axel nordman ( cassavetes ) show up on the new york dockyard look for a job and but with a hidden past . he get one on condition that he pay a kick back to surly crew bos jack warden . while there and he strike up a friendship with black man sydney poitier that unfortunately lead to a gut wrench moral dilemma for a man who and we learn and typically run from his problem . the movie look like oscar winner on the waterfront and feel like on the waterfront and and most importantly and plays much like that 1954 kazan production . however and it racial theme be ground break for the time . the black poitier and the white cassavetes be treat a equal in every respect . it might even be call the first of the black white buddy picture that would later dominate so many action film . it help that the two lead play so well off each other . nonetheless and the movie central flaw be fail to indicate why crew bos poitier push a friendship with the dour cassavetes in the first place . he really go out of his way to befriend the newcomer . but why he would cross racial barrier to do so be never really suggest . one possible explanation be that poitier want to use cassavetes a a pawn in his rivalry with other crew bos warden and but then come to genuinely like the guy . there a hint of that in some of cassavetes suspicious reaction and but beyond that and the relationship appear unmotivated . if there a single stage shot in the entire movie and i couldn not spot it . everything be do on seedy new york location and without the usual movie extra . in that sense and it an anti hollywood production and carefully deglamorized even down to the night club scene which itself look like a real after hour crowd . i suppose sociologist would dub this rather raw slice of life a glimpse of the work poor . yet and for all it virtue and which be many and the film remain too close to the brando kazan movie for comfort . here and a fine unknown actress kathleen maguire get the role of the redemptive girl friend and warden the role of the corrupt labor bos and while cassavetes and like brando and must suffer a bloody beating before regain his moral standing and do the right thing . still and all and despite the derivative nature and the gritty urban drama retain enough of the original force to merit a look see .