2023 Blind Spot Series: One-Eyed Jacks

 

Based on the novel The Authentic Death of Hendry Jones by Charles Neider, One-Eyed Jacks is the story of a bank robber who goes on a quest for revenge against his former partner who had abandoned him during a showdown with the Mexican mounted police. Directed by Marlon Brando and screenplay by Guy Trosper and Calder Willingham, the film is an exploration of a man trying to get revenge on the man who left him as well as hoping to rob a bank. Also starring Karl Malden, Katy Jurado, Ben Johnson, Slim Pickens, Pina Pellicer, Larry Duran, Sam Gilman, Miriam Colon, Timothy Carey, Margarita Cordova, and Elisha Cook. Jr. One-Eyed Jacks is a gripping and evocative film from Marlon Brando.

Set in 1885, the film follows a bank robber, whose partner reluctantly abandoned him during a showdown between them and Mexican mounted police forces, who escapes a Mexican prison with a fellow cellmate as they travel to Monterey, California with a couple of men to rob a bank as well as get revenge on his former partner. It is a film that explores a man who felt cheated by his former partner who had ended up making a decent life for himself as a sheriff in Monterey while he spends five years in prison waiting to get revenge. The film’s screenplay by Guy Trosper and Calder Willingham, with un-credited contributions from Sam Peckinpah and Rod Serling, follows the journey that Rio goes through as he is first seen taking part of a bank robbery with his partner Dad Longworth (Karl Malden) and another robber in Doc (Hank Worden) in Mexico that is successful until Rio and Longworth are chased by the mounted police as they’re stuck on a hill with Longworth leaving to get new horses yet he never returned as Rio gets captured and spent five years in a prison which he would escape with Chico Modesto (Larry Duran).

Upon meeting Bob Emory (Ben Johnson) and his partner Harvey Johnson (Sam Gilman), Rio and Modesto travel to Monterey, California upon learning that Longworth is the sheriff in the town as he has married a Mexican woman in Maria (Katy Jurado) who has a daughter of her own in Louisa (Pina Pellicer). Though the plan is to rob the bank in Monterey, Rio decides to meet Longworth without stating his intentions while falling for Louisa as he spends time with her during a fiesta the next day. Yet, things get complicated where Longworth learn about what the two did where Rio gets punished as he and his gang are forced to leave as they shelter themselves in a beachside village as it plays into Rio’s sense of uncertainty about wanting to rob a bank. Even as Maria learns more about her husband’s past as well as what happened with Rio and Louisa that would complicate matters.

Marlon Brando’s direction is filled with gorgeous compositions as it is shot on various locations in California with Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula being key locations along with Sonora, Mexico for the scenes set in Mexico including its mountains. Brando’s approach to wide and medium shots add to the beauty of these locations with all of these meticulous attention to detail in the ocean waves that Brando captures to play into a world that feels new to Rio as it is also this escape from the rugged nature of Mexico that Longworth wants to leave behind. Brando also maintains some intimacy in the close-ups and medium shots in the first meeting in five years between Rio and Longworth as it play into the tension as Brando creates unique compositions in these moments. Notably in Rio’s infatuation towards Louisa as he would say some lies in order to woo her but eventually realize that she’s a good young woman whom he doesn’t want to take advantage of.

By the time the film moves into the second half where the tension between Rio and Longworth come to ahead despite the former’s action in saving a woman who is being abused by a man. It would allow Longworth to punish Rio in front of the town as revelations occur as it relates to Rio’s original intentions as he retreats to the beach as regrets come into play along with other revelations as it relates to Rio’s love for Louisa. Even as Maria begins to piece out Longworth’s issue with Rio during the film’s third act where a showdown would occur where the idea of vengeance shifts towards guilt with Rio realizing of what Longworth is trying to hold on to that only makes Longworth much worse. Overall, Brando crafts an exhilarating and mesmerizing film about a gunslinger going after his former partner for abandoning him following a bank robbery.

Cinematographer Charles Lang Jr. does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of Technicolor film stock to capture the beauty of the exteriors in the beaches and mountains while John P. Fulton provides some special photographic effects for some scenes on the beach as backdrops for a few of the film’s conversations including one between Rio and Louisa. Editor Archie Marshek does excellent work with the editing with its usage of straight cuts to play into the suspense and drama as well as knowing when to allow shots to linger to help amp up the suspense. Art directors Hal Pereira and J. McMillan Johnson, with set decorators Sam Comer and Robert Benton, do amazing work with the look of Monterey as well as the cantina in Sonora where Rio and Longworth went to after the robbery early in the film. Costume designer Yvonne Wood does fantastic work with the costumes in the dresses that the women wear along with the ragged look of Rio as well as the refined look that Longworth has as sheriff.

The makeup work of Yvonne Wood and Wally Westmore, with hair stylist Nellie Manley, do terrific work with the makeup from Longworth’s rugged look early in the film to the mustache he would have as sheriff as well as the look that Rio would have including the aftermath of a beating he would take from Longworth. The sound work of Hugo and Charles Grenzbach do superb work with the sound as it play into the natural elements as well as the sounds of gunfire from afar or up close. The film’s music by Hugo Friedhofer is wonderful for its bombastic orchestral score as it plays into the sense of adventure and suspense as the soundtrack also include a flamenco piece for a key moment in the fiesta sequence.

The film’s marvelous ensemble cast feature some notable small roles from Mina Martinez as a young woman Rio flirts with early in the film following the bank robbery, William Forrest as a bartender in Monterey, Hank Worden as Rio and Longworth’s robbery partner Doc, Philip Ahn as the owner of a beach hostel where Rio would recover in the film’s third act, Ray Teal and John Dierkes as a couple of deputies, Joe Dominguez as a corral owner, Tom Webb as the corral owner’s son, Joan Petrone as a flower vendor Rio flirts with to buy her necklace, Rodolfo Acosta as a Rurales captain, Margarita Cordova as the flamenco dancer, Timothy Carey as a local from Monterey who would be pushy towards the dancer at a bar, Miriam Colon as Longworth’s lover from Sonora whom Rio would meet five years later, and Elisha Cook Jr. as the banker who runs the bank at Monterey that Rio considers robbing. Sam Gilman is terrific as Harvey Johnson as a gunslinger Rio meets in Mexico as he is eager to rob a bank while Larry Duran is fantastic as Rio’s prison mate Chico Modesto who is sort of the film’s conscience as he is willing to help Rio while also knowing the conflict he’s dealing with.

