Don't Make a Scene (Redux): On the Waterfront

The Set-Up: It's "THE Scene." The one people point to when they're talking about great scenes in the American Cinema. The pivotal talk in On the Waterfront between the brothers Malloy: Charley, mouth-piece for a crooked Union president, and his younger brother Terry—punch-drunk ex-prizefighter. Both are up to their necks in corruption, but Terry is closer to the street and has seen the damage the Union enforcers have inflicted in order to retain power. Especially when the brother of a girl he's interested in is killed by the mob—a killing he's implicit in. Now the bosses have doubts about Terry and they've told brother Charley that he has to discourage Terry from testifying before a grand jury or they're going to kill him. It's that simple. Charley has one cab-ride to do it. And if he doesn't do it, the Mob will kill Terry, and very probably him, too.

That's the scene. It's the point where Terry realizes that Charley, who has disappointed him in the past, may just lead him to be killed. It finally gets through Terry's gauzy skull that he's on his own...truly on his own...and that just doing the right thing isn't enough. It may be the only time that Charley's younger brother has the better of him, and the cab of the taxi reverberates with accusations and shame and with words that have probably been spoken for the first time. And Charley realizes how far he's dropped—he's nearly set-up his brother. He's drawn a gun on him. He's crossed the line that he can't ignore. And his kid brother is the one who points it out to him. And the fighter doesn't fight—his hands are open when he makes his case to the mob-lawyer, they're not knotted in fists. And by the end, both men are in the same spot, probably for the first time in their lives.

Put aside that Kazan's mob-story is an obfuscation of what he saw were the issues of his naming names before the House Un-American Activities Committee (admittedly, a huge issue to ignore--the script's writer, Budd Schulberg, also named names). And let's not look at Brando's so-often heralded Oscar-winning performance (also, admittedly, something too big to ignore).

Let's look at Rod Steiger's performance.

"Well, nobody ever stopped you from talkin', Charley." Terry's the younger, dumber brother of Charley Malloy, who was smart enough to go to law school, but dumb enough to go for the "short-end money" being a mouthpiece for the mob running the gambling and docks and anything worth having on the waterfront. Charley dresses smart, and in this conversation he uses every trick in the book to try and make Terry see things his way. Bribery. Compliments. Abuse. But Terry's got a thought in his head. And it involves a girl, and a priest, and his conscience. And now they're coming after him through his brother, the last line of defense. Charley even crosses the line threatening Terry with a gun, an act that shames Charley. An act that Terry can turn just by putting his hand in the way of the gun and turning it aside.

And as the two boys consider the place they've come to, where instead of fighting, Terry will turn the other cheek to the threats of his beloved brother, the "mouthpiece" becomes silent. He looks over at his younger brother, and looks at the top of his head--what he's looked at for so long as the eldest. Or maybe he's measuring him. As eldest, he's looked down at him most of his life, maybe he spent his youth watching--measuring--Terry's growth compared to his own. Then he tries the closer--affection, and his "big brother" status as the protector. But Terry is his own best witness, and counters Charley's argument devastatingly. Charley has no more arguments, and when he looks at Terry again, he sees him, not as his baby brother, but his own man. Then, he performs his last act as his older brother--the role of protector he erroneously thought he was--he gives Terry the gun he had pulled on him moments before.

So, Terry can protect himself.

Then he takes one last look at the top of his head. Then lowers his gaze at the man Terry's made of himself. And they go their separate ways.

The least likely person has stopped Charley from talking.

The Scene: Mobster Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb) is facing racketeering charges and one of the witnesses called to testify against him is the brother of his own lawyer, Charley Malloy (Rod Steiger). Johnny gives Charley an ultimatum: shut Terry (Marlon Brando) up, or they're both dead. So Charley creates a ruse to try and convince his brother one last time...or take him to be killed.

Wow.

Action!

