On The Waterfront

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. Area of study 1: Reading and responding Set texts: films On the Waterfront (directed by Elia Kazan) Overview One of the most critically acclaimed movies of all time (8 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Elia Kazan, 1954), On the Waterfront tells the story of Terry Molloy (Marlon Brando) and his fight against corruption and murder on the shipping docks of Hoboken, New Jersey. Terry is an errand boy for the head of the corrupt union gang boss, Johnny Friendly (Lee Cobb). When Terry gets caught up in the murder of Joey Doyle (a fellow worker who has become an informer to the Waterfront Crime Commission) he begins to question himself. Joey’s death rocks the community. His father, Pop (John Hamilton), tells everyone that he warned his son about testifying and his sister, Edie (Eva Marie Saint), a Catholic teacher trainee cries out for justice. The local priest, Father Barry (Karl Malden), joins in the quest to bring justice but many of the workers are frightened about losing their jobs and fearful of the ways in which the Union metes out punishment to informers. When Terry observes the reactions of Friendly’s men to the death of Joey, he becomes increasingly agitated. He is particularly disturbed by the hit men, Truck (Tony Galento) and Tullio (Tami Mauriello) and his own brother, Charley (Rod Steiger). This is further compounded for him the next day when two of the Commission’s officers seek him out to find out what he knows. Terry refuses to divulge anything to them. He meets Edie on the foreshore of the docks during a fight for work tabs that the foreman, Big Mac (James Westerfield) has scattered amongst the workers. Father Barry who witnesses the scramble encourages the reluctant men to meet in the church’s basement to discuss their appalling conditions and the death of Joey. Reluctantly, some of the men agree to attend but they
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