Pina Pellicer is excellent as Louisa as Longworth’s step-daughter who falls for Rio though she is unsure about his intentions while learning about why he’s in Monterey where she begins to see things about Longworth that makes her uncomfortable. Slim Pickens is brilliant as Longworth’s deputy Lon Derrick as a man who doesn’t like Rio while is also infatuated with Louisa despite the fact that she thinks he’s a total creep. Ben Johnson is amazing as Bob Amory as a gunslinger Rio meets in Mexico who joins him on their journey to Monterey while also being someone who has issues with Rio over when to do the robbery as often finds a way to push Rio’s buttons. Katy Jurado is incredible as Longworth’s wife Maria as a woman who is given a great life in her marriage to Longworth only to become suspicious about Rio where revelations about Longworth’s past has her questioning things while discovering some things about Louisa’s relationship with Rio.

Karl Malden is phenomenal as Sheriff Dad Longworth as Rio’s former partner who had abandoned Rio following a showdown between him and Mexican mounted police forces as he creates a new life for himself only to deal with Rio where he is filled with guilt but also not wanting to reveal his own dark past that would eventually alienate him from his family. Finally, there’s Marlon Brando in a tremendous performance as Rio as a bank robber who seeks revenge on his former partner as he is hell-bent on getting revenge until he meets Louisa which complicates things. Brando brings this sense of restraint as a man that is conflicted in his actions but is also someone who is seeking justice of his own while also realizing the complications he is dealing with in his revenge plot as it is one of Brando’s finest performances.

One-Eyed Jacks is a sensational film from Marlon Brando that features incredible performances from Brando, Karl Malden, Katy Jurado, Slim Pickens, Ben Johnson, and Pina Pellicer. Along with its gorgeous visuals, its unconventional study of vengeance and guilt, and an exhilarating music score. The film is a fascinating western that doesn’t play by many of its tropes in favor of exploring the path of two men who were once partners as it leads to this eerie world of vengeance and the revelations of how the past can affect someone’s future. In the end, One-Eyed Jacks is a spectacular film from Marlon Brando.

© thevoid99 2023

2021 Blind Spot Series: A Streetcar Named Desire

 

Based on the play by Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire is the story of a woman who leaves her aristocratic world to live in New Orleans with her sister and brutish brother-in-law in a dilapidated apartment as her life starts to crumble. Directed by Elia Kazan and screenplay by Williams and Oscar Saul, the film is an exploration of a woman who wants to be something special but has a hard time dealing with the new world she’s in as well as the man who treats her terribly. Starring Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, and Karl Malden. A Streetcar Named Desire is a rich yet intense film from Elia Kazan.

Set in New Orleans, the film revolves around a woman who arrives to the city to live with her sister and brother-in-law in the hopes to regain her aristocratic lifestyle after some major losses in her life though her brother-in-law becomes troubled by her presence as he treats her cruelly. It is a film that explores a woman trying to maintain this illusion of being a Southern Belle as she left her hometown to find riches and such in New Orleans but she has to contend with this force of nature that is her brother-in-law. The film’s screenplay by Tennessee Williams that is based on his own play with contributions from Oscar Saul play into the plight that Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh) is enduring as she hopes to retain this identity even though she lost a lot as she had quit her job as an English middle school teacher. Blanche’s arrival at the apartment home of her sister Stella (Kim Hunter) would have Blanche deal with the fact that Stella lives in this dilapidated apartment with her husband Stanley Kowalski (Marlon Brando).

The script also includes Kowalski’s friend Mitch (Karl Malden) who takes a liking to Blanche where he even considers marrying her so that neither of them would be lonely yet Kowalski thinks the relationship is a bad idea as he has suspicions about Blanche though his brutish behavior towards her doesn’t help matters. Even as Blanche is critical towards both him and Stella as it adds discord to their relationship where some of Williams’ dialogue do play into these emotions but also into Blanche’s own disconnection with reality as if she is imagining about the world she wants to be in. Notably as it adds to this contrast to the world that Kowalski and Stella live in that is lively but also simple where not everyone has everything.

Elia Kazan’s direction definitely has this theatrical presentation as it is set largely in this apartment complex in the middle of the French Quarter in New Orleans with part of that area and other nearby places are shot. While there’s a few wide shots in the film to get a scope of the location as well as the apartment in its cramped and claustrophobic feel as it does serve as a character in the film. Kazan’s direction is focused more on intimacy with the usage of close-ups and medium shots as the latter is used to play into the tension between Blanche and Kowalski. It’s not just this claustrophobic atmosphere that adds to the drama but also in how it plays into Blanche’s own mental state as the walls would close in around her as it play into her refusal to accept the reality of her situation. Even as she wears these stylish and glamourous clothing that is a total contrast to the simpler yet ragged look of Kowalski as the latter is this symbol of sexual ferocity. Kazan also uses the location as well as heat as this intense atmosphere that adds to the drama including some of the tension between Blanche and Kowalski.

One key scene outside of the apartment is a party scene where it’s focused on this conversation between Blanche and Mitch where the latter gets to hear her story as it play into the former’s old life but also her past as Mitch would fall for her unaware that of her troubled mental state. Kazan’s compositions and usage of long shots play into the drama as well as scenes of Blanche trying to play up this façade of a world where everything is lit a certain way and everything has to be glamourous yet she still has to contend with this more cynical reality that is Kowalski. Even as the tension would boil into the third act as even Stella becomes tired of both of them as she is caught in the middle yet she loves both her husband and sister. The climax that relates to this boiling tension of Blanche’s fantasy and the harsh reality of Kowalski would finally collide as it lead to some harsh revelations as well as a real sense of loss for everyone. Overall, Kazan crafts a riveting and exhilarating film about a fallen Southern Belle trying to start a new life only to collide with the dark reality that is her brutish brother-in-law.

Cinematographer Harry Stradling does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white photography with its stylish usage of shadows and lights for many of the interior scenes to help set the mood as well as play into Blanche’s refusal to see the reality of the world and who she really is. Editor David Weisbart does excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into the dramatic suspense. Art directors Richard Day and Bertram Tuttle, with set decorator George Hopkins, do amazing work with the look of the apartment as well as some of its exteriors as it help play into the atmosphere of the film as well as the claustrophobic tone whenever Blanche deals with reality. Costume designer Lucinda Ballard does fantastic work with the ragged look of Kowalski including his ripped t-shirts as well as some of the more glamourous look of Blanche that would become more ragged as the film progresses.

Makeup artist Gordon Bau does nice work with the look of Blanche from this attempt at a clean and refined hairstyle as well as the makeup to make herself look younger as it only play into this idea of a fantasy that she wants to hold on to. The sound work of Nathan Levinson and C.A. Riggs is superb for the atmosphere that it creates as it help play into the dramatic tension that occurs in the film that also includes sparse sounds of what is happening outside of the apartment. The film’s music by Alex North is incredible for its rich and eerie orchestral score that includes this theme for Blanche that is only heard by her as it’s chilling and offbeat while the rest of the music is soaring with its string arrangements that is mixed in with bits of New Orleans jazz.

