Question

How does On the Waterfront reflect the political climate of America in the 1950s?

Answer 1

The film focuses on union violence and corruption amongst longshoremen, while detailing widespread corruption, extortion, and racketeering on the waterfronts of Hoboken, New Jersey. It was one of the first 25 films to be deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress.

Kazan made On the Waterfront in 1954  as a reflection of issues central to its time, when the film first came out a few critics were less sure. The critics agreed that the film had tremendous power, but many were leery of the new acting style and undecided about the effectiveness of Brando’s slouchy inarticulateness. On the Waterfront was based on a series of investigative pieces published in 1949 by New York City journalist Malcolm Johnson, for which he won a Pulitzer Prize.

The politics of this era, however, forever altered Kazan’s life. Following World War II, at the start of the cold war, many Americans feared an infiltration of Soviet Communism. In 1947, the controversial House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was formed with the intention of purging the United States of any Communist influence. Hollywood’s high profile and liberal makeup made it a prime target. HUAC subpoenaed many actors, screenwriters, and directors to coerce them into informing on their colleagues by “naming names”—that is, making public which of their friends now had, or formerly had, any associations with the Communist Party. HUAC subpoenaed Kazan once, and at his initial hearing he refused to divulge details. At a second hearing in 1952, however, Kazan chose to give the names of seven former colleagues from his Group Theater days. Budd Schulberg, the screenwriter of On the Waterfront, also cooperated with the committee.

Kazan justified his actions by saying that supporting anti-Communist efforts would protect his liberal beliefs and his country. His justifications, however, met with much criticism, particularly from two American writers, Lillian Hellman and his good friend Arthur Miller, who believed naming names was a betrayal of fellow artists. On the Waterfront celebrates as a hero a man who informed on mob leaders, and many people believe that Kazan made the film as a response to Hellman, Miller, and other critics. Miller’s play The Crucible, whose hero dies rather than accuse people of being witches, of course represents the opposing view.