Review of On the Waterfront (1954) by Elise S — 15 Jan 2010

My favorite performance by Marlon Brando is probably this one. He plays Terry Malloy, a dockworker who wants to fight the corruption on the waterfront, but can't do this because it will get him in great danger. Therefore Terry has to fight an inner battle with his conscience, a battle that's written brilliantly in Brando's eyes and his way of acting. This is why his performancev is better than all the other, also wonderful performances in the film. It also makes Terry Malloy not only a tough, but a sensitive character too, which I really like.

What I also loved about this film is the way it's build up. Terry's conscience is slowly on his way to win the inner battle, which he finally wins in the famous cab scene. This whole proces and what comes after it, in combination with Brando's performance, make this film a magnificent, inspiring film-noir about doing the right thing, no matter what the consequences are.