''Waterfront'' is a 1950 British

black and white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super- ...

directed by Michael Anderson and starring

Robert Newton Robert Guy Newton (1 June 1905 – 25 March 1956) was an English actor. Along with Errol Flynn, Newton was one of the more popular actors among the male juvenile audience of the 1940s and early 1950s, especially with British boys. Known for hi ...

Kathleen Harrison Kathleen Harrison (23 February 1892 – 7 December 1995) was a prolific English character actress best remembered for her role as Mrs. Huggett (opposite Jack Warner and Petula Clark) in a trio of British post-war comedies about a worki ...

and

Avis Scott Avis Scott (22 February 1918 – 31 May 2010) was a British film and theatre actress. She was born in London as Avis F Scutt, daughter of Arthur Octavius Scutt and Freda May Palmer. She emigrated to the U ...

. The screenplay concerns a sailor who abandons his family in the

Liverpool Liverpool is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the List of English districts by population, 10th largest English district by population and its E ...

slums. He returns years later causing family frictions. Adapted from the 1934 novel of the same title by Liverpool-born writer John Brophy, it was released in the United States as ''Waterfront Women''. Although often forgotten, it features a young (aged 25)

Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...

in his third film appearance.

Plot

When ship's fireman Peter McCabe goes to sea in 1919, he leaves his long-suffering wife impoverished, with two young daughters and a son born soon after his departure. Despite his assurances to his elder daughter, Nora, he does not return or even send word. The family live in a

slum near the waterfront. Nora grows to hate her absent father. Young George Alexander McCabe, named after the actor George Alexander, is bright and at 12 wins a scholarship. The mother, Nora and George go to the Empire Theatre to celebrate. Here George in his enthusiasm accidentally strikes a man on the back of the head whilst waving his lollipop. That man, Ben, is attracted to Nora. He gets off on the wrong foot when she learns that he is an engineer on a ship, but he overcomes her resistance and a romance develops. Ben intends to marry her after his next voyage, but a severe economic slump idles the docks, putting Ben out of work for two years. Ben suggests ending their engagement, fearing that he is a burden to her, but Nora will have none of that. McCabe returns unexpectedly after 14 years. After his current ship, the SS ''Benediction'', docks in Liverpool, he rejects a demotion over his troublemaking ways and quits. Nora is none too pleased at her father's shocking reappearance. On his initial visit, he stays only briefly. After a dalliance with a blonde acquaintance, he learns of the existence of his son. He heads to the pub and drinks a lot of

whisky Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden ca ...

. The second engineer of the ''Benediction'' appears and mocks McCabe. They brawl outside; he cuts the man's throat with a

razor A razor is a bladed tool primarily used in the removal of body hair through the act of shaving. Kinds of razors include straight razors, safety razors, disposable razors, and electric razors. While the razor has been in existence since bef ...

and is arrested. In a twist of fate, Ben comes on the scene and learns of the vacancy. He applies for the dead man's post straightaway and gets the job. The ship sails at midnight, so he can only send a note to Nora to tell her the news. When the police arrive to tell Mrs McCabe of her husband's arrest, Nora realises the coincidence with her father's own absences from home. Instead of heading out to sea, the ''Benediction'' is diverted to

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The ...

for three days, giving Ben time to see Nora and insist they get married, which they do. Mrs McCabe goes to the police station to see her husband, but he has been moved to Walton Jail. She visits him in his cell. When he asks, she confirms he has a son. George, waiting outside and wearing his school uniform, comes in and recites a Latin poem for his father.

Cast

as Peter McCabe *

as Mrs McCabe *

as Nora McCabe *

Susan Shaw Susan Shaw (29 August 192927 November 1978) was an English actress. Biography Shaw was born Patsy Sloots in West Norwood, London. She had wanted to become a dress designer and was working as a typist at the Ministry for Information when she di ...

as Connie McCabe * Robin Netscher as George Alexander McCabe *

as Ben Satterthwaite *

Kenneth Griffith Kenneth Griffith (born Kenneth Reginald Griffiths, 12 October 1921 – 25 June 2006) was a Welsh actor and documentary filmmaker. His outspoken views made him a controversial figure, especially when presenting documentaries which have been ca ...

as Maurice Bruno *

Olive Sloane Olive Sloane (16 December 1896 – 28 June 1963) was an English actress whose film career spanned over 40 years from the silent era through to her death. Sloane's career trajectory was unusual in that for most of her professional life she was e ...

as Mrs Gibson * James Hayter as Ship's captain *

Charles Victor Charles Victor (10 February 1896 – 23 December 1965) was a British actor who appeared in many film and television roles between 1931 and 1965. He was born Charles Victor Harvey. Born in Southport, Lancashire, England, Victor was a fourth ...

as Bill, the tea and refreshments seller * Michael Brennan as Engineer *

Allan Jeayes Allan John Jeayes (19 January 1885 – 20 September 1963) was an English stage and film actor. Jeayes was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire, the son of Isaac Herbert Jeayes, archivist and Assistant Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Museum. ...

as Prison officer *

Hattie Jacques Hattie Jacques (; born Josephine Edwina Jaques; 7 February 1922 – 6 October 1980) was an English comedy actress of stage, radio and screen. She is best known as a regular of the ''Carry On'' films, where she typically played strict, no-non ...

as Music hall singer

Critical reception

Writing in the ''

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves ...

'', David Parkinson noted a "sobering and little-seen portrait of Liverpool in

the Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagion ...

...the film is undeniably melodramatic, but it has a surprisingly raw naturalism that suggests the influence of both Italian neorealism and the proud British documentary tradition. As the seaman whose drunken binges mean misery for his family and trouble for his shipmates, Robert Newton reins in his tendency for excess, and he receives solid support from the ever-dependable Kathleen Harrison and a young Richard Burton, in only his third feature."

References

External links

* {{Michael Anderson 1950 films 1950 drama films British black-and-white films British drama films 1950s English-language films Films based on British novels Films directed by Michael Anderson Films set in Liverpool Films shot at Pinewood Studios Films produced by Paul Soskin Films with screenplays by Paul Soskin 1950s British films