The Writer's Life: The Writer's Life 6/7

Father Robert Lauder, a professor of philosophy at St. John's, hosts a program titled The Catholic Novel on NET, channel 30 on Cablevision in NYC. There are two segments per show, each running less than 15 minutes. As I was channel hopping the other night, I came upon the one on Budd Schulberg's On the Waterfront, the adaptation of his 1954 Oscar winning screenplay into a full length novel. Lauder is as passionate about film as he is books. He is featured in almost every episode of Reel Faith, a show similar to Sneak Previews from a Catholic perspective. While the hosts discuss current fare, Lauder gives his view on a classic in a taped segment. In my opinion, On the Waterfront is as good as any film ever made, great story and cast, memorable dialogue. It is director Elia Kazan's brilliant rebuttal to those who condemned him for naming names during the McCarthy era. He responded to his detractors by having the hero betray a corrupt union boss, which no reasonable person would oppose. Would his opponents have opposed an informant who had infiltrated the KKK? Of course not. They practiced selective outrage, just like about everyone else on the planet, which has never been more clear than during the current political climate. During his lecture on the book, Lauder noted that Schulberg, a Jew, once considered converting to Catholicism. Schulberg must have studied the religion. How else could he have have written Father Barry's blistering monologue, which Lauder dubs a homily? It was rendered powerfully on screen by Karl Malden, the character standing in the bowels of a cargo ship, pelted by debris. Here it is:
"Some people think the Crucifixion only took place on Calvary. They better wise up! Taking Joey Doyle's life to stop him from testifying is a crucifixion. And dropping a sling on Kayo Dugan because he was ready to spill his guts tomorrow, that's a crucifixion. And every time the Mob puts the pressure on a good man, tries to stop him from doing his duty as a citizen, it's a crucifixion. And anybody who sits around and lets it happen, keeps silent about something he knows that happened, shares the guilt of it just as much as the Roman soldier who pierced the flesh of our Lord to see if he was dead."
And here are the most famous lines of the film, delivered by Marlon Brando to Rod Steiger: "It wasn't him, Charley, it was you. Remember that night in the Garden you came down to my dressing room and you said, 'Kid, this ain't your night. We're going for the price on Wilson.' You remember that? 'This ain't your night'! My night! I coulda taken Wilson apart! So what happens? He gets the title shot outdoors on the ballpark and what do I get? A one-way ticket to Palooka-ville! You was my brother, Charley, you shoulda looked out for me a little bit. You shoulda taken care of me just a little bit so I wouldn't have to take them dives for the short-end money."
And here is Brando's rousing rant delivered to the corrupt union boss, played by the great Lee J. Cobb: "You take them heaters away from you and you're nothin', you know that?...You take the good goods away and the kickbacks and the shakedown cabbage and them pistoleros and you're nothin'. Your guts is all in your wallet and your trigger finger - you know that?...You give it to Joey. You give it to Dugan. You give it to Charley, who was one of your own. You think you're God almighty. But you know what you are?...You're a cheap, lousy, dirty, stinkin' mug. And I'm glad what I done to you. Ya hear that? I'm glad what I done!"
Even with the speech restrictions of the era, the dialogue is awesome, as good as any there will ever be. Schulberg passed away at 95 in 2006. He left a wonderful legacy. Here's a list of his books:
What Makes Sammy Run?
The Harder They Fall, adapted by Schulberg to film in 1956, Humphrey Bogart's last film, a fitting cap to his fantastic career.
The Disenchanted
Some Faces in the Crowd, a short story collection, part of which was adapted to the screen by Schulberg as A Face in the Crowd (1957), starring Andy Griffith as an ego-maniacal TV star, the highpoint of Griffith's long career.
On the Waterfront
From the Ashes: Voices of Watts
Sanctuary V
Loser and Still Champion: Muhammed Ali
The Four Seasons of Success
Swan Watch
Everything That Moves
Moving Pictures: Memories of a Hollywood Prince