Terry: Hi, Charley. I'm glad you stopped by for me. I've been wanting to talk to you.
Charley: Yeah, sure, kid.
Cabby (off-camera): Where to?
Charley: Go to 437 River St. I'll tell you where to stop.
Terry: I thought we was going to the Garden...
Charley: We are, but I want to cover a bet on the way over. Besides, this'll give us a chance to talk.
Terry: Well, nobody ever stopped you from talking, Charley.
Charley: The grapevine says that you got a subpoena. You know, the guys know you're not a cheese-eater. They think you shouldn't be on the outside so much, but a little on the inside. I have a few things for you at the docks.
Terry: A steady job, a couple extra potatoes, that's all I want.
Charley: Sure, that's great when you're a kid, but you're getting on, you're pushing thirty, slugger. You know it's time to think about getting some ambition.
Terry: I always figured I'd live a little bit longer without it.
Charley: Maybe. Look...There's a boss loader slot that's open on the new pier we're opening up. It pays six cents on every hundred pounds that goes in and every hundred pounds that goes out and you don't have to lift a finger. That's $2-3-400 a week. $400 a week just for the openers.
Terry: I get all that dough for not doing nothing?
Charley: You don't do anything and you don't say anything. You understand?
Terry: There's more to this than I thought, Charley. I'm telling you there's a lot more.
Charley: You're not thinking of testifying against some people that we might know?
Terry: I don't know, Charley. That's what I want to talk to you about.
Charley: Listen, Terry, do you know how much the piers are worth that we control through the local? Do you think Johnny's going to jeopardise the whole set-up for one rubber-lipped, ex-tanker who's walking on his heels? What the(a car-horn covers the obscenity)
Terry: I could've been a lot better.
Charley: The point is we don't have much time!
Terry: I'm telling you, I haven't made up my mind yet!
Charley: Well, make up your mind before we get to 437 River Sreet!
Terry: Before we get to where, Charley?
Terry: Before we get to where, Charley?
(Charley pulls a gun on Terry)
Charley: Listen, Terry! Take the job, no questions! Take it! Terry, take this job, please!
Terry: Charlie....Charlie...
Terry: Wow...
Charley: Look, kid...
Charley: How much do you weigh, slugger? When you weighed 168 pounds, you were beautiful.
Charley: You could have been another Billy Conn.
Charley: Then that skunk we got you for a manager, he brought you along too fast.
Terry: It wasn't him, Charley. It was you. Remember that night in the Garden? You came down to my dressing room and said, "Kid, this ain't your night. We're going for the price on Wilson.
Terry: You remember that? "This ain't your night." My night! I could have taken Wilson apart! So what happens, he gets the title shot outdoors in the ball park and what do I get? A one-way ticket to Palookaville!
Terry: You was my brother, Charley. You should have looked out for me a little bit. You should've taken care of me just a little bit so I wouldn't have to take dives for the short-end money.
Charley: I had some bets down for you. You saw some money.
Terry: You don't understand, I could have had class!
Terry: I could have been a contender. I could have been somebody!.
Terry: Instead of a bum! Which is what I am. Let's face it.
Terry: It was you, Charley.
Charley: Okay. Okay. I'll tell them...I couldn't find you. Ten to one they won't believe me.
Charley: Here, you take this...
Charley: You're going to need it.
Charley: You, you pull over.

On the Waterfront

Words by Budd Schulberg

Pictures by Boris Kaufman and Elia Kazan

On the Waterfront is available on DVD from Sony Home Video.

Don't Make a Scene: On the Waterfront

The Story: This one's a tough one to present—On the Waterfront. It's a great scene, a pivotal one in the story of the raising of the consciousness of Terry Malloy. It has Elia Kazan's trademark location shooting, and his way of directorially raising the emotional stakes just by where he places his camera.

But, it's tough because it's a little choppy in presentation. Blame it on Marlon Brando and "The Method." Brando didn't like to follow the script too much and would "get" the gist of the scene without embroidery. He would instinctually edit and cut around the dialogue for what felt true. And so, I've had to do a little editing myself to make sure that the scene remained true to how it's presented in the movie, while also presenting what was the original script at the time. Co-stars Rod Steiger and Karl Malden were both "Method" men, too, but stuck closer to the script than Brando. Steiger talks about doing the "could have been a contender" scene with Brando and being flummoxed that Brando didn't start with his lines but, instead, in one take, he asked how he thought the Yankees were doing, and in another, if Charlie had heard anything from "Ma." And in this scene, Malden sticks to his lines to the word, with the occasional addition every so often. Malden could play off anybody and not miss a beat.

