On the Waterfront

1954
US
1h 48min
PG

Directed by: Elia Kazan
Written by: Budd Schulberg
Cast: Marlon Brando, Rod Steiger, Lee J Cobb, Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden

Taking on gangster supremo Lee J Cobb only leads to tragedy for Brando's ex-boxer Terry Malloy in this early masterpiece of the Method school. Despite over-obvious religious symbolism, Budd Schulberg's politically contentious script and Kazan's involved direction, this offers one of Brando's best screen performances and the original 'I coulda been a contender' monologue later so effectively interpreted by Scorsese/De Niro in 'Raging Bull'.