Matt J [very
fine in every respect (save for one “s”
too many)—clear and direct writing with thoughtful commentary: 3+]
“On the Waterfront” depicts a union suppressed by
its
leadership. The leadership controls access to the jobs on the
waterfront,
and are able to use this power to require additional fees from those
who
receive the jobs. The lucrative nature of this setup encourages
corruption and misuse of power, the likes of which “On the Waterfront”
details
very clearly. [really crisp
intro]
From a Marxist perspective, the men of the union appear very much to
have been
born into the system. They also appear to have no way of
escaping, unless
they resort to violence or illegal activity. In the beginning of
the
film, Johnny Friendly described how he worked his way up from “in the
hole” to
union boss. Based on his character in the film, we can assume he
didn’t
do so by saying “please.” However, not everybody can be the boss,
and
this leaves most union members on the short end of the stick.
Friendly
extorts the men, diminishing their meager wages for his opulent
consumption.
With Joey’s murder, the wheels begin to come off the cart as more and
more men
are expropriated. [odd but apt
word] Next was the man (K.O. Dougan?) who was crushed by the pallet
of
whiskey, someone else who was planning to blow the whistle on the
leadership’s
corruption. It was incredible to see so many men unwilling to
blow the
whistle, thereby protecting the corrupt leadership at their own
expense.
Had everybody stood up at once in an organized fashion, they would have
been
able to overthrow Johnny Friendly and his cohorts. That they did not
speak[s]
to their belief that the system would have just produced another
corrupt
leader.
Although these tactics were meant to keep the rest of the men in line,
they
eventually made it worthwhile for them to revolt, the opposite of the
intended
effect. This is a clear example of a Marxist class struggle
because the
less powerful eventually had enough people in their ranks to make
revolt a
successful proposition. This film also clearly demonstrated how
those in
power abuse that power until they have created an opposing force of
equal or
greater value.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Nicholas C [really
excellent, a most thoughtful and very well written comment; 3++ ]
“On the Waterfront” is
not as much
an exempli gratia of the negative impact unions can have on labor as it
is a
study of human corruption within the capitalist system.
[In
the film]The organization called the longshoreman’s union in the film is a union in name
only. The organization exploits the
longshoremen by controlling the flow of work and extorting funds -
union dues -
for their misdeeds. This behavior of the
longshoreman’s union is not one that can be universally attributed to
labor
unions, for the union’s fundamental task is lessening the misery of the
unionized workers. The longshoreman’s
union in the film, then, is an example of unscrupulous men taking
advantage of
desperate workers and protecting themselves by using the tools of the
capitalist system. The “union” threatens
the longshoremen into submission by murdering those who do not abide by
the
union’s rules. The organization’s
working identity as a union gives its leaders some social credibility,
allowing
them to deny any wrongdoing. The workers are controlled by the threat
of being
killed, and adopt a policy of “deaf and dumb,” claiming ignorance of
the
organization’s criminal activities.
This friction creates an interesting dynamic between the faux union and its “members”– the longshoremen – in that the longshoremen choose to abide by the unfair rules of the longshoreman’s union because the cost of dissent – death – is much greater than the cost of work lost, “union dues,” and living in abject misery. A three tier system appears: within the oppression of the capitalist system, there is another oppressing agent - working under the pressures of capitalism – which increases the misery of the working class. This added pressure leads the workers to revolt, overthrowing the lesser oppressor and restoring their status in the capitalist system. This outcome essentially shows how, with the appropriate means and vision, revolution can be brought about by the discontent working class. However, this success was possible because the workers had the law – a basic component of capitalist society – supporting them; the system wanted the longshoreman’s union removed. The workers succeed in defeating a microcosmic oppressing agent born from human corruption, but the same outcome is not guaranteed if the working class is to challenge the capitalist system – the social-economic macrocosm of corruption.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“On the Waterfront” is a powerful film about
love,
corruption, violence, and unions.[nice!!] It
reveals the pain and struggles workers
endured while
working for an oppressive, mob operated labor union. The story begins
with the
murder of Joey Doyle, a waterfront dockworker. Joey was an honest and
well-respected young man, who intended to tell the truth about the
criminal
activities that went on in the union. Even though the dockworkers knew
that
mobster Johnny Friendly committed the murder, they refused to give any
information to the Waterfront Crime Commission. Betraying Johnny
Friendly was
the same as digging oneself a grave.
