Here is the synopsis of our sample research paper on The Importance of Supporting Characters in “On the Waterfront”
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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 4 page paper discusses the importance of the supporting characters of Father Barry (Karl Malden), Johnnie Friendly (Lee J. Cobb) and Charley Malloy (Rod Steiger) in the classic film “On the Waterfront.” Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Page Count:
4 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_HVonwatr.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
Director (Elia Kazan), Best Actor (Marlon Brando) and Best Supporting Actress (Eva Marie Saint in her first film) (Dirks). All three of the male supporting actors were nominated (Lee J.
Cobb, Karl Malden and Rod Steiger) but none of the three won (Dirks). This paper discusses the contributions these three characters made to the film. Discussion The film itself and
the difficulties getting it made have many parallels in the story. The corrupt union bosses in the movie have a stranglehold on the dockworkers, much as the House Un-American Activities
Committee had a stranglehold on Hollywood, running "witch hunts" for Communists and muscling into the movie industry (Niemi). It was one of the low points of U.S. Congressional history. Director
Kazan "caved" and testified against other film people, earning him lasting contempt from those who did not "squeal" (Niemi). In actual fact, then, Terry Malloy, the Brando character, is a
sort of twisted version of the director himself, trying to decide whether he should or should not testify before the committee investigating corruption on the docks. The three supporting characters
to be examined can all be considered as sort of satellites orbiting around Terry, as the center. They all have tremendous influence on him: Father Barry (Karl Malden) is a
tough priest who urges him to testify about what he knows; Johnnie Friendly (Lee J. Cobb) is the mob boss who threatens him; and Charley Malloy (Rod Steiger) is his
brother, who is caught in the middle between the two extremes, just as Terry is. One of the most important aspects of the film is that Terry is not very
bright. Hes not retarded or mentally defective, just of somewhat below average intelligence. And that makes him extremely suggestible. He "throws" a fight because Friendly has a lot of money
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