On The Waterfront reveals the powerlessness of the individual against a corrupt ruling group. “You know this city’s full of hawks?” Kazan’s On The Waterfront discusses how corruption and greed is always prevalent within society. The 1954 film follows the story of Terry Malloy, a man trapped between his loyalty to his conscience and the mob run by Johnny Friendly. The film illustrates how many characters attempt to seek justice and freedom from the corrupt union with differing results. The characters of Joey Doyle and Dugan both attempt to stop Johnny Friendly’s hold over the waterfront but ultimately are unable to make a change alone.
QUESTION: It is simply love that changes Terry. To what extent do you agree? Elia Kazan’s black and white film ‘On the Waterfront’ (1954) is set in Hoboken, New Jersey. The protagonist Terry Malloy is an inarticulate longshoreman who works on the unionised docks, which is led by Johnny Friendly, the corrupt and powerful union boss. Terry’s relationships with the people in his life such as his brother Charley, Edie and Father Barry, help him to realise that Johnny Friendly’s practices are unjust and that Terry’s conscience was right all along.
1. ‘There’s one thing we have in this country, and that’s ways of fighting back.’ How does On the Waterfront explore the power of the individual? Elia Kazan’s film, On The Waterfront, demonstrates the extent to which a corrupt group can eliminate the rights of a town, yet empower an individual to make a change. Set in 1954, the film portrays the realism of desperation and corruption in the city of Hoboken, New Jersey. The opening scenes of On the Waterfront outline the intense control the mob have over the workers at the Waterfront.
“I’m with me – Terry”. To what extent is Terry responsible for his own fate. Elia Kazan’s 1954 award winning drama, On the Waterfront, depicts Terry Malloy, an ex-prize fighter turned longshoreman, who is caught up in ties with the corrupt waterfront union, as undergoing a moral and personal transformation. On the Waterfront is a combination of cinema verite, film noir and Italian neo-realism. The elements of film noir, like the use of black and white, ads to the authentic nature of the film, almost touching on the style of a documentary.
Eg. Kissing scene -Terry aspires to be ‘good’ like Edie, contributing significantly to his goal to redeem himself. -At first, Terry’s fear for standing up is seen when he always gives excuses to Edie, continuingly denying that he cannot help with the investigation of Joey’s death. He strives to be as good as Edie, (the glove scene supports this statement, he puts on her gloves, meaning that he wants to embrace Edie’s innocence blah blah Paragraph 2: Father Barry -Lead the longshoreman to stand up. -Initially, Father Barry was a priest who [hides in a church].
Elia Kazan’s on The Waterfront” establishes that the masculine world influences the characters in a way that makes them incompetent for care and affection. The relationship between Terry and Tommy is largely influenced by this harsh masculine world of the Waterfront. Father Barry to fulfill his role as a Christian missionary cares for the people at the Waterfront despite the not need saving. Kazan also shows us that it is due to those actions by the characters in the movie that justice can be prevailed. The corruption of the waterfront union has made it extremely difficult for the longshoremen to express their true feelings.
In the masterpiece ‘On the Waterfront’ directed by Elia Kazan, shows a wonderful story of a man standing up to a tyrannical rule. For the story of this film is all about the conscience and that is shown throughout the whole movie. And the story about the conscience is based on the past experience of Kazan himself when he had agreed to testify the former associates who were involved with the Communist Party and became a pariah in left-wing circles. Terry Malloy, played by Brando can be considered as the avatar of Kazan in his past. Kazan’s life was a difficult one, full of many difficult decisions.
It is through Edie that Terry learns forgiveness and discovers personal empowerment. Edie is a “real friend” to him; someone that he feels a responsibility to care for, just as his brother looks out for him. Under her influence, Terry shifts away from his “animal”-like lifestyle and adopts her philosophy that “everyone should care for everyone else”. Kazan’s use of framing shots and romantic flute music highlight the adoration Edie has of Terry and their growing connection. Her support and his desire to help her in the quest to find justice for her brother’s murder are major catalysts in his decision to forget self-preservation and challenge
Finish with a rhetorical question or other? TEEL Introduction The film ‘On the Waterfront’ by Elia Kazan demonstrates in a very realistic way how an unrelenting evil controls and corrupts a seemingly powerless community. The longshoremen’s life depends on the job that the ‘boss’, Johnny Friendly provides them with. There is a shape-up to select the work force which condemns them to a life of constant uncertainty and economic hardships. However, those who are brave enough to stand up to this corruption, often result in their death by the mob.
In Lord of the Flies, William Golding represents society in a group of stranded boys with no authority. The boys turn to savagery and degenerate to self-gratification. Without order, the boys act immorally. Golding agreed with Freud and Hobbes that man was inherently evil. Although Freud and Hobbes only theorized that man was evil, there is clear evidence that supports