On the Waterfront

A black and white movie probably wouldn't be the first choice on my list of movies to see. My initial thoughts would be that the movie has poor acting, lighting, and virtually no special effects. However, the lack of these elements can have a very interesting effect on movie viewers. As was the experience I had when watching On the Waterfront. This movie was extremely simple in the way that there were not too many side stories to tie in. The characters, the story line, and the underlying message were all easy to follow which make it possible for many viewers to relate to.

This film certainly did not waste any time getting into the plot. As with movies today, there seems to be a slow progression that explains the characters and provides information to the viewers in a simple way. In contrast, On the Waterfront jumps straight into the heart of the plot which can make the opening scenes of the film difficult to understand if one is not familiar with the time period. However, if viewers are familiar with the director, Elia Kazan, they might have an easier time following the plot.

Kazan is a world-renowned director for his films about social justice. As made apparent in On the Waterfront, Kazan wanted to show viewers the immoral and unethical side of a union in New Jersey that was being run by the mob. His mission to spread knowledge about corruption in unions (especially those with mob involvement) certainly taps into the emotions of viewers.

The plot of this film focuses on one major idea and message: the struggle for human dignity. As the mob organized numerous killings in the community with no citizens brave enough to speak out, it seemed as if all hope was lost. A priest's call to action motivated one man to take a stand, clear his conscience, and do what was right. On the Waterfront sends viewers a message that despite the challenges presented before them, no matter how great, they can be overcome. No man is inferior to another and justice is worth fighting for.

As for this film's impact on society at the time of its production, I can not be too sure. But one thing that I am sure of is the impact that the film can have on people of all generations. The message is universal: Stand up for what you believe is right! Corrupt people and organizations can be stopped and justice can be gained!

Casablanca

When sitting down to watch a movie that has been described as a classic, one will most likely start making assumptions as to what they are about to see. One might expect to see adventure, violence, love, or some kind of underlying theme that relates to many people on a personal level. Casablanca, with all of its elements, definitely lives up to being labeled as a classic.

With this movie being produced in the 1940s, there is certainly an adjustment that viewers will have to make at the beginning of the film. I found the first few scenes to be extremely confusing. This confusion can be attributed to the fact that the movie's plot correlates with World War II. For younger generations, who may not have the same understanding of World War II that some older generations might, it is crucial that one focuses during the first few scenes and start making connections between the actors. Another challenging aspect is that the movie is in black and white. Viewers must rely on their listening and observational skills to decipher between characters and their affiliation, which can be difficult to do in movies with characters in military uniforms. In addition to the challenge of distinguishing between military affiliation, another challenge stemmed from the actor's accents. Many different countries were represented in Casablanca; however, all the actors seemed to have very similar dialect.

As my initial opinion of the film wasn't the most positive due to the challenges described above, my thoughts changed dramatically in the final scenes of the film. I found it a bit amusing to see how my reaction to the film followed the textbook's methods for analyzing a film quite accurately. On my primary analysis, I didn't see how the film was considered a classic. After more thinking and consideration, I was able to understand and react to the underlying message and theme.

It is easy to see why so many people were able to connect and respect Casablanca at the time of its production. The final scenes of the movie clearly explain why. There were several underlying themes from my perspective. The first theme pertained to love. As I saw it, the director was trying to convey that love conquers all. Despite all the troubles surrounding the characters in this film, love can still exist and is far superior to war. Though this is no doubt one of the most obvious themes in Casablanca, I felt that the director wanted to also present a theme of patriotism since the film was produced during WWII. From Victor's analogy between breathing and fighting to Renault covering up Rick's murder of Strasser, the theme of patriotism is quite apparent at the end of the movie.

After analyzing the underlying messages in Casablanca, it is understandable that this film is referred to by many as a classic. The themes presented in this film would have had a huge impact on society at the time of its production.