Business Class Film-- On the waterfront

If there is better performance by a man in the history of film in America, it must be-《On The Waterfront》. Indeed, it is a Oscar film( including best picture& Best Actor) in 1954 which has been played by our business professor to educate us and loosely based on American real-life events, even though the politics of the era no longer manipulate the society now. This film was directed by Elia Kazan who is one of the most honored and influenced directors in Boradway and Hollywood history. Elia Kazan's on the waterfront is revered as a classic, as it was Elia Kazan's statement to the world about pursing a justice and conflicting his fate. Just as its name implies, this film describe a story back of the manual laborer who worked in a crooked dockers' union on the waterfront .
The film is dark, inspired, spunky directly by less extent. The film was based on a true story of a longshoreman tried to overthrow a corrupt union. The central figure is Terry Molly( Malon Brando), an ex-boxer who runs errands for Johnny Friendly(Lee J. Cobb), the crooked boss of the workers' union. Terry's brother, a member of Johnny's inner circle, partly influenced by him, Terry is trusted. When the longshoreman threaten Johnny's position, the boss killed him with Terry's unwiting assistance. Afterward, Terry meet the victim's sister-Edie and fall in love deeply with her. Once Terry realize that he was unwitting involved into the murder of Edie's brother, he was torn between loyalty of Johnny and his brother and the growing inffatuation with the mudered man's sister. Meanwhile, the local priest, Father Barry, tried to organize the longshoreman to fight against the corruption. In the end, Terry was pushed into a position that he betray someone to escape demands.



From an acting standpoint, the actors' performance is nearly perfect. As I remembered, the most memorable lines recorded in the most classical words within one century is:" you don't understand, I could had class, I could been a contender, I could have been somebody. Instead of a bum, which is who I am." (From Terry) The laborers' face may be rough and scraggy, they submit the worker organization and get paid by them, but like the type of people ones would expect to encounter when wandering into blue-collar working atmosphere. It happens anywhere that the emplyees do whatever great effort the boss asks for if you are not in the highest department in a corporation. It called "codes of Ethics" (define by Professor Arthur Menton, a experienced professor in Stony Brook University) which means become a part of the culture of the company in business field. Another remark by James T. said:" Elia Kazan completed this film with the weathered buildings, the dirty alley, and the gritty waterfront unlike other typical films in Hollywood ones. " That would be the realest scene reveal the old-fashioned American corruption life among the working class especially as a longshoreman. I was told some critical thinking by the professor with my popcorn. Terry Moalloy suffered a struggle that be loyal or betrayal to the union's mod leaders as other labors did. Although he nearly lose the love of Edie when he was found invovled to the unwitting muder, he is honest at least and brave enough to "betray" his brother and fight against the workers' union.


Furthermore, from this movie, you may see clearly the early unions to welfare of American worker is important which permeated nearly every aspect of American industry. In addiction, there are some situation in that corrupt climate: graft, drugs, not paid by the rules, etc.

More content link to the video of movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSImMMMf5nA&feature=related


This story happened during the World WarII. Could you think one or more connection with this film? Under what political or economic situation?
At last, feel free to ask me or correct me if there are something you confused about. Thank you for your reading and participating.