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MTDb โ€บ Best of โ€บ 1954 โ€บ On the Waterfront

On the Waterfront poster

On the Waterfront (1954)

โ€œThe man lived by the jungle law of the docks!โ€

7.9/10 ยท 1,840 votes 1h 48m nr RomanceDramaCrime

#5 of 12 films from 1954 #74 of 1371 in romance

Directed by Elia Kazan ยท Written by Budd Schulberg

โ–ถ Trailer, images & where to stream

Overview

A prizefighter-turned-longshoreman with a conscience goes up against labor leaders to expose corruption, extortion, and murder among the union ranks.

Cast

Marlon Brandoas Terry Malloy
Karl Maldenas Father Barry
Lee J. Cobbas Johnny Friendly
Eva Marie Saintas Edie Doyle
Rod Steigeras Charley Malloy
Pat Henningas Kayo Dugan
Leif Ericksonas Glover
James Westerfieldas Big Mac
Tony Galentoas Truck
Tami Maurielloas Tillio
John F. Hamiltonas 'Pop' Doyle
John Heldabrandas Mott
Rudy Bondas Moose
Don Blackmanas Luke

Facts

Release dateJune 22, 1954
Runtime108 min (1h 48m) โ€” about the same as the 1954 average of 113 min
GenresRomance, Drama, Crime
LanguageEN
Budget$910,000
Box office$9,600,631 (10.6ร— budget)
IMDbtt0047296

More from Elia Kazan

A Streetcar Named DesireA Streetcar Named Desire1951 ยท โ˜… 7.6 ยท 2h 2m East of EdenEast of Eden1955 ยท โ˜… 7.5 ยท 1h 55m

If you liked On the Waterfront

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Rocco and His BrothersRocco and His Brothers1960 ยท โ˜… 8.0 ยท 2h 58m NotoriousNotorious1946 ยท โ˜… 7.7 ยท 1h 43m The Big SleepThe Big Sleep1946 ยท โ˜… 7.6 ยท 1h 54m In a Lonely PlaceIn a Lonely Place1950 ยท โ˜… 7.6 ยท 1h 33m BreathlessBreathless1960 ยท โ˜… 7.5 ยท 1h 30m LolitaLolita1962 ยท โ˜… 7.3 ยท 2h 34m West Side StoryWest Side Story1961 ยท โ˜… 7.2 ยท 2h 33m The ApartmentThe Apartment1960 ยท โ˜… 8.2 ยท 2h 6m

Questions

How long is On the Waterfront?
On the Waterfront runs 108 minutes (1h 48m).
Is On the Waterfront worth watching?
TMDB users give it 7.9/10 across 1,840 votes, which places it #5 of 12 films released in 1954 in this index (top 67%) and #74 among 1371 romance titles.
Who directed On the Waterfront?
On the Waterfront was directed by Elia Kazan. Other well-rated titles by the same director: A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), East of Eden (1955).
Who stars in On the Waterfront?
Marlon Brando as Terry Malloy; Karl Malden as Father Barry; Lee J. Cobb as Johnny Friendly; Eva Marie Saint as Edie Doyle; Rod Steiger as Charley Malloy; Pat Henning as Kayo Dugan.
What is On the Waterfront rated?
It carries a nr certification in its home market. Ratings differ by country.
Where can I watch the trailer for On the Waterfront?
Open the title in the MTDb app for trailers, images and streaming links: https://mv.peoplentools.com/titles/104251.

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Film data and images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Ratings are TMDB user scores as of 2026-10-05.