On the Waterfront: The Final Shooting Script

Of course, I saw the movie first; in fact, before VCR's and DVD's, we showed the 16 Mil. film to our regular English classes as a reward, usually at the end of the year. One year,however, I had a particularly unmotivated special ed. English class. I remembered the film, and found the book at a college bookstore. I figured it was worth a try, so I persuaded the Chairman of my department to order 15 copies out of the budget (which was usually close to empty, but somehow she ok'd the funds). At first, nobody would read ("who wants to read an old movie script anyway?"), so I began reading all the parts, and the next day I had no trouble getting them to take the parts; in fact, to avoid a slugfest, the part of Terry alternated every 10 minutes. What was it about a (at that time) 40 year old script that sparked such interest? Even though I promised to show the video when we finished reading (a bribe that usually worked), I sensed that the story of Terry's struggle to do the right thing despite the emotional and physical price he is forced to pay had struck a note. Why? Maybe because the story is so brutally stark, yet filled with a compassion that is at odds with the way Johnny Friendly and his thugs do business; it's hard to say...But this book was the basis of some of my most successful teaching. Some followed the script when I ran the movie, and a couple of kids wanted to borrow the video to watch at home, the ultimate compliment. I have to say that it has always been one of my favorite movies; with the possible exception of The Godfather, Brando was never better. But the script itself is great reading, especially aloud. It's a story that still rings true.