, who's capable of doing the dirty work himself but likes to have others do it for him.

Now, I'll totally admit that I may be completely over analyzing these comparisons, but certain moments made me think of Drive almost immediately. The first that comes to mind is when the young boy that Terry is friends with finds his pigeon murdered after Terry testifies against against Johnny Friendly. It was very similar to when Benecio finds a bullet after his dad gets out of prison in Drive.  The ending, which features the age old "final confrontation" on the docks between the villain and hero, reminded me of the parking lot fight at the ending of Refn's film. Even the way Gosling's Driver dressed felt inspired by Brando, while Friendly's wardrobe bore a slight resemblance to Albert Brooks in Drive. 

On the Waterfront is a classic that lives up to it's name yet doesn't show signs of age. It's still as gritty, intense and powerful as I imagine audiences in 1954 felt it was. I'd say I can't recommend it highly enough, but I'm sure many of you have seen it already. But, as it stands, it's a hell of a film to start this new segment with.