“I could have been a contender. I could have been somebody…”

The winner of eight Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, and awards to Marlon Brando and Eva Mare Saint, On The Waterfront tells the story of Terry (Brando) who is an ex boxer working for the mob and his older brother. Terry unknowingly gets one of his neighbors killed and with the help of the deceased’s sister, weighs the morality of the situation and how to proceed with his life. It’s a classic in every sense of the word. The story is never boring and the performances are stellar. There were five nominated performances in this film and every one was spot on. I also liked the depiction of a port town and how men had to get work in the 50s. There’s no real difference than the guys who show up outside of Home Depot in the morning. Just men trying to earn a living. The scene in the cargo of the boat when the priest gives his speech was particularly wonderful. His rise on the crane was a great shot. It’s a real shame Brando turned into what he did.

4/5