Terry Malone, who was
partially
responsible to for Joey’s death,
found the courage to defy the mob, and gain justice for the Waterfront
dockworkers. He began to question his affiliation with Johnny
Friendly [after having met Joey’s sister, the Johnny Friendly was not
worth the torment that the dockworkers experienced. When Charley,
Terry’s older
brother and Johnny Friendly’s crooked lawyer, protected Terry from the
mob and
got killed instead, Terry took revenge and testified.
Essentially, the film conveys how fear can
overpower
one’s own sense of morality. Rather than uniting and justifying the
murder of
Joey Doyle, the Waterfront dockworkers kept silent. However, the
silence only
tore them up inside. As violence and corruption escalated, they
supported Terry
and walked with him to victory.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Isaac S [very fine
economic/political analogy and commentary; writing is equally good: 3+]
Who can blame the dockworkers?
On The Waterfront is a perfect example of a bad equilibrium. The longshoremen, individually, have little incentive to be anything other than “D and D.” Their silence and Johnny Friendly’s control of the docks is because they cannot communicate effectively, cannot organize efficiently, and only look out for their interests as individuals, not as a group.
Just as there are public goods, Johnny Friendly is a public bad. Individuals using a public good face an incentive to overuse public goods, because their marginal benefits exceed their marginal costs. For a public bad, individual “use” of the resource (speaking out against corruption) is not a rational choice, as the marginal costs (death) outweigh the benefits (public testimony that may damage Johnny Friendly). For a public good, it is necessary to organize regulations to keep people from following their self interest. For a public bad, it is necessary to organize to change the incentive structure, and make the marginal benefits (a free labor market on the waterfront) greater than the marginal costs.
In our lives, the government has filled the role of regulator, because they have the voluntary support of the majority. In On The Waterfront [comma]the Father fulfilled the same role: he was an organizer because people voluntarily submit to the church, and want their lives to be regulated. However, it is only through each individual taking action that the problem is dealt with; the priest is an organizer and facilitator, not an agent of direct action. He encourages Maloy to make his own decisions, and declines to tell him what to do, because ultimately the power is in the congregation. Our government may at times appear to be the priest, and sometimes Johnny Friendly, but in both cases the people have the power. They just need to realize it.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Lindsay S [content is fine, and while writing is ok, I think this is a case where simpler would be better, as suggested; 2+]
The film, “On the
Waterfront,” is an intelligent and entertaining drama concerned with
the
corruption and oppression generated under a labor union controlled by
the
longshoremen mob of
The film launches [odd
word---begins is simpler; you launch a boat, yes?] with the murder
of a
waterfront worker, setting the stage of events and drama for the
remainder of
the story. Terry, tormented by his assistance to the murder, is divided
[torn??]
between abiding to [ obeying…again
is
simpler]the commands of the mob to act “deaf and dumb” or to unite
with the
priest’s campaign to challenge the mob and restore order to the
waterfront.
Insight [in] to the workings of Adam
Smith’s characterization of a
human’s innate instinct, the pursuit of self-interest, is illustrated
through
the workers. “Everyman for himself,” no man would “rat out” the mob
because
they valued their lives more than the well-being of the community. However, flaws in Smith’s neo-classical
market perspective are evident as the pursuit of self-interest does not
serve
the common good in this case scenario. The power
imbalance allows
the workers to be exploited and their objective, to preserve their
life,
produces a barrier to the common interest of the community.
Testifying against the union
leaders, Terry morally redeems himself and ultimately [provides
precedence
in the community---somewhat awkward]
to not permit the mob to further depress their lives. In the end, the
workers
recognize their common interest and symbolically unite against the mob.
