On the Waterfront

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The classic drama On the Waterfront (1954) is a film based on true stories that bring to life the realism of the corruption, extortion, racketeering, and union violence within the longshoreman Union local 374 in New York’s Manhattan and Brooklyn waterfront neighborhoods. The movie was filmed in the communities and docks within New York and New Jersey. The film itself was nominated for twelve Academy Awards and won eight. The film portrays a local union of longshoremen in New York that is subjected to control and mistreatment by union leaders that are connected to the local mob. Johnny Friendly, also known as Big Johnny, is the union boss who has control over the union, community, and waterfront employers. The Waterfront Crime Commission is aware of Johnny’s illegal crimes and corruption of the union and attempts to recruit local workers to testify against him to the crime commission. On The Waterfront (1954) identifies several men who attempted to speak out against the union leaders over the years. These men were labeled as “whistle-blowers” and were subjected to threats and intimidation by union leaders and members in effort to stop them from testifying. Joey Doyle, Tim Dugan, and a man named Andy were all identified as being murdered in the movie by the orders coming from Johnny do to them talking about the union’s illegal activities. One of the main characters, Terry Malloy, is a dockworker for the local union 374. He has a personal connection to the union mob because his brother, Charley Malloy, is Johnny’s right hand man. Charley appears to have extended Terry job opportunities over the years within the mob union by offering him positions considered “up in the loft” rather than “down in the hole”. The movie identified a time years back when Terry was a fighter. Terry had a chance to be a highflying fighter when Charley manipulated Terry into losing the fight

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