Movie Minx

Directed by: Elia Kazan
Starring: Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden

Plot: An ex-prizefighter turned longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses, helped by a priest and the sister of a murdered co-worker.

But is it any good?

On the Waterfront must be thanked for finally teaching me where the quote: “I coulda had class…I coulda been a contender…I coulda been someone!” came from. It’s uttered in the film’s most memorable scene, when ex-boxer Terry (Brando) passionately upbraids his brother in a cab for effectively ruining his fighting career to keep the mob happy.

But I felt the movie took a while to warm up. In fact, I abandoned it altogether one night and it took me several days to remember that I really should finish it. It opens with Terry witnessing a murder by mob boss Johnny Friendly’s gang, and like most people he turns his back for fear of repercussions. Of course, it takes the good-hearted (pretty, blonde) sister of the murdered man (played by Eva Marie Saint of North by Northwest fame) to make him confront what’s wrong and redeem his “bum” status. In doing so he becomes an almost Christ-like figure, facing his enemy, bloodied with head held high, and respected by the dock workers.

Brando is undoubtedly one of the best actors of last century and he’s convincing as the working-class thug with a heart. It was 20 years before his Godfather star was lit, but his screen power was already intense (and he was already starting to fill more of the screen too).

Utimately the film tackles several issues at once amid a realistically grim dockside backdrop: first, Terry’s conscience struggling against the deeds of his brother and the union gang; his relationship with Edie and desire to help her find her brother’s killers; and Father Barry leaving the confines of his church to support the people outside it. In the ’50s this was one of the “American Social Realism” films that attempted to educate people about some kind of prejudice or struggle, and apparently highlighting the conditions of the dock workers brought about union reforms.

So if this was the aim of the film, it clearly worked, but I just didn’t feel personally touched by much of it. The end was inspiring, but most of it was predictable. And as in most older movies, the music bellows its way unsubtly into almost all the scenes. A good message, strong acting and a famous line sums it up.

IMDb’s rating: 8.4/10
My rating: 6/10

Next film to be reviewed: The Sting

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