With
the deliverance of strong performances and a well-crafted plot, this
film will
continue to be a brilliant American drama for many generations.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jeff M [fine in all
respects: solid writing with a clear and apt commentary; 3+]
The film “On the Waterfront” was the story of a
corrupt
local seaport union that did more harm than good. The
leaders of the union ran illegal
operations and killed anyone who stood in their way. The filmed
showcased a
very unique Marxist world filled with conflict, “Money Bags” and a
revolution. [nice summary
statement]
A large source of conflict in the film was between the classic workers and owners. In the film, the workers worked on the docks and the owners were the union leaders, “Money Bags.” Throughout the film, the leaders of the union force the workers to accept low wages in exchange for hard labor. This earns the leaders of the union large profits and it exemplifies the Marxist idea of paying the worker less than he produces.
Another source of conflict in the film was when the leaders of the union used “divide and conquer” techniques when the Waterfront Crime Commission arrived. The Waterfront Crime Commission came to the docks to investigate the illegal business practices of the union leaders. In response, the union leaders assaulted any dockworker cooperating with the investigation. This led to dividing the workers into what they called canaries, people who talked to the Waterfront Crime Commission and D and D’s (Deaf and Dumb) people who didn’t talk to them. This gave the union leaders the ability to have total control over them.
The most apparent sign of Marxism was the revolution at the end of the movie. In the end, a single worker stands up against the union leaders and physically fights the most senior union leader. The worker eventually was assaulted by all of the union leaders and loses the fight. However, the other dockworkers watched their fellow worker stand up to the previously untouchable union leaders. This inspires the rest of the workers to follow in his footsteps and rebel against the union workers by refusing to work. This revolt was successful and ended the corrupt regime. Nothing could have been more Marxian, the reserve army consumed by the misery of their jobs revolting against their oppressors. The expropriators were expropriated.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tina Q [writing is
fine…comment short a discussion of any of the paradigms; 2+]
It is easy to see why the film, “On The Waterfront,” won as many awards as it did. The acting was superb, and the storyline kept the audience captivated throughout. From beginning to end, this film kept me wanting more. Marlon Brando did an excellent job portraying a push over who turned into an icon. [nice] In the beginning, Terry Malloy was favored by the corrupt union leaders,[and] used by them to do their dirty work. Throughout the story, Malloy slowly realizes the injustice of what is going on, and ends up being the key to turning things around.
It is easy
to see why this movie would make one disapprove completely with the
idea of
unions. A union can end up being run by
only a small group of people who end up forcing their ways upon
everyone in the
union. I found that this film, however,
took it to the extreme. It is hard to
believe that today such blatant corruption could be possible in a union. However, I think that this movie is a great
example of how a union can sometimes be more harmful than it is helpful. It doesn’t seem fair that a small amount
[number]of
people
should be in charge of the fate and choices of an entire group of
people,
especially if the union is forced to follow their decisions. I believe that every worker should have the
ability to decide for themselves the best way to maximize their utility.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Colleen B [very well done in
all respects; clear at focused writing, with thoughtful perspective; 3]
“On the Waterfront” is a film that is perhaps best
described
in Marxist terms. The unusual thing about it though is that “moneybags”
in this
story is the union leaders, the very people that are meant to empower
the
workers. Instead, the workers are made submissive and will only be able
to
improve their position if they are willing to make serious moral
sacrifices.
This film represents an unusual incidence where the union is a complete
failure.
The film could also be
thought
of in terms of the Neoclassical
perspective. The
actions of most people in this film is
[are]motivated
by self interest. The union workers remain “deaf and dumb” in order to
keep
their jobs and their lives. The mobsters' actions are motivated by
their
interest in money and power, but also to an extent, by the need to stay
alive.
Ultimately though, the
union
men choose to stand up against “moneybags.” They acted against
self-interest by
risking their lives, especially Terry Malloy. The laborers realized by
making a
decision collectively to stand up that they could change their
situation. The actions of just one person was
able to set into motion
something greater.
However, this movie
cannot be
used in general discussion of unions, because this is only one rare
instance of
when a union fails. Corruption to this extent is in no way common, and
does not
represent [all if not the majority (?) of] unions.
At best, this story
can be used as a cautionary tale, showing people that they have to be
careful
about who they trust as union leaders, and how a union should not be
organized.
