Tempesta a Liverpool

'Waterfront' is a short, but beautifully written and acted, British drama. It boasts an early performance from the young Richard Burton, before Hollywood flourishes and ego started to affect his film choices; and a multi-faceted turn from Robert Newton as the drunken father who returns to the family he abandoned some years before.

Without a complicated plot, this film concentrates instead on the characters - the mother who has grown strong for her children's sake (the excellent Kathleen Harrison); the daughters Nora (Avis Scott) and Connie (Susan Shaw), and other peripheral characters - Olive Sloane as Mrs Gibson, alongside Kenneth Griffith and Robin Netscher.

Directed by Michael Anderson from John Brophy's novel, this gem showcases the Liverpool docks in the days when life was hard for those who lived there and made their living from the water. It looks at the journey from girl to woman of the eldest child, and the muddled dynamics of family relationships and loyalties.

I have to wonder if the other reviewers on IMDb were watching the same film I have just seen. Waterfront must have been the most unrealistic "slice of life in the raw" film even upon its release in 1950. Some 64 years on it is simply laughable. Considering the Liverpool docks setting, and the fact that all the characters are meant to be local, it is incongruous to say the least that Ma is played by the Cockney sparrer herself, Kathleen Harrison, whilst her daughters are Susan Shaw (doing her It Always Rains on Sunday "EastEnders" bad girl accent), Avis Scott (who she?) at least attempting something vaguely Lancastrian - but certainly not Liverpudlian), and the two younger male leads are both Welsh - Richard Burton and Kenneth Griffith. Robert Newton opts for a mildly northern twang - occasionally. Newton, Harrison and Shaw are top-billed, though the starring role is actually played by Avis Scott, in what appears to have been her first and last lead (presumably Sally Gray was not available). Waterfront can only be viewed as a period piece, but it is not a good one, and is never for one moment believable or engrossing. Perhaps in the attempt for 'realism', none of the cast inject any personality into their characters: this is the only film in which the usually wonderful Kathleen Harrison has actually gotten on my nerves, and Richard Burton shows no sign of being a megastar in embryo.

Every year, like most families I suppose, we watch Alistair Sim's A Christmas Carol in December. Part of me always thinks that the people in that movie aren't really actors, so you can imagine my surprise when I saw Mrs. Dilber make an appearance in another movie! Kathleen Harrison is her actress name, and not only is she the matriarch in Waterfront Women, but she has 113 credits to her name on IMDb. And she lived to the ripe old age of 103! Anyway, in Waterfront Women, Kathleen lives in seaside Liverpool. At the start of the movie, her seafaring husband leaves her, and shortly afterwards she gives birth to her third child. As the film continues, she works hard to provide singlehandedly for her family, all the while pining away for her husband and hoping he'll return to her.

Kathleen's two daughters grow up very differently. Avis Scott, the elder daughter, follows in her mother's footsteps. She's a hard worker, and against her better judgement, falls in love with a sailor, a very young and handsome Richard Burton. The younger daughter, Susan Shaw, flirts with bad boys and gets into trouble. All three Waterfront Women give very good performances, and the plot moves quickly, with lots of twists to keep you guessing. This is a great one to watch with your girlfriends on a rainy Saturday!

Given that this film was set in Liverpool what one has to ask is why are the actors all using different accents.For some reason the director clearly equates anywhere up North with a mancunian accent instead of the scouse accent.Of course dear old Robert Newton eyes rolling in anticipation of his part as Long John Silver,veers from Cockney to mumerset.Newton was such a fine actor your attention is drawn to him from beginning to end.He is supported by such a great cast.A very young Richrad Burton as a jobless ships engineer,Kathleen Harrison as the usual harassed mother and Kenneth Griffiths playing what one assumes to be a spiv.The camera work is first class particularly eye catching being the fight outside the pub.One could almost call this a British film noir.This film is sadly neglected and doesn't get any showing on TV.

Waterfront is an urban drama that takes place in and around the dock area of the United Kingdom's busiest seaport city Liverpool. My own first exposure to Liverpudlian culture comes from the Beatles. If you're not a resident of the UK I suspect that would be the same for anybody.

In fact knowing what little I know about the hardscrabble backgrounds of the Fab Four as kids this was an interesting film to watch if for no other reason than to see from where they sprung. Waterfront was in fact shot on location in Liverpool, in areas I suspect that had been restored somewhat to something approximating what they looked like before the Blitz.

I also suspect that the Lennon, Starkey, Harrison, and especially the McCartney families lived in such an area as the McCabes did. The action takes place between the World Wars and starts in 1919 when Robert Newton just decides one day to not come back from a sea voyage, deserting wife Kathleen Harrison and the two daughters and a babe on the way that neither of them know about.

Newton's character Peter McCabe would have been at home in a Eugene O'Neill play. In fact I suspect if O'Neill were British he might very well have made Liverpool his place of literary inspiration. Newton stays away for 15 years and then returns and doesn't even try to contact his family. For the rest all we'll say is it turns out very badly for him indeed.

The daughters are played by Avis Scott and Susan Shaw and its Scott's character who narrates the story and in whose eyes we view the proceedings. Both get involved with different men, Scott with young Richard Burton who was billed sixth in the cast and Shaw with the smooth and caddish Kenneth Griffith. The son that Newton never knew he had is played by young Robin Netscher who is a brilliant student even if he does have to fight a lot over slurs about his father.

Newton turns in a restrained and believable performance of a man with wanderlust and a lack of responsibility. Some similarities in his character with Yancy Cravat from both versions of Cimarron. For those who expect the eye rolling overacting that Newton is known for, you'll be disappointed. Harrison also is good as the working class mother trying to do right by her kids.

This review is dedicated to the Fab Four of Liverpool who put the city on the map worldwide in so many cultures and languages. I suspect that if Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney ever catch this film, they'll rate it as an accurate portrayal of the old home town.