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Poster for On the Waterfront

On the Waterfront

Seen it?

1954 | 108 min | Crime, Drama, Romance

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (99% on Rotten Tomatoes), it won 8 Oscars, people are still talking about it and audiences rate it highly (7.8 out of 10). Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for crime-drama fans and romantics. If you loved Atlantic City or Catch Me If You Can, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Dark and gritty, warm and romantic.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 48 min.
What might put you off
Made in 1954: an older pace and style.

A prizefighter-turned-longshoreman with a conscience goes up against labor leaders to expose corruption, extortion, and murder among the union ranks.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    99% on Rotten Tomatoes, 91 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    7.8 out of 10

  • AwardsVery strong

    Won 8 Oscars: Academy Awards: Best Motion Picture, Academy Awards: Best Director, Academy Awards: Best Actor, Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress and 4 more. Won 4 Golden Globes: Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture – Drama, Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, Golden Globe Awards: Best Director – Motion Picture, Golden Globe Awards: Best Cinematography – Black and White. Won 1 BAFTA: British Academy Film Awards: Best Foreign Actor. Won 1 Venice award: Venice International Film Festival: Best Actress. Won 1 DGA Award: Directors Guild of America Awards: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures. Won 1 WGA Award: Writers Guild of America Awards: Best Written American Drama. Also nominated for 2 more Oscars and 1 more BAFTA. Plus 12 other awards.

  • Box office & staying powerStrong

    $10 million worldwide on a $910K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactVery strong

    About 387K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Elia Kazan

  • Marlon BrandoTerry Malloy
  • Eva Marie SaintEdie Doyle
  • Karl MaldenFather Barry
  • Lee J. CobbJohnny Friendly
  • Rod SteigerCharley Malloy
  • Pat HenningKayo Dugan
  • Leif EricksonGlover
  • James WesterfieldBig Mac
  • Tony GalentoTruck
  • Tami MaurielloTillio