Movie #86- "On the Waterfront" (1954)

Earlier in the year, I had poised the question of "What happened to Val Kilmer?"  Here was an actor with commercial success mixed with critical accolades.  Over the last couple years, he has seemingly fallen off the radar.  But one of the kings of the "What happened to..." question has to be Marlon Brando.  A man considered by many to be the best actor of his generation, his career really meandered in the later years (I did enjoy his turn in "The Freshman").
I wasn't old enough to see Brando in his prime.  I still hadn't reached double digits in age when "The Godfather" came out in 1972.  I remember the "Dueling Brandos" sketch that appeared on Saturday Night Live and the flack he received for his salary on "Superman".  He was an actor becoming more known for his eccentric behavior than his ability in film.  So I had little exposure to Brando pre-1980.  It was time to dive into the center of Brando's work.
This is a marvelous film on so many levels with such layered performances.  Brando is a man conflicted between the loyalty of his brother and the union, versus the right path (the love of a woman doesn't hurt either).  He's a thug with a boxing past, yet displays a tender side with his care of pigeons.  Add to the mix Karl Malden as a priest not afraid to fight the union and Lee Cobb as the union boss thirsting for power and control.  And yes, you can't forget the contender speech.  An incredible piece of one man's battle to take the high road and shatter a brotherly bond.

Rating: 10/10
Movies I've previously seen: 6
First time viewings: 80