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Timothy Phan

On the Waterfront
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Kazans Italian neo-realist film On the Waterfront illustrates a bleak waterfront that is often surrounded with hopelessness and uncertainty. Through Kazans artistic construction of the film, the use of potent metaphors, cinematography and music work in tandem with the films social setting to provide a powerful social commentary. Kazans exploration of the lives of the longshoremen illustrates the turbulence and confusion that obscures any certain hope or redemption. The notions of the truth also acts as an abstract construct that is unclear through Kazans construction of the film. The ideas of loyalty are intricately explored within the film, highlighting the subtle differences in loyalty that shroud the films relationships in a fog of dishonesty. Most powerfully, the cultural context of the film explores these key ideas through Kazans own experiences which draw analogous links with the films ideas. The truth is explored through Kazans dynamic construction of the film that paints the truth to be incredibly ambiguous. Through Terry Malloy, the truth can be seen in its simplest form. It is his journey through the film where Terry progresses closer to his confession to tell the truth as he knows it in front of the crime commission. As a powerful depiction of this, the metaphoric use of his jacket in complementation with Brandos acting style shows this incremental progression towards the truth. From the films outset, the acting style of Marlon Brando illustrates Terrys initial persona of compliance and moral despondency. Kazan advocated Brandos slouched posture and lifeless facial expressions which seemingly echoes an air of resignation. Terrys chiaroscuro jacket works in tandem with this, as the subtle shades of grey and chaotic chequered pattern represent his moral ambivalence that obscures his ability to tell the truth. However, the relationships which surround Terry eventually obscure the clarity of his perceived truth. Through the introduction of Father Barry, the Deaf and Dumb code that rules the lives of the longshoremen eventually faces its destruction as the ideals of Christian Brotherhood begin to permeate the mindset of the longshoremen. It is here where the previous illusion of the truth is shown to be defined as ratting for them. At Terrys point of realisation during Kazans metaphorical sermon in the hold, his incremental conscience finally culminates, where he begins to break away from the D n D code that only grounded him in his bum epithet. Interestingly, Kazan use metaphoric use of Terrys progression of speech, demonstrates another form of truth that is unearthed through his relationship with Charley. From the films outset, Terry begins as an inarticulate component of Johnny Friendlys gang. He is suppressed under his Friendlys rule and is diminished into the limiting perception of a kid. Terry starkly contrasts with Johnny Friendly in this respect, where Friendly possesses full mastery over his articulation of language. The truth is clear Friendlys eyes, where the American Dream and its benefits are within his control. However, as Terry develops his internal conscience, he begins to realise that he has been ratting on [himself] all these years through the taxi-cab scene with

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Charley. It is in this scene where Terrys articulation of his own emotions reaches its apex, where he directly confronts the truth that it was Charley that has condemned him to a life in Palookaville. These different nuances of the truth that arise from the complex relationships of the film show the uncertainty that is so true in the lives of the longshoremen.

