Hoboken history · · 4 min read
On the Waterfront: The Oscar-Winning Film Shot on Hoboken's Docks
Marlon Brando's 1954 classic On the Waterfront was filmed in Hoboken. How the movie captured the city's working docks — and what's there today.
Before the parks and condos, Hoboken's riverfront was a working port of piers, ships and longshoremen. In 1953 director Elia Kazan filmed On the Waterfront here, starring Marlon Brando. Released in 1954, it won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Then and now
Many scenes were shot on location around Hoboken's docks, rooftops and streets. The gritty port you see on screen has since been transformed into the green waterfront parks visitors enjoy today.
Watch the film before you visit, then walk the river and imagine the piers as they were.