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Fresh off two of the most culturally recognisable films of the 1950s - A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) and The Wild One (1953), Marlon Brando had his Stanislavski technique perfected. And, like Stanley Kowalski and Johnny Strabler, On the Waterfront's protagonist, Terry Malloy, is another acting masterclass from the emperor of Method acting which garnered the Nebraskan native his first Best Actor Oscar. Elia Kazan manages to exhume the same sheer machismo his leading man dedicated towards his Kowalski character, and this time Brando plays a washed-up ex-prizefighter working on the docks for the local gang boss. In order to really enjoy this excellent film, one has to ignore the primary context. The first of which is the ideological and cultural conflict that dominated the late forties and early fifties, and which was fought out in Hollywood as well as Washington. The second concerns the changing political economy of the American film industry. However, for one to really take pleasure in the film, knowledge of the history of the New York waterfront itself is needed just to prove how accurate the situation portrayed is.
The whole echoing idea of "ratting on your friends" is part of Malloy's reawakening process as he morally comes to the realization of what is right and wrong when he is asked by his boss Johnny Friendly to set an individual up for murder. Edie Doyle and Father Barry, played excellently by Eva Marie Saint and Karl Malden respectively, introduce Malloy to a new dawn and his dilemma comes to fruition in his own mind and throughout the workforce when his own brother (played excellently by Rod Steiger) is murdered and he attacks the union bosses. The tension and Malloy's actions give Brando the great opportunity of acting as an individual hero, but also elements of a sensitive, almost feminine, character are portrayed. For example, the improvisational fiddling with a white glove whilst in a playground scene with Doyle illustrates naturalism and rare emotional realism for a lead actor in the 1950s, and the audience's look at him tending to his pigeons demonstrate a vulnerable soul with unfulfilled ambition and talent. Brando pulls of an amazing balancing act and creates a powerful and popular image of individual rebellion.
Legendary quotes such as the "I coulda been a contender" monologue and Brando's magnetic performance aside, the film, through no fault of its own, cannot quite score top marks. The aforementioned context is extremely hard to ignore for film scholars and general academics as Kazan heavily presents us with a metaphorical commentary on the McCarthy era which slightly diminishes the raw and enduring influence every minute of the film is leaked with. One simply cannot turn a blind eye to the obvious personal references Kazan includes throughout and these are not always done for the best continuation of the otherwise first-rate story.
The extras
Unsurprisingly, the commentary is very informative as we are treated to Brando and Kazan biographers, Richard Schickel and Jeff Young respectively. "Contender: Mastering the Method" is an excellent look at the film's most famous scene in the back of the taxi. Figures such as Inside the Actor's Studio presenter James Lipton discuss how Kazan, Brando and Steiger create a Venetian blind and pressure cooker feeling in a scene which sacrifices brotherly love with great intimacy. The interview with Kazan is also very rare and a good watch. The video photo gallery is a fresh concept delivered well, and the filmographies and trailers round off a nice package. The lack of production notes is the only feature missing from the Region 1 Special Edition.
The summary
Brando delivers yet another acting textbook of realistic machismo mixed with sensitivity which makes Terry Malloy and his story unforgettable. An original seldom matched.
