I really liked this film--mostly because the acting and dialog was so good. So, while much of the film is very quiet and the plot somewhat normal by movie standards, it's a wonderful example of a film that is a showcase for the actors.
John Cassavetes plays a disaffected young man. He's failed many times in the past and expects to keep failing when he comes looking for a job as a longshoreman. At first, he's taken under the wings of a cruel jerk (Jack Warden)--who exploits him and is a bully. But, a particularly kind man at the job (Sidney Poitier) takes him on in his work crew--and the two become fast friends. But there still is the bully to deal with--as well as Cassavetes' dark secret. See this film.
I really liked the relationship between Poitier and Cassavetes because it was NOT played as an interracial relationship but just as two friends. There was no obvious or overt message about racial brotherhood--but simply by the casting it made a great point. Well done all around, though I was a bit disappointed by the exciting ending, as, if you think about it, it doesn't make a lot of sense (Cassavetes could have just gone to the police--and that would have been a lot more logical). Still, it's got a heck of a punch.
