Sur les quais

Kazan’s variation on a neorealist theme, straddling the line between realism and idealism (the unabashedly melodramatic climax) is not an iconic 1950s film only because of its socio-critical story (for whose appreciation it is good to know the infamous role played by Schulberg and Kazan in McCarthy’s anti-communist campaign). On the Waterfront most intensely recalls the time of its making through the acting performances. You don’t have to leaf through thick books on the history of cinema in order to understand the term “method acting”. It suffices to watch Brando at work in one textbook scene after another. Brando is focused, but at ease, with bullish tenacity and feminine sensitivity at the same time. That sensitivity makes Terry a remarkably ambivalent character. On the one hand, it weakens him; on the other hand, it makes him a moral authority in the eyes of men who are outwardly stronger but inwardly weaker. These two components of the protagonist’s personality never cancel each other out. Thanks to Brando, they are rather in perfect harmony. Such identification of an actor with his character has rarely been seen since. 85% (27/12/2013)

"The only arithmetic he ever got was hearing the referee count up to ten." A simple brawler with a good heart who traded his boxing glove for a worker’s tool from the Hoboken docks defies the pragmatic Deaf and Dumb employment rule. It doesn’t really matter whether he’s driven by faith in doing good deeds and loving, or just a sense of guilt and desire for revenge, because this melodrama is more about individual performances than its themes. Aside from the occasionally non-musical Leonard Bernstein and the naturally disarming Eva Marie Saint, there’s Marlon Brando and his film brother Rod Steiger, with Brando alternating between the psychiatrist's couch and the set. In their joint taxi scene, where shadows of the past and dark future are revealed, the filmmakers had to put blinds on the back window so it wouldn’t shine out into the night (though in reality, they didn’t pay for rear projection and the uncooperative Brando didn’t participate in the close-ups). No wonder the Vatican has it in their video library of favorite hits. Father Barry must have shown so much courage and encouraged others to do the same during that Calvary that the beer and cigarettes were well-deserved. (24/04/2024)

On the Waterfront is, of course, an excellent film with memorable performances, cinematography and sound design, but perhaps I was expecting more from a movie awarded with 8 Oscars than just another variation on the theme of violent gangster domination and social inequality. The simple story is at times over-dramatized and idealised, which adds to its impact and moral depth, but the "harsh reality" of the trodden working class did not hit me as hard as probably intended. What really makes the film worth watching, though, and why it gained such fame in the first place, is Marlon Brando's brilliant animalistic performance (something only Tom Hardy can do these days), and also the captivatingly stylized form coupled with a properly depressing setting that oozes human filth. I'm definitely curious about Kazan's other movies.... 80% (15/02/2016)

I can't help but feel that watching Marlon Brando act is simply an incredible experience. Every time. You always have a different character in front of you. You know he's an actor, but it's like he isn't. This is truly breathtaking acting. Not to mention that this is a film where there are other excellent actors, including the beautiful Eva Marie Saint. Moreover, it's also great from a directorial standpoint. Simply put, it deserves full marks. (03/12/2014)