On the Waterfront (1954)

All Critics (55) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (58) | Rotten (0) | DVD (17)

On the Waterfront has a script that is a work of love and shows it.

February 18, 2009 Full Review

TIME Magazine

Top Critic

Under Elia Kazan's direction, Marlon Brando puts on a spectacular show, giving a fascinating, multi-faceted performance as the uneducated dock walloper and former pug, who is basically a softie with a special affection for his rooftop covey of pigeons.

January 30, 2008 Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

It's hard to deny that Marlon Brando's performance as a dock worker and ex-fighter who finally decides to rat on his gangster brother (Rod Steiger) is pretty terrific.

December 12, 2006 Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

It's pretty electrifying.

January 26, 2006 Full Review

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

Top Critic

You miss this, you're buyin' a one-way ticket to Palookaville.

March 3, 2005 Full Review

Colin Covert

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Top Critic

Indisputably one of the great American films, its power undiminished.

December 23, 2004 Full Review

Kenneth Turan

Los Angeles Times

Top Critic

A powerful watch, thanks largely to an incredible cast, Leonard Bernstein's strong score, and a handful of iconic scenes, none better than the moving "I coulda been a contender" sequence.

March 7, 2013 Full Review

Matt Brunson

Creative Loafing

a watershed moment in cinema history; it remains one of the greatest films of the 1950s

February 26, 2013 Full Review

James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

Criterion deliver a long-overdue tribute to Elia Kazan's astounding 1954 drama, which boasts one of moviedom's game-changing performances.

February 18, 2013 Full Review

Phil Villarreal

OK! Magazine

This Criterion Collection presentation of a strange classic is very much a contender.

February 17, 2013 Full Review

Chuck Bowen

Slant Magazine

An astounding drama that's still a contender almost 50 years on.

February 15, 2013 Full Review

Total Film

Allow me to suggest On the Waterfront is one such 'classic' that holds up; a declaration that deserves only one, dismissive response: "No duh."

February 12, 2013 Full Review

Simon Miraudo

Quickflix

Raises important issues about the nature of power.

December 26, 2010 Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

A strong morality tale about corruption and redemption, On the Waterfront is a timeless classic that features two masters at the top of their craft.

July 6, 2010 Full Review

Matthew Pejkovic

Matt's Movie Reviews

Elia Kazan's seminal American classic.

November 1, 2007 Full Review

Film4

Marlon Brando is outstanding as a former boxing champ torn between family and duty in the magnificent On the Waterfront

November 8, 2006 Full Review

Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

The film is shot on location in black-and-white, semi-docu style, which suits the realistic subject and commonplace characters, particularly Terry Malloy, the passive dock worker forced to become a crusader-fighter, splendidly played by Brando.

July 15, 2006 Full Review | Comment (1)

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

This movie has to be considered one of the very best of all time.

July 5, 2005 Full Review

Mike Barkacs

Bullz-Eye.com

Do the politics make it bad? Not at all. It's a fictional story, not a soapbox.

June 27, 2005 Full Review | Comment (1)

Luke Y. Thompson

LYTRules.com

The difference between pre- and post-1950s cinema - before and after Brando - is as pronounced as moving from black and white to color.

March 11, 2005 Full Review

Phil Villarreal

Arizona Daily Star

• 1. Terry Malloy: If I spill, my life ain't worth a nickel.
  2. Father Barry: And how much is your soul worth if you don't?
  – Submitted by Ivan J (13 months ago)
• 1. Father Barry: Some people think the Crucifixion only took place on Calvary. They better wise up! Taking Joey Doyle's life to stop him from testifying is a crucifixion. And dropping a sling on Kayo Dugan because he was ready to spill his guts tomorrow, that's a crucifixion. And every time the Mob puts the pressure on a good man, tries to stop him from doing his duty as a citizen, it's a crucifixion. And anybody who sits around and lets it happen, keeps silent about something he knows that happened, shares the guilt of it just as much as the Roman soldier who pierced the flesh of our Lord to see if he was dead.
  – Submitted by Filipe M (15 months ago)
• 1. Terry Malloy: You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. It was you, Charley.
  – Submitted by Achoo S (22 months ago)
• 1. Johnny Friendly: Stop breathin' that clam juice on me.
  – Submitted by Debbie V (2 years ago)
• 1. Father Barry: You want to know what's wrong with our waterfront? It's the love of a lousy buck. It's making love of a buck - -the cushy job - -more important than the love of man!
  – Submitted by rob g (2 years ago)
• 1. Terry Malloy: You don't understand! I could'a had class. I could'a been a contender. I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it.
  – Submitted by Tyler C (2 years ago)

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