ON THE WATERFRONT (1954)

Director Elia Kazan's enduring morality play features Marlon Brando as Hoboken longshoreman Terry Malloy, a washed-up boxer who suffers a crisis of conscience while working for corrupt union kingpin Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). When Friendly's thugs kill a fellow dockworker to keep him from testifying at a Crime Commission, Terry refuses to testify at first, but soon has second thoughts when the victim's sister (Eva Marie Saint) encourages him to take the stand. Based on a celebrated series of articles in the New York Sun, Waterfront won 8 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director,  Best Actor, and Best Screenplay..

The excellent cast includes: Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Eva Marie Saint, Martin Balsam, Fred Gwynne, Pat Hingle, and Nehemiah Persoff.

#8 on the AFI Top 100. Ten Oscar nominations; eight wins (Best Direction, Best Picture, Best Actor, Supporting Actress,Writing, Art Direction, Editing, and Cinematography)

Director, Eli Kazan, made a powerful statement with this stirring motion picture drama.

The On The Waterfront Review

Best Picture Oscar Winner / Best Picture Index