The film’s wonderful ensemble cast feature some notable small roles from August Kuhn as a sailor Blanche meets upon her arrival to New Orleans, Richard Garrick as a doctor who appears late in the film, Ann Dere as a mysterious matron that only Blanche sees, Wright King as a young collector that Blanche meets in the middle of the film, Rudy Bond and Nick Dennis in their respective roles as Kowalski and Mitch’s poker buddies Steve and Pablo, and Peg Hillas in an excellent performance as the apartment complex landlady Eunice who often takes Stella in whenever Kowalski gets intense as well as someone who doesn’t like him much at all. Karl Malden is brilliant as Mitch as a friend of Kowalski who served in the war with him as he becomes fascinated by Blanche as he hopes to be with her as it’s a role that has Malden display some vulnerability and sensitivity but also someone who doesn’t take shit from anyone although he’s unaware of the trouble he’s in when it comes to Blanche.

Kim Hunter is amazing as Stella Kowalski as Blanche’s sister who finds herself in the middle of this conflict as she deeply loves both her sister and her husband while also dealing with her impending pregnancy and the chaos at her home. Vivien Leigh is phenomenal as Blanche DuBois as this former English middle-school teacher who was once this revered Southern Belle as she is trying to retain whatever glory she had as she has trouble dealing with her new reality where Leigh displays this air of charm but also anguish in a complex and dangerous performance. Finally, there’s Marlon Brando in an outstanding performance as Stanley Kowalski as this force of nature who doesn’t just exude raw sexuality in his appearance but also a rage of a man who feels threatened by Blanche as he would treat her with cruelty and disdain. It is this performance that is intense where Brando and Leigh do display a great sense of rapport in this performance as well as bringing in two different ideas into their performances that makes them a highlight to watch.

A Streetcar Named Desire is a sensational film from Elia Kazan that features tremendous performances from Vivien Leigh, Kim Hunter, and Karl Malden as well as a breakthrough performance from Marlon Brando. Along with its claustrophobic setting, themes of fantasy vs. reality, its intense yet dark approach to melodrama, and Alex North’s exhilarating music score. It is a film that explore two different people having to live together as it explore some of the darkest aspects of human nature but also loss at its most extreme. In the end, A Streetcar Named Desire is an incredible film from Elia Kazan.

Elia Kazan Films: (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn) – (The Sea of Grass) – (Boomerang!) – (Gentleman’s Agreement) – (Pinky) – (Panic in the Streets) – (Viva Zapata!) – (Man on a Tightrope) – On the Waterfront - East of Eden – (Baby Doll) – (A Face in the Crowd) – (Wild River) – Splendor in the Grass – (America America) – (The Arrangement) – (The Visitors (1972 film)) – (The Last Tycoon)

© thevoid99 2021

Cheyenne Autumn

Based on the novel The Last Frontier by Howard Fast, Cheyenne Autumn is the story of a cavalry captain who reluctantly takes part on a mission to track down a tribe of migrating Cheyenne. Directed by John Ford and screenplay by James R. Webb with contributions from Mari Sandoz, the film is Ford’s final western as it play into a man being forced to take down a Native American tribe as it play as an elegy for the West and for Native Americans who had been mistreated by the American government. Starring Richard Widmark, Carroll Baker, Ricardo Montalban, Gilbert Roland, Sal Mineo, Dolores del Rio, Edward G. Robinson, Karl Malden, Arthur Kennedy, and James Stewart as Wyatt Earp. Cheyenne Autumn is a majestic and sprawling film from John Ford.

Set in the late 19th Century, the film is based on the real-life Northern Cheyenne Exodus of 1878-1879 where a group of Cheyenne decide to leave their reservation in the Oklahoma Territory to return to their homeland in Wyoming due to a promise that wasn’t fulfilled by the U.S. government. It plays into this cavalry officer who is order to pursue a tribe of migrating Cheyenne and take them back to the reservation as he doesn’t want to harm them but knows the mission is futile. Adding to this in this pursuit is then Secretary of the Interior in Carl Schurz (Edward G. Robinson) who trying to prevent violence happening while some in the press are spreading lies into what the Cheyenne has done when the reality is that the death toll of soldiers were actually small. James R. Webb’s screenplay is largely told from the perspective of Captain Thomas Archer (Richard Widmark) who talks about his pursuit as well as wanting to keep the peace knowing that he’s tried to help the Cheyenne anyway he can and was angry that a meeting between a major government official and the Cheyenne didn’t take place because the former didn’t keep his promise.

Captain Archer tries to ensure two of its chiefs in Little Wolf (Ricardo Montalban) and Dull Knife (Gilbert Roland) to stay in the reservation despite its poor condition so he can reach out and give the Cheyenne what they want. With their head chief in poor health, Little Wolf and Dull Knife make the decision to return to Wyoming as they’re aided by the schoolteacher Deborah Wright (Carroll Baker) who is concerned for the children as the Cheyenne allow her to travel with them. Wright is Captain Archer’s lover as he would learn that she had fled with the Cheyenne making his reluctant pursuit personal as well as wanting to ensure that no harm comes to her. The film also showcase others encountering the Cheyenne including Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday (Arthur Kennedy) in a comedic moment in the film as it play into this exaggeration of the press. Much of the film’s second half is about this divergence between Little Wolf and Dull Knife over their journey with the latter seeking shelter where things don’t go according to plan which angers Captain Archer and Wright forcing the former to turn to Schurz for help.

John Ford’s direction is definitely grand for the way he captures the world of the American West as it is shot largely on Monument Valley at the Arizona-Utah Border to play into not just some of the desolation of the location but also into a world that is ever-changing. Ford’s usage of the locations has him use a lot of wide shots with some precise compositions such as the scene of the Cheyenne waiting for the government official as they remain still with Captain Archer and his superior waiting as they would learn that the man won’t show up prompting the Cheyenne to leave. Ford’s usage of the wide shots doesn’t just play into the beauty of these locations but also in how vast the number of the Cheyenne as well as Captain Archer’s troops who are trying to pursue the Cheyenne but don’t want to create any conflict that could get both parties killed. The attention to detail in the compositions says a lot of what Ford wanted to say about the West and its mistreatment towards Natives including the Cheyenne.

While there are some intimate moments in the close-ups and medium shots that include a brief detour in a scene at a small town where Earp and Holliday are first seen playing cards and then get involved in a scuffle with the Cheyenne that is a comical moment in the film. It’s a scene that does seem out of place but it does play into this air of exaggeration the press will make in order to stir trouble and sell newspapers though there is a scene of one newspaper that wants to tell the truth. It all play into Ford’s need to have the Natives tell their side of the story as well as their mistrust towards whites with the latter wanting to make amends for their past sins. Though the eventual meeting between Schurz and the Cheyenne chiefs is presented in an awkward backdrop, it is a key moment that would create a step forward into a peaceful settlement between the Cheyenne and the American government. Overall, Ford crafts an evocative and mesmerizing film about the real life Northern Cheyenne Exodus.