The corruption in this movie was on an extreme scale, but this does not
mean
that other unions should not be wary of this pitfall.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Alex Q [very nice and
thoughtful commentary; writing if fine save for the items noted; 3-]
"On the Waterfront" can be described as a drama
romance that focuses on mob corruption, poverty, and is wrapped around
a story
about standing up for what you believe in.
This film is about the injustices longshoreman
endure
under the control of racketeering union leadership. This film is
magnificent:
Marlon Brando does an amazing job portraying his character and his
transformation from a bum into a moral, human being is incredible.
However,
there were some points during the film were the music was completely
overpowering and, ultimately, anticlimactic.
[in a sense
you’re right, but only because the
score was so good]
When taking a stance based solely on the role of unions, this film
takes a
Neo-Classical perspective. This outlook is basically that unions are
'corrupt
rip-off institutions' that encourage shirking and monopolistic
discrimination
in which wages are lower than they should be. [the
neoclassical view would be more that all of the workers are in it for
self
centered reasons…but the corrupt union leader is part of the broader
neoclassical perspective] However, [where]
the Neo-Classic perspective
fails is that these longshoremen do not have any kind of individual
labor
choices in their lives. They are at the mercy of the dock foreman who
decides
is someone works that day or not. [see
previous comment]
When considering the role of government and other factors, this film
seems to
lend itself to more of a liberal perspective. The mobster union leaders
are
probably the clearest version of Marxist "Money Bags" we have seen to
date with their shakedowns and exploitation, but Marxist theory does
not
adequately explain everything. Therefore, the liberal stance is better
used in
order to understand that the use of government intervention—in this case the, like
the Waterfront Crime Commission—is a tool that protects basic
humanity.
In addition, the most important correlation between "On the
Waterfront" and the liberal perspective is that capitalism denies
innate
social human motives. For example, Brando's character is motivated to
name
names for the Commission [comma] not our of
self-interest, but out of love for Evie,
hatred of
Johnny Friendly, and the spirituality of Father Barry.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jessica L [a couple of minor writing issues as noted,
but otherwise writing is fine with
extremely thoughtful commentary; 3]
Greed, corruption, and violence are all prominent
themes in
the 1954 Academy Award winning film, On the Waterfront. The film is
centered on
longshoreman and their corrupt union bosses. Terry, played by
Marlon
Brando, unknowingly helps in the murder of one of his fellow
workers. He
has past ties with union boss, Johnny Friendly, and subdues to mob
pressure to
keep quiet.
The film critiques unions from a neo-classical standpoint. It shows
unions as
corrupt and only beneficial to those in charge. In the film the
union
bosses use the union worker’s dues for their own, personal
expenditures.
They also took a portion of the shipment revenue from the
company. This
shows the neo-classical view that unions hurt not only the workers, but
the
rest of the company as well.
The aesthetics of this film were very interesting. Throughout the film,
Marlon
Brando was seen behind various barriers. There were several iron
gates,
pigeon cages, and fences. This seemed to symbolize his captivity
under
the mob.
The historical context of this movie, in my opinion, is more
interesting than
the actual movie itself. The film praises and sympathizes with
Terry Mallow,
who eventually testifies against the mob. The film’s director, Elia Kazan, was an informant for the House
Un-American
Activities Committee (HUAC) in 1952.
Although I didn’t agree with the message this film was sending, nor did
I agree
with the personal actions of the director, I enjoyed it. The
score,
cinematography, and acting were wonderful. I just hope people
appreciate the
movie for it’s cinematic aspects rather
than it’s
message.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Harry A [very nice…well written and concise
but very
well taken commentary; 3+]
"On the Waterfront" was an excellently planned out
film. It developed the characters and plot at a pace suitable for a
gripping,
grand finale. When Terry (Marlon Brando) walked into the new job at the
end,
free from the oppressive gangster constraint, he opened the floodgates
to
freedom as the workers all poured in after him. The film acts as a
strong
counterpoint to the Neoclassical
perspective because
the driving factor for Terry is not self interest of maximizing a
quantifiable
utility.
