Elia Kazan's "On the Waterfront" Essay by Calwriter

This paper explains that, in "On the Waterfront," Kazan directed a simple story of good against evil, moral values against corruption, and what it means to sacrifice oneself for the good of others. The author believes that Kazan's direction turned this simple message into an incredibly powerful film that will never age. The author points out that Kazan assembled a brilliant cast: Marlon Brando as the protagonist, Rod Steiger as his brother, Lee J. Cobb as the union mob boss, Karl Malden as the local priest, and Eva Marie Saint as Brando's love interest. The paper relates that Kazan used simple and uncomplicated shots, thus adding more power to each scene.