Review of On the Waterfront (1954) by Chris D — 22 Feb 2012

I found the film difficult to identify with (1950s union mob bosses being quite a rarity nowadays), but Brando's performance is simply transcendent. I thought Brando's older brother wasn't as filled in as much as was needed for me to feel some sadness toward his death, but Cobb's electrifying performance more than made up for it.

Brando and Cobb were simply a joy to watch perform on the big screen, and the relationship between Brando and Saint's character was very well done. The melodrama was a bit too much for my taste, but I know for a fact that this is simply a generational issue, and it's not fair to fault the film for that.