How can you measure the value of love? Terry was
handed the
opportunity to do minimum labor and make much more cash guaranteed. As
much as
it was tempting, a taste was all he got. Maybe if he never met Edie, he
might
not have had the epiphany that he was being just as bad as the other
gangsters.
The idea of a moral compass and emotional interest in others is
overlooked by
the Neoclassical perspective. The gangsters
with all
the money and control may be looking out for their own interest, but
where is
the harmony that is supposed to result from everyones
interaction. If hate could be measured, it would be very clear that not
everyone won in the transactions on the waterfront. There is always a
winner
and a loser. Johnny Friendly might collect extra money, but multiple
men at the
docs that could have worked suffer from the lack of pay and lack of job
availability as a result.
Capitalism breeds bot
greed and
inequality. This film gives hope to people working in unfair
conditions. With
motivation, determination, hard work, and the truth, there is no
telling what
limits or boundaries can be broken.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Alan Y [fine in all
respects: solid writing with very thoughtful and insightful discussion;3+]
When gangs take over
unions, as in
the case of the film [comma]On the
Waterfront, the entire dynamic of the union changes. While it
might be possible to say that the “unionized” longshoremen enjoy fringe
benefits under Johnny Friendly, such as “loft jobs” and protection
within the
mafia, the options of voice and exit (should they be chatty upon
leaving) are
potentially life threatening. This model becomes the exact opposite of
a
union’s original purpose of giving workers a formal channel for
expressing
grievances and concerns. This situation implies that labor unions with
strong,
unilateral leadership are a perfect means to quash the social justice
of
workers while maintaining a facade of fair representation. After all,
how do
you object to working conditions when you are forced to be deaf and
dumb? [very nice intro]
Where Friendly succeeds in his management of the longshoremen is in union branding and his political economics understanding of competition. Friendly strengthens the union label through violence tactics, creating a circumstance whereby to be in his union is to have work, and to be excluded from his union is to be out of work. Friendly also understands that competition in the labor market is detrimental to workers. Having a large number of workers to choose from makes it easier to exploit, exclude, and dominate. The chosen longshoremen learn to appreciate their jobs because they realize just how expendable they are.
Johnny Friendly’s downfall can be explained through individual workers weighing costs and benefits and coming to the same conclusion; they would be better off without the union. The high costs of membership include relinquishing one’s morality and silencing one’s conscience. There are also irritating occasion[al] dues, such as assuming the role of accessory to murder. These costs come at a high price to the psychological well-being of individuals and are emotionally taxing. To quote the liberal perspective, “where profits are the driving force, a work environment is created that is not suited to human needs and development.” All of this translates into a very Marxist revolt in the closing scene of the film.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Karl S [very fine in all
respects; solid writing with a very
thoughtful commentary; 3+]
In the beginning of On The
Waterfront, the workers had no bargaining power at all. They would call
themselves 'deaf and dumb,' showing that they feared for their wages as
well as
their lives. They understood that the mob was in control of their jobs
and
determined who worked as well as who lived. The mob took a neoclassical
approach towards unionization since they believed it was in the best
interest
of the economy, their behind the scenes pay offs.
In the end, when the
workers
were finally together as a collective union, they benefited very much
in terms
of the 'voice face' of unions. At first only a handful of workers were
given
tokens and allowed to work. The ending scene showed all the workers
marching in
to the workplace, thus ending the mob[‘]s
discrimination towards certain workers. Hence, in regard to fairness,
the power
of the mob was restricted and wage/income inequality was reduced.
Also, with the
collective
union, the workers were no longer 'deaf and dumb,' they had voice. This
voice
allowed for them to speak out for their social and political justices
finally.
They did not just listen and take orders like
[as]before.
This was shown in the scene where the mob boss was yelling at the
workers to go
to work after his fight with Terry. The elderly worker stepped up and
pushed
the mob boss into the harbor while explaining that he was tired of
taking
orders from him. With this action and voice, the workers are no longer
without
representation.
