Legendary Method actor Marlon Brando won an Oscar for Best Actor for his stunning performance in this classic film about loyalty and conscience.
Brando plays ex-prizefighter Terry Malloy, whose brother Charley (Rod Steiger) is the right-hand man to Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb), corrupt boss of the mob-controlled Dockers Union. Malloy unwittingly allows himself to be used to set up the death of Joey Doyle, a longshoreman whose crime was to talk to corruption investigators. He becomes involved with the dead man’s sister Edie (Eva Marie Saint) and begins to wonder if he too should stand up and be heard.
The story behind the film is also about conscience. Elia Kazan made On the Waterfront after he agreed to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee and was shunned by many of his Hollywood peers for naming former associates who were involved with the Communist Party.
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