On The Waterfront
By Kit Macdonald
Rereleased a couple of months ago for its 70th anniversary, Elia Kazan's 1954 film is a classic exploration of conscience and conscience. Marlon Brando stars as Terry Malloy, a former boxer turned longshoreman who grapples with his conscience after witnessing the murder of a fellow dockworker. Set on the gritty docks and waterfront at Hoboken, New Jersey, the film follows Terry's dilemma as he grapples with whether or not to squeal about the murder, which is linked to the crooked activities of the union mob boss Johnny Friendly, played by Lee J Cobb. Terry has also fallen in love with the dead man’s sister, played with poise by Eva Marie Saint in her film debut.
Brando's performance is one of the most compelling portrayals of wounded masculinity in cinema history. His face is a picture of pain and regret throughout, and in a performance full of memorable moments he and Kazan gave popular culture one of its most recognisable quotes in the shape of the iconic "I could have been a contender" monologue.