The ending of the film
did not
leave any clues as to how the workers unity affected productivity, but
I would
assume that their triumphant march into the workplace led to higher
moral on
the job. They must have increased productivity, at least on that day,
since
they were so happy that they finally defeated the oppressive mob. Like
Exit
Voice Loyalty explains, the workers feeling of voice should lead to
more effort
on the job, increasing productivity. [nice
concluding paragraph]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Andrew D [generally
fine in both content and writing, save for items noted: 3-]
"On the Water Front one
word]," is a
1954 film about union corruption and mob violence among longshoreman at
the
Marxist theory entails [implies}that
exploitation will be the outcome of free markets and capitalism. Marx
refers to
the exploitation of an entire segment or class of society by another,
and this
is seen in a smaller scale at the docks of
Liberal [neo classical?? theories
of economics suggest that without government interference, the result
would be
a harmonious and more equal society of ever-increasing prosperity. The
union in
this movie used its power to manipulate the labor at the docks leaving
some men
without work and pay. Perhaps a more liberal distribution of employment
at the
harbor would create a more free market for jobs.
Today [comma] being a
longshoreman is a great paying job that many people wish they could
have. It
takes a long time to get your number called, but union organization has
kept
wages at the harbor very high and has structured fair employment for
many
years.
Usually when employment
is
unfair and corrupt, the union is a safe-house for an honest working
man. Mr. Friendly[comma] motivated by greed [comma]
turned the entire union against its own labor force. He used scare
tactics like
murder to silent his crimes because he was willing to stop at nothing
to keep
all the money he made. With power comes great responsibility [comma]
and money can sometimes blind people.
This was a great film
to watch and
taught an important lesson in union structure. When authority is given
too much
power, greed can overthrow decisions to harm the opportunities of
others. I
believe unions should delegate [do you mean
“determine” or “bargain over”?]wages
and employment, but the actual labor force needs to be
strongly protected with rights and fair standards.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Katharine R [fine as
far as it went, good writing and fine intro as indicated but seems to
need
another paragraph---i.e., ends in “mid-thought,” or at least it seems
so to me:
3--]
"On the Waterfront" depicts mob violence in
the union, and the Marxist paradigm is relevant throughout the film.
The
expansion of the Industrial Revolution brings,[no
comma really needed here] not only a continuation of poverty,
but also
an increased misery among the working class. "Money bags" represents
the mob bosses, and they are trying to capture the surplus value from
the
working class. The workers were described as deaf and dumb, and they
became a product
of their working environment. [good!!] Eventually,
the working class misery grows to the point where workers recognize
their
common plight, and they revolt against "money bags".[very
nice into al a Marx]
Terry was pushed into mob life as
an orphan,
and only decides to "rat" once he falls in love with Edie Doyle. It
was ironic that they fell in love, since Terry was an accomplice in her
brother's murder. The minister tried to sway the community with his
religious
beliefs, and persuaded Terry to confess. The characters played
specific
gender roles, and Edie Doyle was cast as the stereotypical female. She
acted
extremely naive, and was studying to become a school teacher. When she
returned
from school, for her brother's funeral, she seemed oblivious to mob
violence in
the big city.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Eric O [content
is fine, with a thoughtful take on
religion, but for this far into the course, way too many little writing
issues;
on your remaining responses, you need to write fewer words with fewer
such
errors; the 614 words here are not necessary to deal usefully with the
assignment…half would do; 2]
Until I watched “On the Water Front”, [I give up] I had never really seen a detailed account, fictional or non fictional, about the organized crime run unions. Until now they have been just a footnote to the many other activates that the mafia undertook. With this new perspective the film showed a very dramatic example of monopoly “faced” unions.
In the film
the union being controlled by Johnny Friendly imposes arbitrary rules
on who
gets to work on the shipyards. By limiting the amount
[number]of
workers
he creates a hindrance to efficiently, which supports the monopoly face
perspective. It seems that by controlling the supply of labor, Friendly is also able to create hardships for
those not part
of the union. Even those who are members sometimes do not receive work
due to
Friendly’s unpredictable favor. His control over the means of
production and [his]
abusing it, create (or worsens) the despair of the common
worker.
