On the Waterfront
An ex-prize fighter turned New Jersey longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses, including his older brother, as he starts to connect with the grieving sister of one of the syndicate's victims.
Directed by Elia Kazan · Crime · Drama · Thriller · 108 min · 1954
Trailer
Director
Elia Kazan
Writer
Budd Schulberg{{Infobox, decat = yes, child = yes, label1= Suggested by, data1 = {{Based on, "Crime on the Waterfront", Malcolm Johnson
Studio
Horizon Pictures
Release
22 Jun 1954
Runtime
108 min
Genres
Crime, Drama, Thriller
Full Plot
Terry Malloy dreams about being a prize fighter, while tending his pigeons and running errands at the docks for Johnny Friendly, the corrupt boss of the dockers union. Terry witnesses a murder by two of Johnny's thugs, and later meets the dead man's sister and feels responsible for his death. She introduces him to Father Barry, who tries to force him to provide information for the courts that will smash the dock racketeers.
Cast & Characters
Terry Malloy
Marlon Brando
Father Pete Barry
Karl Malden
Charley "the Gent" Malloy
Rod Steiger
Timothy J. "Kayo" Dugan
Pat Henning
Lead Investigator for Crime Commission
Leif Erickson
Big Mac
James Westerfield
Truck
Tony Galento
Tillio
Tami Mauriello
"Pop" Doyle
John F. Hamilton
Mott
John Heldabrand
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $910,000, On the Waterfront has grossed $9.6M worldwide — about 10.6x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Marlon Brando appears in 3 films in our catalog, including The Godfather, Apocalypse Now.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Upon its release, the film received positive reviews from critics, and was a commercial success, earning an estimated $4.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
On the Waterfront holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (172,324 votes), 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, 91/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of July 30, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.1/10 on IMDb (172,324 votes), 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, 91/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is On the Waterfront's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
On the Waterfront holds a 99% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is On the Waterfront's IMDb rating?+
On the Waterfront has a 8.1/10 rating on IMDb from 172,324 votes.
What is On the Waterfront's Metacritic score?+
On the Waterfront has a Metascore of 91/100 on Metacritic.
Is On the Waterfront good? What are critics saying?+
On the Waterfront holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (172,324 votes), 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, 91/100 on Metacritic.
How long is On the Waterfront?+
On the Waterfront has a runtime of 108 min.
Who directed On the Waterfront?+
On the Waterfront was directed by Elia Kazan.
Where can I watch On the Waterfront?+
On the Waterfront is available to stream, rent, or buy on fuboTV, Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads, Rakuten TV, Sky Store.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to "On the Waterfront" is one of strong praise for Marlon Brando and Budd Schulberg's adaptation of the screenplay from a series of plays by Tennessee Williams. The film has been cited as an influence on popular films, including ones starring Lee J. Cobb, Gene Hackman, and Jack Nicholson. The movie's portrayal of labor issues and its use of realism have also drawn attention. Some reviewers praised Brando for bringing depth to his character, while others noted that Karl Malden's portrayal of Father Barry was more compelling.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
You think you're God Almighty, but you know what you are? You're a cheap, lousy, dirty, stinkin' mug! And I'm glad what I done to you, ya hear that? I'm glad what I done! On the Waterfront is directed by Elia Kazan and adapted to screenplay by Budd Schulberg from a series of Malc…
John Chard · 10/10This coulda’ been a contender in a lot of greatest movie polls if people just took a second to fully appreciate it.
James · 7/10Although it's Marlon Brando who takes top billing here, I found it was Karl Malden's "Father Barry" who stole the story as the priest who is determined to galvanises the New York dockers to step out from under the oppressive shadow of their boss "Johnny Friendly" (Lee J. Cobb). H…
CinemaSerf · 7/10**_Popular quasi-film noir early in Brando’s career_** A former prize-fighter (Marlon) wrestles with his conscience as a longshoreman on the Hudson River across from Manhattan and the Empire State Building. He finds himself attracted to the sister (Eva Marie Saint) of a murdered…
Wuchak · 6/10
From the trailer's comments
Oh hey it’s the stubborn Jury guy from 12 Angry Men
@two-face1041 · 67 likesMovie mentioned by Vein Diesel in furious X premiere.👍👍
@JaswantSingh-wm5qs · 38 likesVin Diesel brought me here. For the family!
@Settowin · 588 likesI remember drooling over him in the 90s when my kids were toddlers. Time flies when u have kids and before u know it you're old and knocking on Death's door. Rip Val 🙏 I loved u in The Doors, Tombstone, Heat, Wonderland, and The Saint.
@Yvonne_ozlife · 7 likes“ I will NEVER Respect anyone who doesn’t Respect me, Neal Patrick Fry. “
@nealfry7196 · 18 likesI was 15 when I saw this. Never forgot it. Nor Leonard Bernstein's music.
@anne-louiseluccarini4530 · 0 likesI watched this movie in middle school and to this day it is the best Brando movie.
@BrianaMichelleMeyer · 22 likesAs brilliant as when I first saw it (70 years ago). That music!
@enricoluccarini3626 · 7 likes
