Though it’s not on my personal list of great films, On The Waterfront might be the greatest film of all time. I know that might sound weird coming from a pinko, commie, hippie like myself, but just hear me out. I know the history of this film. I am aware that it was made as a justification for director Elia Kazaan and screenwriter Budd Schulberg’s decisions to name names before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1951. I am also aware that their testimonies ruined the lives and careers of people just trying to make a living in an already tough industry. I know all of this, and yet I still really like this film. It’s not like The Birth Of A Nation of The Triumph Of The Will where we are supposed to overlook the horrendous subject matter and instead focus on the craft. No aesthetic remove is necessary in order to enjoy this film. At its most basic this film is a supremely human story about dashed hopes. This is a story about disillusionment. Though I absolutely deplore the decisions that Kazaan and Schulberg made, through watching this film I can absolutely understand the emotions that lead to those respective decisions. And that is why this is a great film.
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