Here is a film gritty, harsh, and violent, but also curiously compassionate and courageous. Here Marlon Brando gives the performance of his career, as Terry Malloy, pawn of a vicious mob boss. Here Elia Kazan takes a film shot in a violence-ridden location (cast and crew actually needed police protection) and makes it into a thing of beauty. This is must-see cinema, folks, although some violence makes it unsuitable for under 13. Though the violence isn't constant or gratuitous, when it does show up it hurts. Main characters are killed, shot, impaled, and crushed. One character is shot, and his body is hung on a fence for others to see. Many characters get in fights, and, in the end, the main character is bloodied up very badly. The main character is a good role model: though he initially makes bad choices, his guilt drives him to become a better, more responsible person who risks his life for justice.