Cinematographer William H. Clothier does brilliant work with the film’s Technicolor cinematography as it captures the beauty of the locations as well as the great attention to detail for many of the colors including some of the interior lighting for scenes set at night. Editor Otho Lovering, with additional work by David Hawkins, does excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward to play into the action and suspense. Art director Richard Day and set decorator Darrell Silvera do amazing work with the look of the town where Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday were playing poker as well as the look of some of the cavalry forts. Costume designers Frank Beetson Jr. and Ann Peck do fantastic work with the costumes for the look of the cavalry uniforms and the lavish clothes for the people at the small town as well as clothes of the Cheyenne. The sound work of Francis E. Stahl is terrific for its natural approach to sound as well as the way it captures gunfire and war drums from afar. The film’s music by Alex North is wonderful for its sweeping orchestral score that play into the sense of adventure and suspense along with the usage of percussions for some of the bombast as well as low-key moments for the drama.

The film’s superb ensemble cast include some notable small roles and appearances from Judson Pratt as a mayor, George O’Brien as Captain Archer’s superior Major Braden, Sean McClory as the fort doctor O’Carberry who tends to a young Cheyenne girl, Mike Mazurki as 1st Sergeant Stanislus Wichowsky who helps out Captain Archer later in the film, John Carradine as Major Jeff Blair who plays poker with Earp and Holliday, Elizabeth Allen as a woman trying to flirt with Earp, and Patrick Wayne as 2nd Lieutenant Scott as a young cavalry officer eager to kill some Cheyenne yet has to endure some humility.

James Stewart and Arthur Kennedy are terrific in their brief appearances in their respective roles as Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday with the two legends who provide some humor in their roles but also prove to be capable badasses that no one should mess with. Dolores del Rio is terrific in a small role as Spanish Woman as a Cheyenne who is a liaison for the Cheyenne and Wright as she sees good intentions in Wright but also know there is trouble going on. Sal Mineo is wonderful as Red Shirt as the son of a chief who has immense disdain towards the white people as he would often get the Cheyenne into danger while he pines for a chief’s wife. Karl Malden is fantastic as Captain Oscar Wessels as a cavalry fort captain who takes in a portion of the Cheyenne for shelter until he is given the order to take them back to their reservation as tries to instill his idea of order.

Ricardo Montalban and Gilbert Roland are excellent in their respective roles as Little Wolf and Dull Knife as two Cheyenne chiefs who both share the same views about White people only to diverge over ideas of survival as they would both struggle to maintain their friendship. Edward G. Robinson is brilliant as Carl Schurz as the then-Secretary of the Interior who is trying to maintain some order as well as securing a peaceful resolution with the Cheyenne as well as discredit any kind of news that puts them in a bad light. Carroll Baker is amazing as Deborah Wright as a Quaker schoolteacher who joins the exodus to watch over the children and help them as she deals with the troubles of the journey. Finally, there’s Richard Widmark in an incredible performance as Captain Thomas Archer as a cavalry officer who is trying to ensure a peaceful resolution with the Cheyenne as he reluctantly pursues them where he becomes aware of Wright with them as he tries to ensure that he and his troops don’t kill anyone.

Cheyenne Autumn is a remarkable film from John Ford. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, an exhilarating film score, amazing action, and a compelling story. The film is definitely one of Ford’s finest westerns as well as a touching elegy to Native Americans who were often depicted in an unkind light in the genre. In the end, Cheyenne Autumn is a marvelous film from John Ford.

© thevoid99 2018

Patton

Based on the biography Patton: Ordeal and Triumph by Ladislas Farago and the memoir A Soldier’s Story by Omar Bradley, Patton is the story of the World War II general and his exploits in the war along with his own unconventional methods in battle. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North, the film is an exploration into the life of General George S. Patton his time during World War II as he’s played by George C. Scott. Also starring Karl Malden, Michael Bates, and Karl Michael Volger. Patton is a riveting and rapturous film from Franklin J. Schaffner.

The film explores the life of George S. Patton during his campaign in North Africa in 1943 as well as his eventual battles in Sicily and other European campaigns till the end of World War II in Europe. It’s a film that plays into a man who isn’t afraid to speak his mind while being a general who plays his own rules with old-school methods inspired by moments of the past. Yet, his tactics and uncompromising views on the way things are either has him be praised by some while others are bewildered by his behavior as well as his old-school methods. In some ways, Patton is essentially a stubborn motherfucker yet he is someone that seems to be fine with that as he knows he’s a egotistical son-of-a-bitch that wants some glory in the battlefield. The difference between himself and those he’s fighting with is that he has the balls to admit it.

The film’s screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North play into these different period of battle in Patton’s time as he is a man that embodies the idea of what it is to be a soldier and a general as he isn’t afraid to get his boots dirty nor is afraid of being shot at. It’s the kind of man that seems to love war as he lives to fight where the Germans want to know how he’s able to beat them in North Africa during its first act. When German military leaders ask one of their insubordinates in Captain Steiger (Siegfried Rauch) to study about him, it is Steiger who is fascinated by him as he sees him as a man out of step with the times as he uses methods from past wars to win battles instead of going for modern-day tactics.

It’s tactics that often confuse the Germans as well as Americans and their British allies where Patton often contends with his leaders and other officers including his longtime friend General Omar Bradley (Karl Malden). At the same time, Patton is also his own worst enemy as his willingness to say things or do things often get him in trouble. Especially at the risk of his superiors who want him to stay put and not cause any trouble yet they need him because he’s someone that can get the job done. It’s a dichotomy that is very interesting as well as the fact that he is a man that is someone that plays into a sense of something that was lost in war which adds to Captain Steiger’s admiration towards him.

Franklin J. Schaffner’s direction is truly mesmerizing from the opening sequence where Patton does this amazing monologue behind the American flag about the ideas of war and what men should do when fighting a war. It’s not about dying for the man’s country but making the other person die for his country. It sets the tone for the rest of the film of who Patton is as much of the film is shot in Spain for the scenes set in North Africa and Sicily along with a few locations in England, Belgium, Greece, and Morocco to play into his battles and moments of notoriety. Schaffner definitely aims for a lot of broad wide and medium shots to play into a man who is definitely considered larger than life. The use of those wide shots add a lot to the film’s battle scenes as well as everything that Patton is doing in terms of strategy and the need to beat the Nazis in such a brutal way. While the violence isn’t quite graphic, its sense of impact in its aftermath as well as the sense of death is still evident such as the first sequence set in North Africa.