Since the union is being exploited to the benefit of this “mob boss”, many of the voice face arguments for the union become irrelevant. The workers have no voice in gaining conditions that are favorable to them, since now one man speaks for everyone. Furthermore [comma]the voice face opinion that unions prevent bosses from abusing power becomes the opposite [comma] since Friendly is in fact that abusive boss.
Johnny Friendly is the
exact
depiction of Marx’s capitalist. He does not do any actual work, but
rather just
gains income at the labor of others. He
throughout the movie [he] is seen
“easing the masses
suffering” by giving workers some extra cash, or a chance to work, but
nothing
that will improve their long-term happiness. He does everything in his
power to
prevent the revolution that is predicted by Marx. The film does a
brilliant job
of being able to depict Johnny Friendly as the individual in an society
that takes advantage of a great ideal such as a
union. His characteristics are the same as that of the old
communist leaders of the past.
However [comma]the
most
unique segment of the film is not its take on unions or Marxist
parallels, but
rather the role of religion. The entire movie is lined with religious
undertones
of men doing what is inherently right and wrong. The sense of justice
that the
movie advocates is one in
which takes an equal or even higher role to that of “self interest”. Polayni argued that self-interest maximizing
behavior had
begun to dominate over other behavioral motives (love, humanitarianism,
sense
of morality, etc.). This perspective is true throughout the movie when [as]Marlene
Brando is
constantly being offered money or job security which all appeals to his
self-interest maximizing outlook. However, his own personal sense of
ethics
makes him realize that there is a deeper role for man on this earth.
The Priest
plays as the guide for Brando’s character in showing him this morally
right
path. Polayni argued that people had
become part of
this new capitalist system [comma]
and that the “greed”
that infests it had become the rule of the day on men’s conduct.
Religion, and
the Priest, in the movie perhaps (
and this is just an interpretation) show
a compassionate, non self-serving method of
giving men the courage to fight against a system [that] has become so corrupt and unnatural. Brando’s character [comma]who
is guided by his morality, serves as a prophet- like character that
delivers
salvation and answers to his fellow oppressed men.
Perhaps this is a bit dramatic, and in the
end the film just might be about a man or men being able to rebel
against the
tyranny that Marx saw suffocating man[‘]s
full potential.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Solon S [fine in all
respects; very good writing, with
thoughtful and extended comments---a 9
out of 10, ah, I mean 3+]
On the Waterfront exemplifies the extremes of union power. Corrupt union bosses and shady dealings dominated the port’s politics. Johnny “Friendly,” the union boss, was the perfect example of how a union can go bad. He killed those who spoke against him, and wielded authoritarian power. As the ultimate “Moneybags,” Mr. Friendly dominated all aspects of port activity. He chose which people would work and who would receive the easy jobs. Johnny “Friendly’s” union was the complete opposite of what a union should be. The workers’ voice was not represented during union meetings or job distribution. Management had absolute power, and just as Marx predicts, revolting was the only solution. Terry Malloy and Father Barry led this revolution against the corrupt union.
With the encouragement
from Father
Barry, Malloy eventually shares his information about Edie’s brother’s
murder
with the feds. By “snitching,” Malloy is temporarily dubbed an outcast.
He
chose to not be D&D (Deaf and Dumb), and spoke out against the
inadequacies
he saw in the port union. He made a stand for what he believed in, and eventually changed how
the union was run. He looked Johnny in the eye and said, “You’re a
coward, and
your reign at the top is over.” The most inspirational moment in the
film was
when Malloy gets up after getting beat up by Johnny’s thugs, and walks
into the
warehouse with the support of the entire union. This scene gives you
hope that
the union can be run for the workers, and not for the benefit of the
bosses.
In one of the few
positive films we
have watched this quarter, On the
Waterfront gives a positive
[an
optimistic---to avoid repetition] outlook for the future. The
film
shows that with persistence and motivation, good things will happen.
The
wonderful performances of Marlon Brando and Karl Malden (Father Barry)
make you
believe in the struggles and issues they encounter. Brando’s heart is
torn over
telling the truth for his woman and being a good brother by not
snitching.
8 out of 10 stars