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Timothy Phan

Kazans portrayal of loyalty is highly ambivalent through the films construction. Kazans characterisation of relationships provides the film with immense scope to explore the different forms of loyalty which exist. Loyalty is an abstract construct and is often seen as an illusion through the film, as it is transitory by nature. Family loyalty and community loyalty pervade Terrys mindset, hindering his ability to remain loyal to himself. Deeply involved in a world dominated by family loyalty, Terry finds himself misplacing his conscience in the hands of Johnny Friendly and Charley which form his initial family. He refers to Johnny Friendly as Uncle Johnny and commits unwitting favours for the sake of maintaining this dubious relationship. His inability to speak and his status of a bum is characterised by his compliance to the corruption that conflicts with his own moral conscience. However, this loyalty is quickly destroyed as he begins to shift his loyalties as Father Barry and Edie quickly become his new family. Johnny Friendlys relationship with Terry begins to diminish as he realises that Terry is a potential threat to his operation. He immediately abandons him and conveys his dismissal through admitting that Terry was only around for laughs. It is here where the sense of loyalty is seen as transitory and fleeting. In reality, the loyalty between Friendly and Terry was never present, as this loyalty is only manipulated for self gain. Existing in another form, community loyalty is seen as highly ambiguous. The strong sense of brotherhood between the longshoremen is highly evident through their willingness to pitch in to help Pop after his sons death. However, the loyalty between the community is often questioned through their acceptance to abide by the D n D code. Although they remain loyal to not rat no matter how much [they] hate the torpedoes, this loyalty proves itself to be disloyal to the communitys interests. Through remaining silent, the longshoremen fuel a cycle of corruption that seeks to suppress them, as their collective ability to fight back is diminished through upholding an autocracy by consent. Contributing to the potency of the films style, Kazan incorporated Malcolm Johnsons Pulitzer Prize winning articles of corruption on the Waterfront. The ideas of corruption that terrorised the New Jersey waterfront highlighted this sense of corrupted loyalty. It is those real Hoboken longshoremen that are accept the corruptions, which illustrate a paradox in which they are disloyal to the community through their blind loyalty to the community code. Kazans development of characters and masterful characterisation explores the ambivalence of loyalty and its many different forms through his film. The redemption and moral growth through the individual conscience is an uncertain journey through Kazans construction. Through Terry, the sense of individual conscience is powerfully conveyed through Kazans holistic message. From the outset of the film, Terry lacks a sense of inner resolve through his lack of morality and autonomy. However, as he begins to envelop himself in a series of relationships, Kazan shows an individual progression that is analogous to his progression during the HUAC era. Through Kazans ritualistic scenes, the sermon on the docks and the crime commission testimony act as the moral pillars of the film where the individual conscience is conveyed. Through Kazans specific construction of the scene the sermon on the docks, a combination of cinematography, lighting and music illustrate Terrys and possibly Kazans movement towards the individual conscience. Through Father Barrys firebrand religious rhetoric, Terrys illuminated face coupled with intense close ups on his face, show his brooding conscience that is starting to adopt the ideals of shared guilt. This ritualistic scene parallels with Kazans internal progression during the HUAC trials, where his moral growth and inner conscience begins to progress towards his testimony. However, Kazans ambivalent idea of conscience questions whether conscience is truly individual or is handed over to the community. Kazan values the ideals of the individual conscience,

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where Terry listens to himself that eventually leads to his confession. However, the film illustrates that the individual conscience is a product of the community mentality of shouldnt everybody care for everyone else? It is here that the films central paradox arises, that the individual conscience originates primarily from a collective community tenet. In the final ritualistic scene, the films cinematography highlights a moral resolve and victory through the elevated lighting and open space as Terry gives his confession. However, given the films social context, the confession itself is shrouded with ambivalence as Kazans conscience was conflicted through his act of naming names. Rather than following his individual conscience, he defied his conscience through demonising others. Elements of this can be seen through this seemingly anti-climatic scene, as Terry is inarticulate during his confession. These two differing interpretations of the scene show the ambiguity and uncertainty of the ideas which surround the individual conscience. The construction of Kazans ending punctuates the ambiguity of the films idea of victory. Although the ending may signify the achievement of Terrys reclaiming of rights an overall victory for the longshoremen remains uncertain. The ending suggests a utopian interpretation through its cinematography. Richard Day heightened the lighting of the scene and showed clear vistas of the New York skyline which starkly contrasts with the previous dreary skyline. As the longshoremen are seen moving back to work, the scene is filmed from a high angle, suggesting a moral victory in their actions. Through the final mise-en scene Johnny Friendly is shown left alone without his ensemble of thugs, powerfully highlighting his defeat. However, this sense of victory is refuted through other elements throughout the film. Most notably, Kaufmans musical score at the films end reaches an uncertain crescendo. It is here where the words of Johnny Friendly: Ill be back resonates through the audiences mind that the cycle of corruption could possibly exist. The longshoremen are still caught in a world dominated by corrupted leaders, where Mr Upstairs is still in power. The movement of the longshoremen can also interpreted as highlighting a fascist tendency, to only blindly follow the strongest leader rather than following ones own individual resolve. Indeed, the ideas of uncertainty are epitomised through Kazans ambivalent ending which bolsters the ambiguous stylistic element of his film. The style of Kazans film leaves its audience with a lingering sense of doubt and indecision. The ideas of loyalty, truth and redemption are explored through his effective use of characterisation, cinematography and metaphors which form the style of the film. Most notably, the ending reinforces Kazans collaborative art form that produces the films ambivalence. Being heavily influenced by Kazans cultural context, the ambivalence of the film explores the abstract constructs of these ideas, potentially suggesting a futility in an environment that aint part of America.

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