The direction also has moments that are very intimate where Schaffner knows where to place the camera such as a key scene where Patton learns he is expected to do nothing during the upcoming Normandy campaign as he talks to his longtime aide Sgt. Meeks (James Edwards) in the hallway about how he’s feeling. It’s presented in a very detached wide shot and then cuts to medium shot of the two with Sgt. Meeks in the foreground and Patton in the background as he is talking. It plays into that sense that Patton is a man who isn’t just detached from the current state of the world but also someone who might be too extreme for the 20th Century. Most notably in a scene where he visit a hospital tent to meet with the wounded while he sees a young soldier crying over fatigue as he slaps the shit out of the guy and threatens to kill for acting like a fucking pussy. It plays into the idea of what war is where it is about fighting to go home. If that person doesn’t want to fight and go home, what happens when there is no home to go to?

It is among these elements in a film that like this that plays into the idea of who Patton is. He is a flawed individual but Schaffner knows how to play into that as there’s scenes where Patton is giving speeches in places near France and in Britain where he does take a few pot-shots at certain individuals and countries. The presentation of these moments play into Patton’s own discomfort when he’s not in the battlefield as Schaffner uses some key close-ups to play into that sense of discomfort. Once Patton is in battle, he is absolutely in his element where Schaffner showcases someone who lives to fight through its many different approach to compositions as the direction feels loose and sprawling. Overall, Schaffner creates a very towering yet exhilarating film about one of the 20th Century’s most controversial yet uncompromising warriors.

Cinematographer Fred J. Koenekamp does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography that is very vibrant with its approach to colors for many of its daytime interior/exterior scenes as well as create some unique lighting schemes for the scenes at night including an impromptu battle at night between U.S. army tankers and a German battalion. Editor Hugh S. Fowler does brilliant work with the editing as it‘s very straightforward in terms of creating tension in the drama as well as using some offbeat rhythms for the comical scenes as well as the battle scenes that occur in the film. Art directors Urie McCleary and Gil Parrondo, with set decorators Antonio Mateos and Pierre-Louis Thevenet, do fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of the mansions where Patton stays in during his down time as well as the tents and bases where he deals with military matters.

The sound work of Douglas Williams and Don Bassman do excellent work with the sound to capture the way planes fly near the bases as well as the sounds of gunfire and cannons as it adds to the sense of chaos that is war. The film’s music by Jerry Goldsmith is superb for its very bombastic, brass-based score to play into a sense of triumph and pride as well as some low-key orchestral moments for some its dramatic moments.

The casting by Michael McLean is great as it features notable small roles from Tim Considine as the crying soldier that Patton slaps, Morgan Paull as Patton’s North African aide Captain Jenson, John Doucette as Major General Lucian Truscott, Edward Binns as General Walter Bedell Smith, and Richard Munch as the top German military leader Colonel General Alfred Jodl who tries to figure out everything that Patton is doing. James Edwards is terrific as Sgt. Meeks who often helps Patton with smaller duties out of the battlefield while Paul Stevens is superb as Colonel Charles R. Codman who is Patton’s new aide during the European campaigns as he would observe Patton’s methods. Karl Michael Vogler is fantastic as Field Marshal Erwin Rommel whom Patton admires for his tactics though Rommel is a Nazi. Siegfried Rauch is excellent as Captain Steiger who is asked by Rommel and Jodl to study Patton as he would become an admirer of his ideas and methods.

Michael Bates is brilliant as Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery as a man who is eager to win battles so he can be in history books as he has a hard time dealing with Patton’s own methods and one-upmanship during the war. Karl Malden is amazing as General Omar Bradley who starts off as an insubordinate of Patton as he tries to cope with Patton’s methods as he later becomes his superior where he tries to keep Patton in check so that Patton could fight. Finally, there’s George C. Scott in a performance for the ages in the titular role as he exudes that sense of grandeur and craziness into a man that feels like he is from another place in time as he uses old-school methods to win battles while becoming unhinged when he’s not fighting battles as he has to deal with diplomacy as it’s a performance filled with charm and ferocity as it is truly an iconic performance from Scott.

Patton is an outstanding film from Franklin J. Schaffner that features a truly towering and astounding performance from George C. Scott in the titular role. It’s a film that doesn’t just embody the idea of what it means to be in a war but also in how to lead an army into fighting for what is right. Especially as it showcases George S. Patton in a very complex way through all of his flaws and attributes while revealing that there will never be another warrior like him. In the end, Patton is a phenomenal film from Franklin J. Schaffner.

© thevoid99 2015

I Confess

Based on the play Nos deux consciences (Our Two Consciences) by Paul Anthelme, I Confess is the story of a priest who becomes a murder suspect as he tries to find help with the church as he deals with possibly violating its rules. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and screenplay by George Tabori and William Archibald, the film explores a man of faith dealing with a murder he didn’t commit as he finds himself in danger. Starring Montgomery Clift, Anne Baxter, Brian Aherne, O.E. Hasse, and Karl Malden. I Confess is a riveting and engaging film from Alfred Hitchcock.

Following the death of a lawyer where a German gardener confesses the murder to a young priest, the priest finds himself being a murder suspects as he ponders into telling the truth or not break his vows and protect his friend. It’s a film that is largely about internal conflict for this young priest in Father Logan (Montgomery Clift) as he has his vows that he needs to keep but the idea of going to prison for a crime he didn’t commit would overwhelm him as well as telling the truth so he can clear his name.

The film’s screenplay starts off with the investigation of the murder but also questions into what Father Logan was doing on the night of the murder. Especially as it relates to the wife of Quebec legislature member who had a past with Father Logan as she knows he is innocent while admitting to having issues with the lawyer who is killed. It would play into many suspicions that occur as the investigator Larrue (Karl Malden) feels that something isn’t right as he wants Father Logan to reveal the truth where Logan’s own conflicts come into play in its third act. Even as there are those that want to go after Logan to set an example as the people who know the truth are forced to watch in horror in the film’s climatic trial.

Alfred Hitchcock’s direction does have some aspects of style from its opening sequence as well as his approach to mood in some of the film’s dramatic and suspenseful moments. Even as he maintains a sense of intimacy in his compositions from close-ups and medium shots as well as a few wide shots for some of the film’s exterior settings set partially in Quebec City with some interior locations shot in Hollywood. Some of these involve some unique camera angles such as the flashback where Ruth Grandfort (Anne Baxter) talks about her past with Father Logan before World War II that takes much of the film’s second act. Hitchcock’s approach to suspense definitely plays into Father Logan’s internal conflict such as a sequence where he is walking around the city as he is being followed as he has no idea where to go. It’s among one of the finest moments in the film as it would lead to the climatic trial where it would play into revelations about what really happened. Overall, Hitchcock creates a very gripping yet engrossing film about a priest who knows the truth but is unable to reveal it due to his vows.