The other "tough" aspect to this scene is it is so dependent on sound design for the emotion. Budd Schulberg wrote out the lines between Edie and Terry, but added a tantalizing little detail. At one crucial point, Terry is drowned out by the blaring of a ship's whistle. Kazan took that and made more of it. The scene, once out of church, has some dock sounds in the background, but not much. But when Terry goes off to make his confession to Edie, he introduces more industrial sounds, dominated by a pounding pile-driver that starts to get louder in the soundtrack as we get closer to the piers. That insistent drumming only increases the tension in the scene and when combined with the whistles and horns that eventually enter, the scene is no longer dependent on dialogue at all, but the screaming of the docks that reflects Edie's pain and horror. It's a confession scene...without words. And far more effective than if we'd heard them.

The Set-up: Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando) is a past-his-prime boxer who works the Manhattan docks unloading cargo ships. He gets special treatment because his brother Charlie (Rod Steiger) is the lawyer-mouthpiece for crooked union boss Michael "Johnny Friendly" Skelly (Lee J. Cobb). But, Terry is having second thoughts—the City is investigating Friendly and putting pressure on his inner circle to testify against him. Terry was an unsuspecting accomplice in the murder of one such suspected informant, his friend Joey Doyle. The police are stymied by the lack of Friendly witnesses, and Doyle's sister Edie (Eva Marie Saint) has enlisted the aid of the local parish's Father Barry (Karl Malden) to try and offer safe haven to anyone who wants to break the code of "D and D" (deaf and dumb). But, the dock mob is getting reckless and sloppy, and Terry grows closer to Edie and is starting to feel something he's never felt before—love.

And guilt. 

Action!

Dialogue not used is crossed out. New or ad-libbed dialogue is in green.

FADE IN

INT—CONFESSION BOOTH—DAY 
Terry waits in anguish for the shutter of the confessional to open. When it does, Father Barry is glimpsed from within.
TERRY (blurting it out) Father, help me, I've got blood on my hands.
Father Barry looks at him.
TERRY Bless me, Father, for I have—
To Terry's amazement the shutter closes abruptly.
INT—CHURCH—OUTSIDE CONFESSION BOOTH—DAY

As Father Barry steps out of the booth, Terry hurries from his side of the booth and clasps Father Barry's arms violently. Father Barry keeps on walking and Terry follows him.
TERRY What's the matter? I've got something That's chokin' me. I've gotta get it out. 

TERRY Wait a minute, Father, I wanna speak to you a second.

FATHER BARRY Someone else c'n take your confession.

TERRY (following him) But you're the one I want to tell— Remember   what you said over Nolan— about Kayo Dugan -about keepin' silent your mouth shut when you know the score— I'm guilty— you hear me? I'm guilty... . 
FATHER BARRY (trying to move on) I don't want to hear it in there. 
TERRY I don't get it!

FATHER BARRY (rapidly) Tell it to me in there and my lips are sealed. Someone else can take your I don't want to hear your confession. But if I'll dig it out myself I can and I'll use it where it'll do the most good. 

TERRY But you've got to listen to me.
FATHER BARRY Now you wait your turn. Father Gregory will hear you.

FATHER BARRY I'll find you a priest. 
TERRY I don't wanna talk to...

Father Barry starts off again. Terry follows him desperately, under a terrible compulsion to bare himself to Father Barry.

TERRY Wait a minute.

TERRY I just wanna talk to you one second.

TERRY Listen to me. You gotta listen to me!

He grabs the Father by the arm fiercely, half spinning him around.  
TERRY Wait a minute!

TERRY (with relief, as he gets it out) Listen, it was me I'm the one who set Joey Doyle up for the muggers knock-off.

Father Barry stops and stares at him, realizing Terry is ready at last.

FATHER BARRY Come take a walk with me, kid, and give it to me straight.

FATHER BARRY There's nothing I haven't heard.

They turn toward the exit of the church.
EXT—LONG SHOT—CHURCH They enter the park, on rise overlooking the docks, Terry talking to him eagerly.

CLOSE SHOT—TERRY AND FATHER BARRY

TERRY (pouring it out) —It started as a favor— for my brother— you know they'd ask me things and it's hard to say no—

TERRY  ...a favor— Who am I kiddin'? They call it a favor but it's do it or else.

TERRY And this time the favor turned out to be helping them knock off Joey. And I want you to believe me when I tell ya, I just thought they'd lean on him a little but—I never figured they were gonna knock him off.

