On the Waterfront
Elia Kazan’s multi Oscar winner was based on actual characters and events surrounding then-rampant extortion, racketeering and corruption on the docks of New York. Movie history would have played out differently had producer Sam Spiegel cast his original choice Frank Sinatra instead of Marlon Brando, whose electrifying performance revolutionized screen acting overnight. Despite this, Brando later said “the first time I saw Waterfront, in a projection room with Gadge, I thought it was so terrible I walked out without even speaking to him.” Film debuts of Eva Marie Saint, Martin Balsam, Pat Hingle and Fred Gwynne.
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About John Badham
John Badham, is the director of Saturday Night Fever, War Games, Stakeout, Short Circuit and Point of No Return, among others, as well as the TV series, Nikita, Heroes, Psych, The Shield and Criminal Minds. A Professor of Media Arts at Chapman University, his book “I’ll Be In My Trailer” has become the go-to source on directors working with Actors. September 2013 will see the publication of his new book “John Badham on Directing”.