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