“On the Waterfront” (1954), which will open the 2015-16 CSO at the Movies series on Oct. 23, claims the No. 16 spot on TimeOut New York’s just-released list of the Best 100 Movies — as ranked by a select voting pool of actors.
The movie, about corruption on New York City’s docks (and an allegorical response to ’50s political blacklisting), received 12 Oscar nominations, including one for Leonard Bernstein‘s music — the only score he wrote specifically for a movie. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, led by guest conductor Richard Kaufman, will perform the full score, as the complete film is projected over the Orchestra Hall stage. The concert is part of a special weekend celebrating the upcoming Bernstein centennial, with two Beyond the Score presentations Oct. 24-25 of “Bernstein in New York City.”
Also on TimeOut New York’s list, at No. 20: Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” (2000), which will be featured in a Ravinia concert Aug. 3, with the CSO performing the film’s Oscar-nominated score by Hans Zimmer.
Topping the TONY list is “Tootsie” (1982), which prompted one reader to comment: ” ‘Tootsie’ is the best movie of all time” — said no one ever.
Among the actors voting were Oscar winner Juliette Binoche, Tony victor Betty Buckley and Marvel action anti-hero Anthony Mackie. But the enterprise does seem a bit suspect, with the first ballot listed, cast by British actor Amanda Abbington, giving the No. 1 spot to the forgettable rom-com “The Yellow Rolls-Royce” (1964). Despite the film’s beauteous vistas of Italy and Austria — to say nothing of those of stars Ingrid Bergman and Alain Delon — it’s hard to regard this cinema vehicle as deserving of best-ever honors.
Meanwhile, the star of “On the Waterfront” is the subject of a new documentary, “Listen to Me Marlon” (opening Aug. 28 in Chicago). It includes animated 3-D scans of Brando’s head as he recites passages from “Macbeth.” Read more about it here.