Post on 14-Jan-2016
ON THE WATERFRONT
CULTURAL, HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL SET TING
Based upon a series of newspaper articles written by Malcolm Johnson
about trouble on the New York waterfront in 1949
Articles exposed murder, extortion and standover tactics infesting the docks
A congressional Inquiry was set up to hear evidence from the dockworkers
in an attempt to clean up the waterfront
The characters of Terry, Johnny Friendly and the crusading priest, Father
Barry, were based on real people
The film revealed an ugly, gritty side of American society and politics. It was
an immediate success and very popular much like the Underbelly series is in
Australia today
UNION
Longshoremen’s Union
What are they?
What are their purpose?
How could they come to take advantage?
THEMES
Respect
Loyalty
Survival
Fear
Acceptance
Justice
Morals
Courage
Conscience
KAZAN’S STORY
Kazan a Communist Party member in his youth and had testified
1952 House Un-American Activities Commission (HUAC)
He testified against his peers and received much contempt and
rejection as a result – Arthur Miller was to write the original
screenplay for ‘On the Waterfront’ but since Kazan’s testimony he
refused.
Kazan is believed to have made the film to justify his actions and
glorify those who stand against the majority public opinion and
follows his own conscience