‘Only You, with God’s Help, Have the Power to Knock ‘Em Off for Good.’ Who Is the Most Powerful Character in on the Waterfront?

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Elia Kazan’s ‘On the Waterfront’ is a 1954 American crime drama film about union violence and corruption among longshoremen and the redemption of Terry Malloy who is the main protagonist. Not one character can be seen to have power as there is a power shift throughout the film. The characters who strive for power are the characters that are able to gain power from others because of the power shift during the film. ‘Only you, with God's help, have the power to knock 'em off for good!’ Those who are a part of the power shift have some sort of power. Much of the corruption in the film is the fault of Johnny Friendly because he is the leader of the longshoremen, meanwhile Father Barry tries to take control by supporting those who wish to gain power. Terry Malloy’s gain of power at the end of the film becomes his redemption, as we see a power switch at the end of the film and the end to the ensuing corruption. The opening scene finds Johnny Friendly presented as a powerful character. Parallel to Leonard Bernstein’s intrusive score, the men of the union march from their diminutive floating shack, a subtle reminder of the limits of their power, framed by the immense ocean liner in the establishing shot. The hierarchy is clearly defined with Terry’s rough workman’s jacket marking him as less powerful than Johnny friendly and his well dressed henchmen in their “hundred and fifty dollar suites”. Friendly stands out as the most powerful man on the docks, delivering orders to Terry, “you take it from here Slugger”. His patronising manner presents him as the leader therefore a powerful figure. Budd Schulburg’s script quickly characterises him as a ruthless and manipulative leader, within a few short scenes we learn his history of rising from “begging for work in the hold to controlling “the fattest piers in the fattest harbor”. Stalking around the pool tables in the bar he

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