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2002 |
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Andy Murcia 'On the Waterfront' |
 Andy with Eva Marie Saint on the set of ABC's 'Malibu' miniseries |
Eva Marie left Andy panting
when she wore that slip
By ANDY MURCIA
of TheColumnists.com
Back in 1954 I was 13 and in serious need of adult supervision. Like that Saturday night that my big sister, Cookie, and her main man, Joe, were saddled with the unhappy task of taking me along on their date at the movies.
This was going to be my first “adult” movie. Before that Saturday night, I would ride my bike to the movie show in North Miami and stay there until I’d seen the double bill at least twice--or until ordered to leave by the movie owner, Mrs. Kirkhart, who we kids called “The Human flashlight.” I’d try my best to avoid her light by ducking under my seat. She was the only person I ever met who could scream at you while whispering!
Anyway, that Saturday night I sat in the theater with my sister, Cookie, waiting to see this grown-up movie I knew nothing about. The name was “On The Waterfront.” How was I to know it was going to win eight Oscars? Most people didn't expect that much from a little black and white movie made for $906,000 in 36 days in Hoboken, N.J.
While I sat there, fidgeting, I got to thinking how this was just another of my "firsts" in this little moviehouse. I first sat next to a girl there and, in only a few months, I mustered up enough nerve to put my arm around the back of her seat. If you're already way ahead of me, then I might as well admit the same theatre also was the scene of my first kiss. I thought it tasted like “spit.” Call me kinky, but I grew not to mind that taste.
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sister, Cookie, with main man, Joe. |
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Finally, down went the house lights, the movie started and suddenly I was into it. Man, who was this Brando guy? He talked like a punch-drunk boxer. Well, you know the movie, so let me cut to the chase: Remember all those scenes with Eva Marie Saint wearing just that white slip? Wow!
When Brando and Eva did that kissing scene in her flat, I was deathly afraid "the human flashlight" would light me up and everybody would notice how worked up I was getting, even though I was sitting with my sister. When Marlon and Eva slid out of the camera frame and slipped to the floor, I remember unsuccessfully trying to contain my feelings.
So, now we jump to the
1980s. I'm grown up at last and married to an actress named Ann
Jillian. (I know most regular readers are now groaning, “Okay,
we know you married Ann, so stop already!). At the time Ann was
working on a miniseries for ABC-TV in Malibu, CA. and it’s
called, you guessed it, “Malibu.” It had a multi-star
cast that included Eva Marie Saint. Then, one day, Ann introduced
me to her.
All of a sudden I was 13 again. And what a sweet lady she was.
In between scenes, Eva sats on a bench off camera, and I couldn’t
resist trying to talk to her. I wanted to talk with her so badly,
I eagerly became her “go-fer”
“Hi, Eva, can I get
you some coffee?” I asked, but she wanted tea.
“I bet you must be sick of talking about 'On The Waterfront'
by now?" I said.
“No, not at all” she replied.
“Great," I told her. "It was my first real movie,
you see."
She said, “Mine too.”
So, we started talking about the making of this classic. She told me that director Elia Kazan made all the actors rehearse almost constantly. They had a room off the side of the hot (lighted) set and if the actors were not in the scene being filmed, they had to be in this room rehearsing. Eva credits this fact for the extra-great quality of the acting.
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Oscar-winning first movie role opposite Marlon Brando. |
This was the first movie of Eva’s career, and her great acting opposite Brando in the role of “Edie” earned her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. I tried to explain to Eva how profoundly she had affected me. Her performance was so intense for me to watch, to see at once how vulnerable she was and how strong she played her character. Her performance became the standard for me when judging acting excellence by a woman. I believed she was “Edie” and I liked everything about her. I felt how she was torn with wanting to obey her father, who wanted her to stay away from Terry Malloy, the roughneck character Brando played. But she was drawn to Terry with all the desire of a “girl in love,” home from the convent.
One might think a lady of high quality would be snooty, difficult or demanding. No way! Eva has this way of relaxing you. She's totally accessible. What I liked the best about her was her friendly warmth. She’s top shelf in my book.
The years have long passed since “Waterfront” for Eva, but I must say, she is as vulnerable and strong acting as ever. Another great actress, Vivica Lindfors. once told Ann and me, while discussing costuming, “If it does not happen here, in my face, the costume will mean very little.” So, if the camera is on Eva Marie Saint’s face, we will get her character's message, in spades. Her eyes say so much more then even the lines from the script.
As our “Malibu”
filming took us to a little strip mall along Pacific Coast Highway,
Eva introduced Ann and I to an egg-shaped man with a funny hat
that covered his ears. He wore sunglasses and the cop in me picked
up the fact that he had two different colored socks on. Was he
color blind or in a rush to get out of the house? As I shoved
my hand towards his to give him my “how do you do”
his name and face registered: It was Rod Steiger, who played
Brando's brother, Charlie, in "On the Waterfront."
The ham in me wanted to break into my “but Charlie, you
shouda looked out for me; you was my brother, Charlie” routine
from the famous scene in the picture. Or, “I coulda been
a contenda, Charlie, instead of a bum, which is what I am”…but
I didn’t say anything more as Ann had her arm around my
waist and was pinching the hell out of my fat there. I knew what
she wanted me to say: NOTHING!
But I must tell you, I regret to this day that I didn’t
have a go at it. I’m not sure, but ever since I got into
show business with Ann, I find ALL of this kind of stuff most
amusing. If I’ve made any real enemies in this racket, it’s
because I didn’t take their profession too seriously–in
fact, I laughed at a lot of it. I’m sure unknowingly, I
hurt some feelings along the way. But compared to police work,
this was FUN work, so how could I help myself? While Steiger
is a favorite actor of mine, I think he’s a bit nuts. But,
hey, so am I.
Eva Marie Saint and Rod Steiger weren't the last of the "Waterfront" stars I was able to meet. One night Ann and I had dinner with Karl Malden, who played Father Barry in the picture. Ann knew him from her child actress days when he played "Herbie" in "Gypsy" while she was playing "Dainty June." What a prince of a guy--and what a great actor!
As for Eva, I can tell you this lady is everything a STAR should be–attractive, gifted, and a person who appreciates her fans. But if you want to know if Marlon Brando was a good kisser, if Karl Malden’s nose is really such a doozy or if Rod Steiger really is like “Charlie,” you will have to ask her yourself. I’m not betraying her confidence. I can’t help it. I’m just loyal to any woman who gave me my first of anything--and Eva first howed me just how great an actress can be in her very first picture.
© 2002 by Andy Murcia.
The photo from "On the Waterfront" is © 1954 by
Columbia Pictures. The other photos are from the Murcia family
archives. All rights reserved.
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