TERRY Last night with Edie I wanted to tell her only it— stuck in my throat. I guess I was scared of drivin' her away— and I love her, Father. She's the first thing I ever loved. And I tried to tell Edie the other night, I really tried. She's the first nice thing that ever happened to me.

FATHER BARRY (almost brusquely) What are you going to do about it? 
TERRY About Edie? What do ya mean, about telling her?
FATHER BARRY Edie. Yes, about telling her. The Commission. Your subpoena.

FATHER BARRY I know you got a subpoena. 
TERRY Well, I don't know! It's like carrying a monkey around on your back. 
FATHER BARRY (agreeing) A question of who rides who.

TERRY 'Cuz ya know If I spill, my life won't be worth a nickel. 
FATHER BARRY And how much is your soul worth if you don't?

TERRY But it's my own brother they're askin' me to finger— They're askin' me to put the finger on my own brother.

TERRY and Johnny Friendly. His mother and my mother was first cousins. When I was this high he took me  used to take me to the ball games (when I was a kid)... . 
FATHER BARRY (violently) Ball games! Don't break my heart!

FATHER BARRY I wouldn't care if he gave you a life pass to the Polo Grounds.

FATHER BARRY So you got a brother, eh? Well, let me tell you something you got some other brothers—

FATHER BARRY and they're all getting the short end while your cousin Johnny gets mustard on his face at the Polo Grounds. Ball games! Listen..

FATHER BARRY If I was you, I'd walk right— (He catches himself and drops his voice.)   

FATHER BARRY  Never mind.

FATHER BARRY — Listen, I'm not asking you to do anything, Terry. It's your own conscience that's got to do the asking.

TERRY Ts. Conscience... . (shakes his head ruefully) I didn't even know I had one until I met you and Edie... this conscience That stuff...that stuff can drive you nuts.

FATHER BARRY (sharply) Good luck.

TERRY (waiting for someone to do it for him) Hey! Is that all you've got to say to me, Father?

Father Barry looks off .
LONG SHOT—PIER WALL—DAY 

FATHER BARRY C'mere.
Edie coming toward them in the distance. 
MEDIUM CLOSE—FATHER BARRY AND TERRY

FATHER BARRY It's up to you. Just one more thing. You better tell Edie. Edie called me this morning. She's coming here to talk to me.

FATHER BARRY C'mon, why don't you tell her?

FATHER BARRY Right?

FATHER BARRY No curves.

TERRY Okay.

TERRY Thanks.

Terry turns in Edie's direction, reluctantly.

He goes off toward her. Father Barry stands looking after him.

CLOSER SHOT—EDIE AND TERRY—AT BURNED PIERS—DAY

TERRY Edie... Edie... .. 
EDIE (turning to him) Terry, what's wrong? 
TERRY I've been sittin' in the church. 
EDIE You? 
TERRY (almost inarticulate) Yeah, yeah, it's up to me, it's up to me— he says it's up to me. 
EDIE Who says? 
TERRY The Father. The Father.
He is trembling.
EDIE Terry— what's happening to you? 
TERRY I just told the Father. 
EDIE Told him what? 
TERRY What I did to Joey.

EDIE (whispered) You... .

TERRY (louder) What I did to Joey. Honest to God, Edie...
EDIE Don't tell me— don't tell me! 
TERRY (plunging in) Edie— it's—

What he starts to say is drowned out by an immense, prolonged blast of the whistle from the departing ocean liner.

Terry shouts his story out to Edie compulsively but we cannot hear it over the rasping sound of the whistle.

Edie is horrified as she catches enough words to realize what Terry is trying to say.

The whistle pauses a moment, giving us just enough to hear Terry shout—
TERRY Didn't know— Honest to God, Edie. I swear to God...

Then the blast of the boat whistle drowns him out again. When it finally stops, Terry is finishing—

TERRY —but don't you see, Edie, I never thought they'd—
(then hysterically as he feels her turning away from him) I don't know what to do, Edie, I don't know what to do! I swear to God I—

She looks at him, turns and strides off .

TERRY (calling, desperately) Edie... Edie... What'll I do, Edie, what'll I do?

She doesn't look back.

Terry watches her go, with mounting anguish; then he lurches on in drunken confusion.

On the Waterfront

Words by Budd Schulberg

Pictures by Boris Kaufman and Elia Kazan

On the Waterfront is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from Warner Home Video and Criterion.