Mis En Scene Analysis - On The Water Front

Over time Elia Kazan’s On The Waterfront has become recognized as one of the greatest movies of all time. Many site the use of method acting or Kazan’s personal affinity with the tale of a whistleblower as reasons to engage in this film. I find the most interesting analysis to be on how Kazan implemented various visual elements to add depth to the characters. This is achieved through elements of mis en scene giving a visual representation for the theme of control, that others fight to hold over Terry.
Terry’s brother Charley, and his boss Johnny Friendly are the two most influential characters who have charted the course of Terry’s life. In a key early scene after Joey has been murdered Terry walks into a billiard room where Johnny is meeting with his men. Johnny is fun loving and playful with Terry as he boxes with him and puts his arm around his shoulder. Johnny asks Terry to count some money for a good laugh knowing that Terry is unable to count. Later Charley explains away Terry’s sullen demeanor as one to may knockouts. He addresses this to Johnny without looking at Terry who is standing right next to him while referring to him in the third person. This is reminiscent of how two parents would converse about their child. Charley and Johnny view Terry as a child who cannot be responsible for his own well-being. It is inferred that Terry has accepted this idea of himself being incapable of having ownership over his own life because he does not object to their treatment of him. The other way Charley and Johnny exercise control on Terry is through money. In the billiard room Johnny takes a few bills and stuffs them into Terry’s shirt. Johnny is buying Terry’s loyalty. The next day at work Terry is paid a full days wage to sit on a sack of potatoes. Terry is comfortable letting them control his life because to him it is a better life than he would have on his own. The hooks that Terry and the longshoreman use represent the control that Johnny and the union