Cinematographer Robert Burks does excellent work with the film‘s black-and-white photography where it‘s quite straightforward in its daytime scenes while some of its shading and lighting schemes help set the film‘s dark mood for the scenes set at night. Editor Rudi Fehr does brilliant work with the editing with its use of dissolves as well as creating some rhythmic cuts to play into the drama and suspense. Art directors Ted Haworth and John Beckman, with set decorator George James Hopkins, do superb work with the set pieces from some of the interiors in the places near the church to the home that Ruth lives in. The sound work of Oliver S. Garretson is terrific for its sound editing as well as creating a tense mood in the trial scene. The film’s music by Dimitri Tiomkin is fantastic for its somber yet flourishing orchestral score that plays into the drama along with more eerie pieces for its suspenseful moments.

The film’s amazing cast features some notable small roles Charles Andres as the church head Father Millars, Dolly Haas as the church housekeeper Alma, Roger Dann as Ruth’s very rich and powerful husband Pierre, and Brian Aherne in a terrific performance as the Crown Prosecutor Robertson who believes that Father Logan is guilty. O.E. Hasse is wonderful as the German immigrant Otto who is the church’s caretaker/gardener that did the murder as he deals with the sacrifice Father Logan is doing.

Karl Malden is fantastic as Inspector Larrue who leads the investigation as he realize the case isn’t as simple as it is as he believes that Father Logan knows something and is actually innocent. Anne Baxter is excellent as Ruth Grandfort as a former lover of Father Logan who tries to help him as she is forced to reveal her past life with Father Logan. Finally, there’s Montgomery Clift in a superb performance as Father Logan as this young priest who is accused of murder as Clift brings a lot of restrained anguish into his role as it’s one of Clift’s finest performances.

I Confess is an excellent film from Alfred Hitchcock. Armed with a great cast and a thrilling premise, the film is an example of Hitchcock’s mastery in the art of mystery and suspense. It’s also a film that has him explore the idea of faith and some of the drawbacks in a man’s devotion to his faith. In the end, I Confess is a superbly chilling film from Alfred Hitchcock.

Alfred Hitchcock Films: (Number 13) - (The Pleasure Garden) - (The Blackguard) - (The Mountain Eagle) - (The Lodger) - (A Story of the London Fog) - (The Ring) - (Downhill) - (The Farmer’s Wife) - (Easy Virtue) - (Champagne) - (The Manxman) - (Blackmail) - (Juno and the Paycock) - (Murder!) - (The Skin Game) - (Mary) - (Lord Camber’s Ladies) - (Rich and Strange) - (Number Seventeen) - (Waltzes from Vienna) - (The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934 film)) - The 39 Steps - (Secret Agent) - (Sabotage) - (Young and Innocent) - The Lady Vanishes - (Jamaica Inn) - Rebecca - (Foreign Correspondent) - (Mr. & Mrs. Smith) - Suspicion - (Saboteur) - (Shadow of a Doubt) - Bon Voyage - Lifeboat - (Spellbound) - Notorious - (The Paradine Cage) - Rope - (Under Capricorn) - (Stage Fright) - Strangers on a Train - Dial M for Murder - Rear Window - To Catch a Thief - (The Trouble with Harry) - The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956 film) - (The Wrong Man) - Vertigo - North by Northwest - Psycho - The Birds - Marnie - (Torn Curtain) - (Topaz) - (Frenzy) - (Family Plot)

© thevoid99 2014

How the West Was Won

Directed by John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall and written by James R. Webb, How the West Was Won is a five-part story about the life of a family told through four generations in the development and migration of the American west. Narrated by Spencer Tracy, the film is a mixture of the epic films of mid-20th Century mixed in with the broad canvas of the western. Starring Carroll Baker, Walter Brennan, Lee J. Cobb, Andy Devine, Henry Fonda, Carolyn Jones, Karl Malden, Harry Morgan, Gregory Peck, George Peppard, Robert Preston, Debbie Reynolds, James Stewart, Eli Wallach, John Wayne, and Richard Widmark. How the West Was Won is a majestic yet sprawling film from John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall.

The film is a five-part series that tells the story about one family in the course of fifty years that would shape the American west through various periods in American history. All of which plays into the lives of a few people in the family known as the Prescotts where they travel on the Erie Canal to find a new home where two sisters would later take different paths in the second act. One goes to California to claim a piece of land she’s inherited with a gambler while the other settles into farm life with a trapper she fell for during her family’s journey in the river. The story then moves into the 1860s where the son of these women becomes part of the Civil War and later a cavalryman dealing with the changing times and the arrival of the railroad until he would meet his aunt for the very first time in the final part of the story.

It’s all part of James R. Webb’s extraordinary story about a family living in a period where the American west is discovered as they also endure the many changes in those fifty years as it’s told by Spencer Tracy as his narration only fill in moments about what has happening in America instead of the story about the Prescotts. All of which is separated in five parts with the first part being about the Prescotts at the Erie Canal and the treacherous journey they take where one of the daughters in Eve (Carroll Baker) falls for a trapper named Linus (James Stewart). The second part is about Eve’s sister Lilith (Debbie Reynolds) and her journey through the prairies where she and a gambler named Cleve (Gregory Peck) go to the west to get some land she’s inherited. The third part is about Eve’s son Zeb (George Peppard) and his encounter with the Civil War as he becomes a key player in the fourth and fifth part where he deals with the railroad where he meets an old friend of his father in Jethro Stuart (Henry Fonda).

It would play into this family’s encounter with history and how times are often changing in the West as they deal with the chaos of the Civil War, conflict with the Native Americans over the railroad, and also criminals and bandits over cattle and such. Notably as Zeb in the film’s third act realizes the horrors of war and the greed that comes into play involving the railroad as he definitely carries a sense of pride and honor that his father and uncle would carry in their lives. Even in the fifth and final part where he meets his aunt Lilith for the very first time while having to deal with a criminal named Charlie Gant (Eli Wallach) who has a grudge with Zeb.

The film’s direction is definitely vast in not just its composition but also in the way it wanted to tell a story about the development of the American west. Shot in the curved-three screen projector that was known as Cinerama, the film has this truly grand scale to capture not just the landscape of the American west but also the moments that shaped that world in the span of five decades. Under the vision of three filmmakers, with transitional scenes helmed by Richard Thorpe, the film does have this sense of unification in the filmmaking while each director does bring in their own ideas to the story to add that sense of epic storytelling. The Civil War segment is helmed by John Ford as it features not just some extravagant battle scenes but also some intimate moments where Zeb encounters the horror of war while meeting a Confederate drifter (Russ Tamblyn) as it’s a very telling piece to display Zeb’s sense of loss and his desire to find himself in an ever-changing world.

The railroad segment is helmed by George Marshall as it displays a lot of dramatic tension and some very intense scenes involving a buffalo stampede which would play to Zeb’s resolve over the conflict between the railroad company and a tribe of Native Americans. The rest of the film is helmed by Henry Hathaway who maintains the same sweeping vision like his other filmmakers as he also creates his own ideas that includes some intense moments involving the Prescotts in the rapids as well as other suspenseful moments such as Gant’s attempted train robbery. All of which plays to the grand spectacle of the west as the overall results is a very sensational yet engaging film about a family living in the changing times of the American west.

