And then I realized that I wasn't there in the taxi or on the roof with Brando. I was watching him embody my feelings on a screen. He was truly amazing...
The plot and dialogue of On the Waterfront are great, worthy of its masterful acting. It's optimistic, and everyone is so gritty and real that it earns that hopeful stretch ending. I wish Lee J. Cobb was in more good stuff... At least there's 12 Angry Men and, well, this.
As with some of the other films I love, my only gripe here would be with the music. I connect to music deeply, and when it intruded upon the taxi or other scenes I felt like Bernstein was trying to tell me what to feel. When it worked, though, it was beautiful.
On the Waterfront is worth watching for Brando alone, but everyone else is at the top of their game too. Great stuff.
The plot and dialogue of On the Waterfront are great, worthy of its masterful acting. It's optimistic, and everyone is so gritty and real that it earns that hopeful stretch ending. I wish Lee J. Cobb was in more good stuff... At least there's 12 Angry Men and, well, this.
As with some of the other films I love, my only gripe here would be with the music. I connect to music deeply, and when it intruded upon the taxi or other scenes I felt like Bernstein was trying to tell me what to feel. When it worked, though, it was beautiful.
On the Waterfront is worth watching for Brando alone, but everyone else is at the top of their game too. Great stuff.