Terry Malloy’s bloodied walk to the warehouse at the end of On the Waterfront. Pretty much any moment from when he first stands up to when he stops in front of the foreman and drops his hook.
Admittedly, if you look past the lyrically naturalistic performances, the gritty locations and the brutality, it’s a very Old Hollywood ending, cornball in its adherence to commercial screenplay formula. But I still love it, because it’s beautiful and inspiring. The everyman succeeds in remaking his life, which means it’s possible for us to do the same. In his past, Terry let himself get knocked down and stayed down; in the present, he gets knocked down against his will, then gets back up.
Over to you.
This article was originally published on The House Next Door.
Since 2001, we've brought you uncompromising, candid takes on the world of film, music, television, video games, theater, and more. Independently owned and operated publications like Slant have been hit hard in recent years, but we’re committed to keeping our content free and accessible—meaning no paywalls or fees.
If you like what we do, please consider subscribing to our Patreon or making a donation.