Cinematographers William H. Daniels, Milton Krasner, Charles Lang Jr., and Joseph LaSelle do fantastic work with the film‘s very colorful and vast cinematography to capture the vast beauty of the different landscapes in the American west along with some amazing shots set at night and the interiors to display some of the film‘s vibrant look. Editor Harold F. Kress does brilliant work with the editing in not just bringing some energy to some of the shootouts and battle scenes but also going for a methodical approach to some of the film‘s dramatic moments. Art directors George W. Davis, William Ferrari, and Addison Hehr, along with set decorators Henry Grace, Don Greenwood Jr., and Jack Mills, do excellent work with the set pieces from the look of the rafts in the first segment to the farms and buildings made during the film‘s duration and how it would evolve over time.

Costume designers Walter Plunkett and Ron Talsky do terrific work with the costumes from the showgirl costumes that Lilith wear in the second segment along with her dresses to some of the more low-key costumes most of the characters wear in their journey. The special visual effects work of A. Arnold Gillespe and Robert R. Hoag do nice work with the visual effects for the scenes set in the river rapids despite the fact that it sort of looks fake given the primitive technology that was used at the time. Sound editor Van Allen James does superb work with the sound to capture the extravagance of some of the gunfights and battles along with more intimate moments in some of the film‘s locations. The film’s music by Alec Newman is wonderful for its array of themes from broad and sweeping to more serene yet somber in their orchestral arrangements while the soundtrack also includes lots of traditional folk and country songs some of which are actually sung by Debbie Reynolds.

The film’s cast is phenomenal as it features some small but notable appearances from Lee Van Cleef as a river pirate, Harry Dean Stanton as a member of Gant’s gang, Raymond Massey in a brief scene as Abraham Lincoln, Harry Morgan as General Ulysses S. Grant, Russ Tamblyn as a Confederate deserter that Zeb meets, Carolyn Jones as Zeb’s wife Julie in the fifth segment, Thelma Ritter as Lilith’s traveling companion Agatha Clegg, and John Wayne in a small yet amazing performance as General William Tecumseh Sherman who gives a great monologue about not giving up the Civil War. Other noteworthy and memorable performances include Karl Malden and Agnes Moorehead as Lilith and Eve’s parents in the first segment, Walter Brennan and Brigid Balzen as a couple of river pirates, Robert Preston as a wagon master who tries to win Lilith’s heart, and Lee J. Cobb as a marshal who reluctantly helps Zeb to battle Gant.

Eli Wallach is excellent as the smarmy criminal Charlie Gant who is eager to cause trouble for Zeb Prescott while Richard Widmark is terrific as an immoral railroad baron who is more concerned with making money with the railroad no matter what the cost is. Henry Fonda is great in a small but memorable role as Linus’ old friend Jethro Stuart as a man who helps Zeb out over the conflict between the railroad and a Native American tribe as he would also help Zeb find his way in life. Gregory Peck is superb as the gambler Cleve Van Valen who is smitten by Lilith as he hopes to do whatever it takes to make her a proud woman. James Stewart is brilliant as the trapper Linus Rawlings who helps out the Prescotts in navigating the river while dealing with river pirates as he falls for Eve.

George Peppard is wonderful as Zeb as a man who has the same sense of pride and honor like his father Linus while dealing with the chaos in the changing times he encounters. Carroll Baker is amazing as Eve Prescott as a woman who falls for Linus as she deals with the dangers of the river. Finally, there’s Debbie Reynolds in a remarkable performance as Lilith Prescott as a woman who is very tough as well as talented as she is someone trying to define herself as a woman while finding a good man in Cleve as she later helps Zeb’s wife in the way Zeb is when it comes to action.

How the West Was Won is a sensational film from John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall. Thanks to its sprawling vision, engaging story about a family encountering historical moments in the course of five decades, and a brilliant ensemble cast. The film is definitely an epic-western that has to be seen in a big screen or a big TV to display its vast images. It’s also a film that explores the life of a family and how they manage to define themselves in the American west no matter how troubling it is. In the end, How the West Was Won is an incredible film from the trio of John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall.

© thevoid99 2013

On the Waterfront

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 7/5/09 w/ Additional Edits.

Directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg, On the Waterfront tells the story of a former boxer working for a mob-controlled dock until he decides to rebel with the help of a young woman and a priest. In this fight against the corruption, the boxer faces his demons and his past where he finds himself in more trouble with the mob. A film that rallies against authority, it is considered to be one of Kazan's greatest films as well as one of his best collaborations with Marlon Brando. Also starring Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, and in her film debut, Eva Marie Saint. On the Waterfront is a powerful, engrossing drama from Elia Kazan and company.

A series of murders near the docks over resistance against a mob-connected union boss led by Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). Working for Friendly is a former boxer named Terry (Marlon Brando) and his older brother Charley (Rod Steiger) as Friendly's lawyer. Terry does duties for Friendly but is unaware of what is the consequences when a young man named Joey Doyle was pushed off the top of a building to his death. While the police tries to investigate, the locals and those who work at the dock remain silent in order to not say anything against Friendly. Not wanting to be silent is Joey's sister Edie (Eva Marie Saint) as she turns to local priest Father Barry (Karl Malden) for help. Barry reluctantly decides to help the dock workers to speak out while Terry becomes smitten by Edie who he had a scuffle with over some tabs that she needed for her father.

Charley hears about a meeting held by Father Barry as Friendly wants Terry to attend the meeting. Barry reveals what he hopes to do as members of the mob storm in as Terry saves Edie from a beating. While Edie's father avoids a beating, Terry and Edie become close as she reveals that she wants to be a teacher. After learning that Terry has the same love for pigeons like Joey, she gets to know him more while asking questions about what he knew about Joey's death which he evades in order to give her a good time at a bar. When a couple of Friendly's men ask Terry to meet him, Terry reluctantly meets with Friendly and Charley as they know what Terry is doing with Edie. Especially as a man named K.O. Dugan is about testify until a supposed accident at a ship happened where Father Barry pleads his case to the people about standing up to Friendly. At the ship where Barry was talking about all that is going on were Edie and Terry who becomes tormented where he finally tells Barry what happened with Joey.

After finally confessing to Edie about the night of Joey's death, Terry is now targeted by Friendly as Charley decides to get Terry to stop talking. In hoping that Terry wouldn't talk anymore and get into trouble, he bribes Terry into taking a job where he wouldn't do anything but get paid. Terry refuses where he reveals all the potential he could've had as a prize fighter making Charley feel guilty as he decides to handle things with Friendly. Unfortunately, trouble comes ahead where Terry turns to Edie for help where something tragic would force Terry to stand up against Friendly but at a huge price until he decides to make a move that would please all of the dockworkers around him.

