1954 - On the Waterfront

Lyndsay: Well, hmm. This one was ok. Essentially it is about a young man who doesn't think much of himself, gets involved with the mob, and is subsequently faced with moral dilemmas, which build character and a sense of self-worth. It is a story we've all heard before and will continue to hear over and over again. Because of that, I got bored. In addition, the time frame and lack of back-story make it somewhat unrealistic, particularly the over-night love story. Having said that, the acting is good and although the plot-line is overdone, the movie promotes moral awareness and self-reflection in a way that is "cool." That is hard to do, and something I can only support. In addition, Marlon Brando is so darn sexy, and reminds me of my handsome, stoic, eye-brow scarred man, so bonus points there. Grade: C.

Jon: Although this is part of Brando's elite first five films, this one is a little boring. We start with Terry Mulloy (Brando) helping the mob whack a canary, and slowly throughout the film his sentiments change and he begins to work against his fellow mobsters, advocating workers' rights on the waterfront docks and of course, dabbling in romance with Edie Doyle (Eve Marie Saint). His acting is still revolutionary and certainly made movies much better from 1950 onward, but his surrounding cast is a bit stale. The movie drags and really only has two memorable moments before the credits start rolling - "I could have been a contender, I could have been somebody" and the fight with mob boss Johnny Friendly (Lee Cobb) on the docks at the end of the flick. Everything in between moves slowly and predictably. Grade: B-