On The Waterfront

On the Waterfront was a movie that I remember watching with my grandpa when I was growing up. This was my grandpa’s favorite movie and I always liked it, but never took the time to stop and think about the various elements in this film and how they all flow together until this class.

The movie starts with Terry playing a key role in Joey’s murder and soon after falls in love with Joey’s sister. Due to his involvement in the mob, Terry is unable to simply come clean to Father Barry or Edie. This internal battle that Terry is fighting some becomes an outward struggle and eventually Terry, after being subpoenaed to testify against Johnny Friendly (the mob boss), finally confesses to Father Barry and later to Edie. Following Terry’s testimony in court against Johnny, Terry returns home to find all of his caged pigeons dead. These pigeons represent much more than a hobby of Terry’s. The pigeons represent the dock workers that are trapped, caged by the mobs infiltration of the union. The slaughtering of the pigeons following Terry’s testimony symbolized the human lives that were taken for those who tried to combat the mob. They also show the slaughtering of the dock workers dignity as they fight tooth and nail for a job at the docks each day.

Throughout the movie there is a constant struggle between right and wrong, good and evil; Father Barry is a key figure in this role. He stands for the good in the world and want the world could be, should be. At the same time he falls victim to many of the “evils” of society: smoking, drinking, violence, etc. Clearly the mob shows the evil in the world and the strong grip evil forces can take on a person once they are allowed in. This movie was filled with moral implications; most evident was Terry’s involvement in Joey’s murder and subsequent happenings of the mob. The truth of human nature is that we are all inherently good; this is what Edie sees under Terry’s violent acts through the mob. She, as well as many of the other characters, that depict the strong social problems and injustices that were taking place in America during this point in history. As displayed through multiple characters in the movie, the constant struggle for human dignity was brought to the forefront of the film. Each day as the workers wait at the dock for work, they resort back to their animal instincts fighting for a job; the basis of what they feed their families on and their means of providing them shelter.

It is evident from early in the film that Terry and Edie are a young couple in love and even though their relationship is very complex they are very focused on holding on to the love that they have for one another. While young and in love, there is another element thrown into the mix: the fact that Terry is responsible in part for Edie’s brother’s death. This is a reality in all walks of life: human relationships are not simple; they are some of the most complex relationships possible.

Through the strong emotional and timeless human ties (through relationships), On The Waterfront is a movie that has the ability to step out of its time zone and apply to all generations of society.

The moral of this story was that no matter how much wrong you have done in the past; you always have the ability to step forward and start a better life for yourself and for your fellow citizens. Humans are inherently good creatures and always possess an inner desire to make themselves and others better. As Terry makes the decision to stand up for what is right on the docks and fight Johnny head on, he shows the difference that one person can make and the type of revolution that can ignite. The movie is trying to tell us to stand up for what we believe in, no matter how impossible our end goal may seem; we can make more of a difference than we realize.