The film is a tale about a man who is forced to do things for his boss unaware of the consequences. Yet, around those who know what he is doing. He's been called a bum to the community for just taking money to lose fights or do things that he would be unaware of. Thus comes the world that Terry Malloy is surrounded by where his only moment of peace and comfort is to feed pigeons up on the roof where nearby is a pigeon coop that belongs to Joey Doyle. When Joey is killed because he was about to stand up against Johnny Friendly and his goons. Terry becomes tormented as it would take Doyle's beautiful sister and a hardened local priest that would be the people to say enough is enough.

In many ways, it's a film about redemption and standing up against the wrongs with the world. At the center of this story is Terry Malloy. A man who was forced to do things and then be tormented by all that's around him. Once he meets Edie, he tries to tell her about the way the world works but Edie isn't so easily swayed as she is determined to find justice for her brother's death. Even a man like Father Barry wants justice so there won't be any wrongs in the world as he approaches this resistance with a powerful presence where he would smoke a cigarette and get his hands dirty when it comes to confrontations. Yet, he's a man of great morals while he has a great monologue where talks about a man's death and how it impacts an entire community and those who work at the dock.

The screenplay by Budd Schulberg which is based from a series of articles by Malcolm Johnson about the dirty corruption that is going on in the docks from mob-controlled unions. The screenplay is filled with great dialogue, amazing development, and lots of heavy drama that goes on throughout the film. Yet, it's Elia Kazan's direction that really shapes the story into something far more powerful with its imagery and grittiness. Shot on location in Hoboken, New Jersey, there's a beauty and ugliness to the location as Kazan doesn't sugarcoat it one bit. At the same time, the camera is engaging with its close-up of characters and the locations they're in. With striking compositions that are memorable, Kazan's direction is definitely top-notch. Even as he brings intensity to some heightened moments of action and drama, there's a theatricality to it that is quite intimate in some scenes as if the actors are performing in a theater. What Kazan does overall is create a film that is engrossing in every scene and performance that goes on as he makes a film that is truly solid.

Cinematographer Boris Kaufman is truly amazing in its black-and-white photography. Kaufman's photography is striking in some nighttime exteriors where everything is black and grey with white lights in the background to convey some kind of dark, eerie tone for those scenes. The daytime exteriors have a mixture of beauty and grittiness while it has amazing shots of the Hoboken docks. The interiors, notably the bar is filled with a brightness that is beautiful though something doesn't seem right once it's near the pool hall where it's dark. Kaufman's work is truly exquisite as it has some of the best photography work captured on film at that time. Editor Gene Milford does brilliant work in the editing with the use of fade-outs, fade-to-black, and rhythmic cuts to help capture the dramatic intensity of the scenes and moments of intense action. Milford's cuts are stylized but also straight-forward in its presentation as Milford's work is truly stellar.

Art director Richard Day does excellent work with the look of the film from the bars, the church, and the outside locations including the pigeon coops as the production of the film has a grittiness while making it look real for its Hoboken locations. The sound work of Jim Shields is wonderful for its location sounds including the clangs that goes on in the docks and all sorts of noises as it captures that gritty world of the Hoboken docks. The film's score by Leonard Bernstein is phenomenal from its somber yet swooning pieces in the romantic moments involving Terry and Edie to the more intense, sprawling arrangements of the action scenes that goes on. With a wonderful orchestra, Bernstein's score is definitely one of the film's highlights as it is truly memorable and one of the best scores ever made.

The casting is brilliant with small roles from Pat Hingle as a dock worker named Jocko, Thomas Handley as a boy named Tommy who helps Terry with the pigeons, Tami Mauriello as a thug of Friendly's, James Westerfeld as the dock supervisor Mack, Pat Henning as K.O. Dugan, and John F. Hamilton as Edie's father. Rod Steiger is excellent as Charley, Terry's older brother and Friendly's right hand man. Steiger has this presence where he could be the guy to get Terry to get his act together. Yet, underneath all of his tough guy exterior is a man wracked with guilt over the fact that he put Terry into this world of crime. Lee J. Cobb is phenomenal as Johnny Friendly, the no-holds-barred, hard-talking mob boss who wants to have total control of everything. Cobb's performance is just magnificent in his tough guy demeanor and that sense of authority as he's perfect in just being a hard-*ss who thinks he's the boss.

Karl Malden is brilliant as the tough but sympathetic Father Barry. A priest who likes to smoke and drink beer while being someone in the community that's not willing to be quiet. Malden's performance is just amazing in every scenes where he's soft-spoken but a man with a conscience and that can guide someone to do the right thing. His best scene is in the ship where he talks about a man's death and the monologue he brings with such authority and passion is definitely Malden's finest moment. In her film debut, Eva Marie Saint is great as Edie Doyle. A determined young woman seeking justice for her brother's death while finding the soft, caring side of Terry Malloy underneath his quick-talking, street-wise demeanor. Saint's performance is dazzling as a woman who is a bit tough but also who doesn't know much about the dark world of the streets as she has a lot going for her as Saint truly exemplify the complexity and warmth of Edie Doyle.

Finally, there's Marlon Brando in one of his iconic performances of his career. In the role of the tormented Terry Malloy. Brando exudes all of the charm, wit, and struggle of that character along with someone who is troubled by demons and the fact that people call him a bum. Brando's performance is filled with a tough guy attitude who can talk fast, be tough, and not be someone to messed with. Yet, there's a softness in him as he deals with guilt and the fact that there's someone like Edie who he wants to connect with. Brando has great rapport with all of his co-stars while he manages to make Terry Malloy an unlikely hero. What Brando brings to the screen is charisma and a vulnerability that makes him connect with the audience as he has one of the film's most famous lines in cinema about what he could've been. It's truly one of the most marvelous performances captured in cinema.

On the Waterfront is truly an amazing, engaging, and sprawling film from Elia Kazan featuring an iconic, sympathetic performance from Marlon Brando. Along with a great supporting cast including Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, and Rod Steiger. It's a film that is a must-see for those new to Elia Kazan and Marlon Brando as well as anyone looking for great cinema of the 1950s and American cinema itself. With some great dialogue, an amazing story, and characters that people can relate to. It's a film that is truly timeless as it still manages to hold up more than 50 years since its release. In the end, On the Waterfront is a brilliant and heroic film from Elia Kazan and star Marlon Brando.

Elia Kazan Films: (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn) - (The Sea of Grass) - (Boomerang!) - (Gentleman's Agreement) - (Pinky) - A Streetcar Named Desire - (Viva Zapata!) - (Man on a Tightrope) - East of Eden - (Baby Doll) - (A Face in the Crowd) - (Wild River) - Splendor in the Grass - (America America) - (The Arrangement) - (The Visitors) - (The Last Tycoon)

© thevoid99 2012