What we flagged
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Our take
A dockworker has to decide whether to speak against the men who control the waterfront through fear. The violence in On the Waterfront is often just out of sight, but the beatings, threats and killings give the film a heavy mood. Language and romance are mild. We would watch together from 11 and talk about courage and pressure to stay silent.
Uplifting themes
Speaking the truth, even when it is dangerous, is the heart of the story. It also deals with loyalty, conscience, and standing up to bullies The lead is flawed and has done wrong, but he finds courage, and a priest and a young woman push him toward honesty. They show real moral nerve Gives teens a look at 1950s union corruption, dock life, and the fear that kept workers quiet. Good for talking about history and civic courage
Story (may spoil tone)
A prizefighter-turned-longshoreman with a conscience goes up against labor leaders to expose corruption, extortion, and murder among the union ranks.
What we flagged
Details
Violence Union thugs beat and threaten workers, and the lead takes a long, bruis…
Union thugs beat and threaten workers, and the lead takes a long, bruising beating near the end. A few killings are shown or implied, though the 1950s style keeps the worst off screen
Language Language is mild by modern standards, with hell, damn, and old-fashione…
Language is mild by modern standards, with hell, damn, and old-fashioned insults. Threats and shouted orders carry more bite than the words
Sex / nudity A romance builds through kisses and close conversations, and there are…
A romance builds through kisses and close conversations, and there are a few flirtatious lines about wives and lovers. Nothing is shown beyond kissing
Drugs / alcohol Beer, whiskey, and cigarettes show up often in bars, parties, and on th…
Beer, whiskey, and cigarettes show up often in bars, parties, and on the docks. A man is shown drunk, and heavy drinking is simply part of the setting
Frightening Threats, a body falling from a rooftop early on, and a dark waterfront…
Threats, a body falling from a rooftop early on, and a dark waterfront full of menacing men create steady unease. A few scenes of a man cornered by thugs can scare younger viewers
Bullying / discrimination A union boss and his men bully workers into silence, use fear and favou…
A union boss and his men bully workers into silence, use fear and favours to keep control, and treat informers as traitors. The pressure is steady and personal
Gore / death / weapons A beaten, bloodied face and bodies are seen, but the film is black and…
A beaten, bloodied face and bodies are seen, but the film is black and white and fairly restrained. Guns are shown and pulled out in tense moments
Gambling A fixed boxing match from a character's past is part of the story, and…
A fixed boxing match from a character's past is part of the story, and money was bet on the result. It is remembered with regret, and the film shows how it damaged him
Grief / bereavement Murders leave grieving families, and a funeral scene shows how the whol…
Murders leave grieving families, and a funeral scene shows how the whole community mourns. Characters cry and talk about regret and loss, and the sadness gives the story much of its weight
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
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Talk after watching
- The workers are afraid to talk because they might be hurt or lose their jobs. What would you do if speaking up put you at risk?
- The lead sometimes calls himself a failure. How does he change by the end?
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On the Waterfront
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