CLOSE—ON FATHER BARRY

He stands over the body of Kayo Nolan, which lies on the pallet and has

been covered by a tarpaulin.

FATHER BARRY

I came down here to keep a promise.

I gave Kayo my word that if he stood up to the

mob I’d stand up with him all the way. Now

Kayo Nolan is dead. He was one of those fellows

who had the gift of getting up. But this time they fixed

him good— unless it was an accident like Big Mac says.

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— Dropping a sling on Kayo

Nolan because he was ready to spill his guts

tomorrow— that’s a crucifixion. Every time the

mob puts the crusher 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 has 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.

TRUCK

Go back to your church, Father.

FATHER BARRY

Boys, this is my church. If you don’t think

Christ is here on the waterfront, you got another

guess coming. And who do you think He lines up

with—

Every morning when the hiring boss blows his

whistle, Jesus stands alongside you in the shape-up.

He sees why some of you get picked and some

of you get passed over. He sees the family men

worrying about getting their rent and getting food

in the house for the wife and kids. He sees them

selling their souls to the mob for a day’s pay.

What does Christ think of the easy-money boys

who do none of the work and take all of the gravy?

What does He think of these fellows wearing

hundred-and-fifty-dollar suits and diamond rings—

on your union dues and your kickback money?

How does He feel about bloodsuckers picking

up a longshoreman’s work tab and grabbing

twenty percent interest at the end of a week?

How does He, who spoke up without fear

against evil, feel about your silence?

SONNY

Shut up about that!

FATHER BARRY

You want to know what’s wrong

with our waterfront? It’s love of a lousy buck. It’s

making love of a buck— the cushy job— more

important than the love of man. It’s forgetting

that every fellow down here is your brother in

Christ.

But remember, fellows, Christ is always with you—

Christ is in the shape-up, He’s in the hatch—

He’s in the union hall— He’s kneeling

here beside Nolan and He’s saying with all

of you—

If you do it to the least of mine,

you do it to me! What they did to Joey, what they

did to Nolan, they’re doing to you. And you. And

YOU. And only you, with God’s help, have the

power to knock ’em off for good!

(turns to Nolan’s corpse)

Okay, Kayo?

Amen.

He makes the sign of the cross.

(from On the Waterfront, writtten by Bud Schulberg)